Those who have bathed in Rimini, visited Ravenna’s churches and eaten Tagliatelle al Ragù in Bologna are far from being through with Emilia Romagna. There are more beautiful places to discover, that not even all the locals know about.

Bertinoro – Terrazzo della Romagna

There is a good reason why this small medieval hamlet confidently calls itself “Terrazzo della Romagna“. It is perched at the top of Monte Cesubeo, not far from Cesena, on the edge of the Apennines. The view from the panoramic terrace at Piazza della Libertà stretches over the gently undulating landscape of Romagna as far as Bologna and Rimini.

If you’ve looked into the distance long enough, just turn around. In the same piazza stands the imposing Palazzo Ordelaffi with its clock tower. It houses the town hall, and the Colonna degli Anelli column, erected in 1247. The Column represents a symbol of the village of 11,000 inhabitants and its historic hospitality.

Beyond Piazza della Libertà, Bertinoro is also worth a visit: with its ancient houses, towers and walls, churches and fortresses, trattorias and wine bars, it is an ideal destination whether you are on the coast or in one of the beautiful towns of Emilia Romagna.

Pennabilli – On the road in the upper Marecchia Valley

The pretty Pennabilli, in the countryside of Rimini, is best known as the home of poet and artist Tonino Guerra. He died in 2012 but his house and many of his open-air artworks can be visited there.

The village in the upper Marecchia Valley has also become the site of several permanent exhibitions collectively called “Places of the Soul”. Check out the Garden of Forgotten Fruits, where fruit trees that have almost disappeared today grow, or the Refuge of Abandoned Madonnas, with a collection of holy images; and a Sanctuary of Thought, which features seven enigmatic stone sculptures and a bench for meditation. It is also worth visiting the cultural association “Il mondo di Tonino Guerra”.

The museum is located in the basement of the 14th century Oratory of Santa Maria della Misericordia. Here you can admire sculptures, “mobilacci” (furniture designed by the artist himself), ceramics, paintings, tapestries and other works created by the artist.

Canossa Castle – In the footsteps of Henry IV

The always unpleasant walk to Canossa refers to the petition and penitential walk of Henry IV to Pope Gregory VII. The Pope stayed as a guest of the Margravine Matilda of Canossa in her castle, built on a sandstone hill between Bologna and Parma. The German-Roman emperor waited three days and three nights kneeling in front of the entrance gate before being allowed to enter. Tempi passati. Those who go to Canossa today do so with pleasure. All that remains of the former castle are the foundation walls, which give an idea of how mighty it once was.

In 1878, the Italian state acquired the atmospheric ruin which also houses the Naborre Campanini Museum on the grounds. The artifacts on display there come from excavations at the castle and give a picture of Matilda’s life and times. In the region around the castle, “Terre di Canossa”, a network of tourist routes, was created in 2018. It stretches from the foothills of the Reggio Emilia Apennines to the center of the fertile Val d’Enza. Between the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Parma visitors will be introduced to the area’s history and culture, as well as its culinary and wine products.

Castelvetro di Modena – Food Heaven

Between Modena and Bologna lies Castelvetro di Modena. This small community, which housed a military camp in Roman times, is one of the so-called “Terre di Castelli“. Today, it delights visitors with its authentic medieval flair. Particularly charming is Piazza Roma, which forms the heart of the town with its neat checkerboard floor as well as the free-standing clock tower. Gourmets should already be familiar with the small community and its immediate surroundings. The grapes for the fruity, sparkling red wine Lambrusco Grasparossa grow here, often and gladly in organic quality. In addition, regional pasta specialties, Parmigiano Reggiano and Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale are produced, which can be tasted directly on site at the producers or in many nice trattorias.

Stay in one of the rural agriturismi of the region, or at least eat there. If you are a meat eater, try “gnocco fritto” – fried dumplings, in combination with prosciutto, salami or other cured meats. I personally would go for the handmade Tortelloni with Ricotta and Spinach. All of the agriturismi have many local specialties on their menus. Mostly as genuine and traditionally prepared home cooking, but sometimes with refined gourmet ambitions.

Equally exciting is a visit to a winery. Guided tours can almost always be booked, and at the end there is a tasting and the opportunity to buy your new favorite wine. Together with a portion of tortellini and a young piece of Parmesan, you have some delicious samples of Emilia Romagna on the table – buon appetito!

Castello di Rivalta – Marvel, dine, sleep

The Dutch royal family, fashion czar Giorgio Armani and Italian star influencer Chiara Ferragni are among the prominent guests of the imposing castle. It stands south of Piacenza in an enchanting medieval hamlet and has been inhabited by the Counts Zanardi Landi since the 13th century. However, the impressive fortress with its more than 50 halls is much too large for private use. For this reason, Castello di Rivalta can be visited not only on guided tours, but can also be occupied like a hotel. Romantics love the magnificent, historic setting for sumptuous wedding celebrations, gourmets drop by to dine, art lovers to admire the exhibitions of the family collection. Concerts, performances, charity events and presentations are held regularly in the rooms, some of which are furnished with original furniture and textiles from the 15th century. Those who prefer to stay outdoors can enjoy a stroll through the large, well-kept and wonderfully quiet castle park.

More about Emilia Romagna: https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en

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Typical of Bologna are the beautiful, mostly sweeping arched porticoes that run through the city and connect many of the magnificent squares, churches and palaces. From now on, some of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. “It is a great satisfaction and a wonderful recognition that makes us happy,” commented the Mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola. “With the inclusion of the porticoes of Bologna in the UNESCO World Heritage List, we have achieved a goal that we have pursued for a long time. This title is a great honor and at the same time a great responsibility for Bologna, and we will live up to this recognition,” Merola continued.

Bologna has a total of 39 miles of porticoes. However, not all porticoes were nominated. The choice was limited to a series of 12 components that together depict a cross-section of the architectural, historical and micro-geographical variety of the town- representing parts of the historic center and other more peripheral areas.

The UNESCO list therefore includes Piazza Santo Stefano, the porticos of Via Zamboni, those of Strada Maggiore, the MamBo portico building, the porticos of Piazza Cavour and Via Farini, immediately followed by the archway of San Luca, the Pavaglione porticoes and Piazza Maggiore, the porticoed street of Santa Caterina, the porticoed building in the Barca district, the Certosa portico, the Baraccano porticoes and the Galliera porticoed street.

The first porticoes date back to the 11th century, originally conceived to extend the surface area of private buildings in response to the need for expansion of commercial and artisan activities. For over ten centuries now, the porticos have been regarded as a meeting point, a place for aggregation and socializing for both locals and visitors. It is precisely this social aspect that distinguishes these covered spaces, which were and still are privately owned for public use while being considered the most identifying feature of the city.

Here, we present a few of the designated porticoes in Bologna:

Santo Stefano and Mercanzia

In this magical corner, one of the city’s most beautiful squares, with its cobblestones sloping down to the spectacular Basilica of Santo Stefano (aka “Seven Churches”), the porticoes appear as a real embrace, starting from the Palazzo della Mercanzia and continuing along the entire perimeter of its irregular buildings. An embrace that also embodies the liveliness of the activities carried out in their eternal shade: cafés, cocktail bars, historic restaurants, promenades, students chatting or playing the guitar. The most striking portico? Undoubtedly that of Palazzo Bolognini, with its terracotta “heads” that seem to peer out at passers-by. And here comes a recurring question that no one can ever answer: who are those heads depicting?

Pavaglione, Banchi and Piazza Maggiore

The Pavaglione (from ‘Papilio’, the name of the silkworm sold by notaries right under the portico in Piazza Maggiore) is undoubtedly Bologna’s most iconic portico. Located in the eastern part of the square under the Palazzo dei Banchi, it was built in the 15th century with the dual function of dividing the elegant Renaissance square from the intricate, chaotic and odorous maze of streets of the “Quadrilatero” (the ancient medieval market) and  providing a suitable place for the city’s bankers to conduct their business and set up money-changing desks in a city that had by then reached a decidedly cosmopolitan dimension, thanks to the presence of countless students from different European and international countries. The portico, a majestic example of a Bolognese arcade, stretches from Via Rizzoli to Via Farini and includes several sections belonging to different buildings: from Palazzo Ronzani (soon to be the site of the Cineteca di Bologna’s new Modernissimo cinema) to the medieval Ospedale della Morte over the historic Archiginnasio complex with its Anatomical Theatre and the imposing Stabat Mater Hall. 

San Luca

When talking about porticoes, we cannot but mention the extremely long archway of San Luca, the longest in the world, connecting the city center with the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca, located on top of the Colle della Guardia, with a total length of about 4 km and almost 700 arches. The Basilica seems to watch over Bologna, connected to the city by this “umbilical cord” that keeps it close and allows wayfarers to walk the itinerary up and down in all weather conditions. Conceived as a devotional pilgrimage route, the Portico of San Luca is today a great “outdoor gym” attended every day at all times by children, groups of walkers, young and elderly people, who tire themselves out on the ascent from the “Cassero” of Porta Saragozza to the top of the hill, passing through the challenging “Curve of the Orphans” alternating steep climbs with steps and flatter stretches. A perfect route to work off that Sunday lunch of tortellini!

Cavour, Farini and Minghetti

This is perhaps the most elegant and finely decorated portico in the city center, not surprisingly in a street, Via Farini, which is now characterized by luxury boutiques. The portico in question is the work of the artist Gaetano Lodi, who decided to decorate each vault of the archway  with different historical episodes in chronological order and in splendid colors. The square is also famous for being the birthplace of the beloved Bolognese singer and songwriter Lucio Dalla. 

Click on the link to find a complete list of the UNESCO porticoes

Photos: ArchivBolognaWelcome

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Bologna has a population of 330,000, which includes 150,000 students from around the world. But, despite its high ratio of students, this city is considered the most affluent in Italy. Its streets are lined with trendy fashion and jewelry shops and expensive cars. Mind you, the cars in Bologna are outnumbered 12-to-1 by scooters. The cascading steps of the principal library flow down to Bologna’s central piazza, occupied by a huge bronze statue of Neptune, god of the sea. The voluptuous mermaids surrounding Neptune have breasts that spew water, which the locals freely drink.

 

Neptune has his own piazza, just off this principal piazza where many young people start their evening dates by meeting on Neptune’s steps. You won’t need to roam far from Neptune and his neighboring Piazza Maggiore to see most of the historic and ancient attractions of Bologna. The city hall, built in 1287, was once ruled over by a mayor who quit politics to become a Catholic priest and eventually became Pope Gregory XIII. He gave us today’s Gregorian calendar.

You can do most of your roaming protected from rain, snow or a hot blazing sun. This city has more than 40 kilometers (25 miles) of porticos – covered walkways – in its core. One stretch of fashionable shops has the longest porticos in the world. Wander into the nearby university district and you’ll feel right at home – the main street in that neighborhood is Via Zamboni.  

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