In addition to the cultural and historical importance of the places, sustainable aspects of the tourist infrastructure, an intact old town without car traffic, the preservation of the architectural fabric, living traditions as well as the promotion of the quality of life play a significant role in the award as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

14 new Villages in the “Borghi più belli d’Italia” association

Called the village of churches, Badolato is a medieval village characterized by narrow and winding alleys that intersect between the houses close to each other. Badolato is situated on a hill a few kilometers from the Ionic coast in Calabria. The hill dominates the wide valley of the torrent Gallipari, whose harsh strokes and the beauty can be admired in all their splendor. The road to the mountain and the plateau of Serre connects the ancient village with the s.s. 106 thus allowing the visitor to go in just a few minutes from the hot amenities of the ionian coast to the charm of a mountain still unspoiled. It divides in Badolato Village (or higher) and Badolato Marina. In Badolato’s ancient village you can visit 12 churches (the other 2 are located in the hamlet of Marina) that, for their position, seem almost to protect the country from all four sides.

Bagno di Romagna in Emilia-Romagna is a renowned center for thermal cares and nature tourism. It is located 56 miles southeast of Bologna. The nearby national park Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona, Campigna offers woodlands, miles of paths in the woods, mountains and a major artificial lake.

Borgo Valsugana, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, is situated between Levico and Primolano and not far from the idyllic Val di Sella in Trentino. It is the vibrant center of the Valsugana and features a characteristic river landscape. Not only historic buildings and portals characterise Borgo Valsugana, but also frescos and other decorative elements, which provide the village a Venetian style. Moreover the Brenta river which crosses Borgo, splits the village into two parts.  Well deserved being among the “Borghi più belli d’Italia”

Castagnole delle Lanze is a small Piedmontese village located in the province of Asti, embedded between the hills of the Langhe and Monferrato, in an area with a strong vocation for tourism and a deep-rooted winemaking tradition. Included within the World Heritage areas of southeastern Piedmont according to UNESCO, Castagnole delle Lanze is nestled among enchanting hills, long rows of vineyards and hazelnut groves typical of the area. The Piedmontese village is also an Orange Flag, an initiative that has been marking tourist excellence on Italian territory since 1998, and is a symbol of sustainable tourism, hospitality and high quality itineraries, thanks to the presence of a valuable natural, artistic and cultural heritage.

Celle Ligure is a small jewel of the Western Ligurian Riviera, overlooking the sea. The village has colorful houses lined up along the coast, sandy beaches and characteristic alleys overlooked by buildings of great artistic value, including Palazzo Ferri, the current Town Hall. Its historic center still retains the charm of the ancient fishing village. To fully enjoy the beauty of the country, there is nothing better than getting lost in the alleys and squares.

Golferenzo is an ancient village in the hills of Oltrepò Pavese in Lombardy, with magnetic charm and excellent food and wine. Curious tourists will find delicious and unusual panoramas in Golferenzo with vineyards nestled into the hillsides making excellent wines and Riesling and Pinot in particular.

Guarene in Piedmont, is a beautiful ancient town, perched on a hilltop with stunning views on the vineyards of the Langhe and Roero territories, recognized as a World Heritage site by Unesco. Large part of this old town is occupied by the Castle of Guarene, a finely designed baroque palace built between 1726 and 1775. Today, the palace continues to make people’s dreams come true. Preserved as it was in its heyday, with all its works of art intact, it is now also home to a top-class hotel. 

Malcesine, a picturesque village overlooking the Veronese shores of Lake Garda, dominates the lake and mountains with its castle: the ancient stronghold rises below the hills planted with olive groves; all around develops the village, rich in history and culture, while just outside the center, you can see natural beauty to be reached on foot, by boat or by cable car. The village of Malcesine actually extends over a large area, which includes coast and hill, protected behind by Mount Baldo: an area rich in natural beauty, history and culture. Malcesine definitely deserves to be on the list of “I Borghi più belli d’Italia”.

Discover the town of Ossana in Val di Sole, Trentino. Walk through the streets of the village with 1000 nativity scenes and visit Castel San Michele. Ossana lies at the mouth of the Val di Peio valley, at the foot of the peaks of the Presanella chain. The village is dominated by the Tower of the Castle of S. Michele (1191), which is nestled in a hill that has been inhabited since the Bronze Age.

Ronciglione is a ‘dual’ village: medieval, the village above, Renaissance the one added in 1500 by the Farnese family. The town in Latium, not far from Viterbo, boasts one of the 10 most beautiful Carnivals in Italy. It is also a stop on the Via Francigena North. Now, Ronciglione has been named as one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages.

Where flavors become emotions! Sammichele di Bari in Apulia is located on the Murge Plateau and is built primarily on agriculture. On the last weekend of September, there is a festival called Sagra della Zampina, to promote the local products. The town’s castle houses the “Museo della civilltà contadina” in which there are pictures, utensils, and clothes concerning farmer’s life in the 19th century.

San Donato in Poggio is located in the middle of the classical Chianti territory of Tuscany.  The town has maintained much of its classical medieval architecture and has incorporated delicious restaurants, charming B&B accommodations and hosts several fun events throughout the year. Treat yourself to exploring a piece of the Tuscany that played an important role in the rise and fall of the Florence and Siena powers and contributes to the culinary and wine cultures of today.

By now, I am sure, you have noticed that mostly medieval towns have been included in the most beautiful villages in Italy. Stroncone in Umbria is another one. The historic center has preserved intact its enchanting medieval atmosphere, with narrow winding streets, beautiful stone doorways and an ancient well, which is just inside the walls near the beautiful gate called Porta del Borgo. At the entrance to town there is a monumental 17th-century fountain with an elegant design. 

Tempio Pausania is an enchanting, large town in the heart of Gallura, in north-eastern Sardinia, a “granite temple” surrounded by water and greenery, famous for its carnival, cork and moscato. The town is famous for working granite and cork, to which the cork machinery museum is dedicated, for its wines (Vermentino, Karana and Moscato), and for lu carrasciali timpiesu, an allegorical carnival par excellence that attracts 100,000 visitors every year. 

The post New Borghi d’Italia appeared first on Discover Italy Magazine.

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

The post Emilia Romagna off the beaten track appeared first on Discover Italy Magazine.

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

The post Bologna Porticoes UNESCO World Heritage appeared first on Discover Italy Magazine.

Fellini and Rimini

Those who are old enough may remember: the racing cars of the Mille Miglia rally speeding across the 2,000-year-old Tiberius Bridge. The snowball fight at the Pigna Fountain and the scene with the peacock. The clumsy seduction attempt at the Cinema Fulgor. And, of course, the fairy-tale Grand Hotel, site of glamorous parties watched clandestinely through the bushes by local youth. “We spied the naked backs of women who appeared like gold, embraced by the arms of men in white tuxedos,” Federico Fellini wrote years later in his book “La mia Rimini” (My Rimini). The world-famous director was born in Rimini in 1920 and later returned again and again to his native city from his adopted home of Rome.

Cultural heritage

The Fellini Museum Rimini is now open in the hometown of the famous filmmaker. The diffuse museum center is the largest museum project in the world dedicated to the genius behind cult films such as La Strada, Amarcord or La Dolce Vita. A magical place that arouses emotions and where innovation, research and experimentation compete with the classic rules of art. The aim is not to present Fellini’s cinematographic work as a whole. Nor is it a tribute to the director, who died in 1993. Rather, the intention is to enhance the cultural legacy of the great filmmaker in the history of cinema and to condense the city, which plays such an important role in many of his films, into a spatial and conceptual tour. The visitor will be offered an immersive experience, a seamless transition of thoughts and places, of interior and exterior spaces, of participatory narratives and dialogues that make Rimini the starting point of an imaginary journey and the key to a world where everything is imaginable.

Historic old town

The museum unfolds around three central points in the historic seaside resort’s old town: Castel Sismondo, a 15th-century fortress designed by Filippo Brunelleschi; Palazzo del Fulgor, an 18th-century building. Its first floor houses the legendary Cinema Fulgor, immortalized in Amarcord and renovated by three-time Oscar winner Dante Ferretti; Piazza Malatesta, a large, partially landscaped area with venues and art installations. The huge water curtain recalls the ancient moat and a large circular bench is remembered, as in the finale of 8½ as an anthem, to life, solidarity and the desire for community.

In its new design, Piazza Malatesta looks like a spacious square of dreams. A ring, not only symbolic, encloses the cultural heart of Rimini with the Fellini Museum, the Teatro Galli inaugurated by Giuseppe Verdi and restored in 2018, and the Center for Contemporary Art PART (Palazzi dell’Arte Rimini) housed in two 14th century palaces. The project is part of a large-scale plan to rehabilitate infrastructure and enhance the cultural and architectural heritage of the city and its historic center.

Fellini-Museum

The new Fellini Museum sees itself as a place of creativity under the sign of Fellini’s visionary spirit. It was included by the Ministry of Culture in the list of the most important projects of national heritage and was presented by the Minister of Culture Dario Franceschini during the Venice International Film Festival, on the Lido of Venice. Rimini’s mayor is proud of the latest major project in his city: “The Fellini Museum has the same importance and significance for Rimini as the Guggenheim Museum has for Bilbao,” comments Rimini Mayor Andrea Gnassi.

Fellini Museum is a dynamic celebration of the highest legacy left by the maestro: the credo “everything is imagined”, capable of restoring everything that the cinema has wanted to be since its start, and that Fellini’s films express perfectly: amazement, imagination, live shows, enjoyment. A museum that can interpret the Rimini director’s cinema, not as a work finalized in itself, but as the key for linking tradition and contemporaneity.

Details and Info at the museum’s webpage

Photos: ArchivioComuneRimini; APT_Servizi_Regione_Emilia_Romagna;

The post Dolce Vita in Rimini appeared first on Discover Italy Magazine.

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.  

The post Salaborsa Bologna appeared first on Discover Italy Magazine.