Itinerary

Duration: two nights, three days.

Way of transport: by car

Recommended itinerary: Bologna, Imola, Dozza, Bagnara di Romagna, Castel San Pietro Terme, Borgo Tossignano and the Chalk Vein Park, Fontanelice, Castel del Rio.

 

DAY 1 – BOLOGNA

We'll start our trip from Bologna, a city of art and culture, with many nicknames: Bologna "the Learned one", due to one of the oldest universities in Italy that even today continues its role as a very active cultural centre, always open to new and creative ideas. Bologna "the Red one", due to the colour the roofs and houses lend to the city, typical colours of the Middle Ages. Bologna "the Fat one", due to its tasty and excellent cuisine: Bologna's dishes are renowned throughout the world and have won over even the pickiest of palates. The perfect union between modernity and tradition is one of the elements that charm tourists.

To get to know and enjoy the beauty that this city has to offer would take several days, but we only have one; we'll take a walk around the distinctive radial centre: almost 40 km of porticoes that seem to wrap the streets around the centre, will accompany us on our discovery of countless paths leading to the beautiful scenery of Piazza Maggiore, which we'll reach (highly recommended) from Via Ugo Bassi or Via Rizzoli. The Piazza, the unmissable heart of the city, is home to the great and unfinished San Petronio Basilica. On the western side, is the Town Hall and the residence of the Papal legates. To complete the square, is the Palazzo del Podestà, the Palace of the Notaries and the 16th century Fountain of Neptune, the work of Gianbologna.

Very famous are the leaning Two Towers, the Asinelli and Garisenda, the only surviving ones from the many medieval noble towers.

Not far from the towers, along Via Santo Stefano, you'll find the square of the same name, home to the very special Santo Stefano Basilica, a collection of religious buildings that together form the better known Complex of Seven Churches. These are very old buildings that, while they date back to different eras, have a certain stylistic consistency, making this the most interesting and better preserved Romanesque monument in Bologna.

We recommend a choice between: the National Art Gallery (with works by artists of the calibre of Raffaello, Guido Reni, Carracci), the Archiginnasio (home to the Civic Library), the Mambo (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, with the Morandi Museum inside), or one of the extraordinary University Museums throughout the city (must-see: Anatomic Wax Museum in Palazzo Poggi).

 

And for shopping? In Bologna, you can find shops and boutiques to suit every taste. For more thrifty purchases, we recommend Via dell'Indipendenza, which starts at the bus station (near the train station), crosses Via Irnerio and goes all the way to Piazza Maggiore. In Piazza VIII Agosto (along Via Irnerio), the Mercato della Montagnola traditionally takes place every week, on Fridays and Saturdays: don't miss the row of stalls selling shoes, with an excellent quality-price ratio! The market goes all the way to the Montagnola gardens, where you'll find vintage and military clothes, and other curiosities.

Via Rizzoli - Via d'Azeglio - Via Farini - Via Castiglione: this is where you can find the finest shops. In an atmosphere that seems to belong to a different time, haute couture boutiques are interspersed with small "middle market" shops along narrow streets, bedecked with colourful compositions of fruits, vegetables and the city's local traditional products. Must-see: the Galleria Cavour, with exclusive and luxury stores from the most famous designer labels.

 

Dante and Bologna: Dante came to Bologna as a young man, in 1286-87, to study rhetoric, grammar and philosophy. In 1287, a notary, Enrichetto delle Quercie, transcribed one of Dante's sonnets dedicated to Garisenda (one of the two Bologna Towers) and added it to the City Memorials (the act is stored at the State Archives of Bologna). The sonnet is part of the Rime, and is called No me poriano zamai far emenda.

In Canto XXXI of the Inferno, Dante finds himself in the "Giants' well", who are being punished for their opposition to God, between the eighth and ninth circles. To describe Antaeus, who sticks out of the well by several meters, Dante compares him precisely to the Garisenda tower.

 

DAY 2 – IMOLA, DOZZA, BAGNARA, CASTEL SAN PIETRO TERME

At 30 km from Bologna by motorway (A14), we'll see Imola, a small and elegant city of Roman origins. A walk around Imola is the best way to get to know the city, which is tightly arranged around its historical centre of unspoiled beauty. The elegant noble palaces and the Sforza Fortress are just some of the jewels of the historical centre, while the picturesque setting of the Apennines and the high quality sports facilities make the city just right for nature and sports lovers.

Must-sees:

The Sforza Fortress dating from the thirteenth century and featuring a rare collection of ancient weapons and a prestigious display of medieval pottery.

Nestled in the green of its gardens, the San Domenico Museum is home to the Civic Art Gallery and the "Giuseppe Scarabelli" Museum-Archaeological Section.

The Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit, built in the early 50s, still hosts internationally renowned sports events and is a must for all those who want to fully understand the nature of the city of Imola.

 

Just 6 km from Imola, along the Via Emilia, you can reach Dozza, one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Italy. The city flourished again and found a certain stability thanks to Caterina Sforza, Lady of Imola and Dozza, who rebuilt the Fortress: powerful, solid, but still in harmony with the rest of the town. In the Fortress's wine cellars you'll find the Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna, a winery.

What makes Dozza unique are the various paintings that adorn the façades of the houses. The Painted Wall Biennial is the most important event in Dozza. Famous national and international artists paint permanent murals on the town's houses, giving it that distinctive characteristic of "painted city".

 

In the afternoon, we recommend visiting Bagnara di Romagna, 20 km from Dozza and 15 from Imola, a rare example of medieval "castrum", completely preserved, where the atmosphere of bygone times still lingers. The Sforza Fortress, which can be visited throughout the year, is a perfect example of "sixteenth century bello stile", or fair style. Today, it is home to the Castle Museum; in its archaeological section, some important findings tell the story of the town from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages, of which the important archaeological site of Prati di Sant'Andrea remains, a fundamental part of the original village. Almost in front of the Fortress, the Saints Giovanni and Andrea Archpriest Church, from the 15th century, preserves some fine works: the "Madonna del Pubblico Voto" (Madonna of the Public Vow) in terracotta, the baptismal font, a tabernacle of the 15th century and the 18th century organ. Inside the church there are also two museums of particular interest. The Parish museum of religious art preserves a precious 16th century altarpiece "Madonna and Saints" by Innocenzo da Imola, a wooden crucifix from the school of Donatello, and a remarkable collection of devotional ceramics. The Pietro Mascagni Museum, instead, has a large number of mementos and memorabilia of the Livorno-born composer, given to the city by the chorister Anna Lolli, a native of the town.

 

For those who enjoy relaxation and wellness, we recommend an alternative stop, in place of one of the three locations described above: Castel San Pietro Terme, which you can always access from the A14, 10 km from Imola. Here, in the ancient and elegant thermal bath establishment, you'll find one of the most important wellness centres in Italy, where you can undergo targeted nutritional therapy, thermal baths, mud baths, aesthetic medicine treatments, licensed medical visits, cosmetic thermal treatments, health programmes, and much more.

Two kilometres from the A14 toll booth, you'll find the Castel Guelfo Outlet, an entire village devoted to fashion.

 

DAY 3 – BORGO TOSSIGNANO (CHALK VEIN PARK), FONTANELICE, CASTEL DEL RIO

We'll head over to Borgo Tossignano by taking State Road 616. The Chalk Vein and the Santerno river, are the natural elements that determined the historical events of this area and still distinguish it as a unique environmental attraction. The local cuisine is also very much enjoyed: it is part of the Wine and Flavours Route of the Hills of Imola.

Speaking of cuisine, we recommend you don't miss the traditional combination of Shrove Tuesday with the Polenta Festival and the Macaroni Festival.

Must-see: the remains of the Medieval Fortress.

The Pro Loco (organisations for the promotion of the territory) are very active, organising events throughout the year.

Here, we are inside the Chalk Vein Park, an extraordinary complex of chalky rocks, karst caves, sinkholes and the imposing Badlands of the Abbadessa. In the Palazzo Baronale in Borgo Tossignano we'll find the Park Centre with information on hiking paths.

Going up the valley, we'll first see Fontanelice (must-see: Mengoni Archive Museum,the architect who designed the Galleria in Milan) and Castel Del Rio (must-see: Ponte Alidosi, a stunning architectural work dating from the 15th century, declared a national monument in 1897).