Bagnacavallo: weekend slow of art, nature and traditions

A suggested starting point is Piazza della Libertà, the heart of the city, where the main civil and religious monuments are located:
  • Palazzo Vecchio
  • the medieval civic tower
  • the 18th-century Town Hall, designed by the architect Cosimo Morelli
  • the 19th-century Carlo Goldoni Theatre, designed by Filippo Antolini, now a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status
  • the Collegiate Church of San Michele Arcangelo, which houses an important work by the Renaissance painter Bartolomeo Ramenghi, known as Bagnacavallo senior.

To know

• In the entrance hall of the Town Hall stands an interesting monument dedicated to Tomaso Garzoni, author in 1585 of La piazza universale di tutte le professioni del mondo (The Universal Square of All the Professions of the World), which displays large books bearing the titles of all his works.
• The town tower served as the prison where Stefano Pelloni, known as "Il Passator Cortese", was held. At the base of the tower, you can see large nails, which the people of Bagnacavallo have always used to hang objects found along the road.

Curiosity
On the façade of Palazzo Vecchio, one can spot the marble inscription bearing the tercet from the Divine Comedy: “Ben fa Bagnacaval che non rifiglia, e mal fa Castrocaro, e peggio Conio che di figliar tai conti più s’mpiglia” (Canto XIV) “Well does Bagnacavallo that does not refuse, and ill does Castrocaro, and worse still Conio, which in bearing such children is more entangled” (Canto XIV), with which Dante places the town of Bagnacavallo in Purgatory.

Just a short walk away lies the Giardino dei Semplici, the city’s largest inner garden and the last remaining example of the private gardens once hidden behind high walls in the ancient stately homes.

To do

• Stroll amongst the medicinal plants and the flower garden, and admire the Rosa della Pace and the Bella Ciao rose, two flowers that symbolise brotherhood and remembrance.
• Stop and rest on the wrought-iron benches engraved with aphorisms by Leo Longanesi, the writer and journalist born in the city in 1905.

Don't miss
Returning to the square and walking through the arcades along Via Garibaldi, we find 
  • the church of San Giovanni
  • the Torraccia, an ancient testament to the city’s earliest urban settlement.

Curiosity
Adjacent to the church stands the former Camaldolese monastery, which later became a cloistered convent for the Capuchin nuns (not currently open to visitors), where in 1821 Allegra Byron, daughter of the English poet Lord George Gordon Byron, was educated, as shown by the plaque dedicated to her above the building’s entrance door.

To round off the first day, we recommend heading to Villanova di Bagnacavallo (about 5 km from the town) to visit:

• The Ecomuseo delle erbe palustri, which tells the story of the life, work and traditions of the marsh-dwelling community. Inside, you’ll find the history and maps of the land reclamation project, as well as tools and artefacts linked to the processing of marsh herbs and the local culture.
• The Villanova delle Capanne Ethnographic Park, where you can admire the area’s ancient dwellings, faithfully reconstructed and open to visitors, displaying tools and furnishings in use until the first half of the 20th century.

To know
Inside the Ecomuseum is the Locanda dell’Allegra Mutanda, where you can round off the day with a snack that is quintessentially Romagna.

For the first stop on the second day, we recommend a pleasant walk from Porta Pieve to the 7th-century parish church of San Pietro in Sylvis, situated a short distance from the historic centre.

To know
On Sundays, the church is open in the morning for services and visitors are welcome to explore it at their leisure to admire the 14th-century frescoes in the apse, attributed to Pietro da Rimini.

Tip
To round off the morning, you can head to one of the local wineries where (by appointment) you can sample a glass of Burson, a local wine, before returning to the town to try a piadina at one of the many street stalls.

Leaving the town centre behind, you can immerse yourself in nature along the cycle and footpath that runs alongside the ancient Naviglio Zanelli Canal, once navigated by horse-drawn boats. 
Here, with a pleasant stroll or a leisurely cycle, you can reach the charming little bridge over the canal and immerse yourself completely in the Bagnacavallo countryside as far as Villa Prati, once an area cultivated with grass for hay production and livestock grazing.

To know
This stage can be replaced by a visit to Podere Pantaleone, which can be reached on foot, by bike or by car. 
An oasis of ecological balance, created from an old farmstead left to grow naturally without the use of pesticides or modern technology, along its paths you can admire monumental trees, a colony of tortoises and, with a bit of luck and in silence, the native wildlife that has returned to populate the area.

Event
Natura nella notte (Nature by Night): in the evenings, from mid-May to mid-June, you can immerse yourself in a sea of fireflies on a guided tour, listening to the calls of nocturnal birds amidst the flight of bats.

To round off the day, we recommend heading back into town for an aperitif or dinner.

From Piazza della Libertà, an evening stroll along the arcades of Via Mazzini leads to the Chiesa del Carmine, next to which lies the hidden Vicolo degli Amori. This narrow alley is best explored in pairs, before reaching Piazza Nuova.
This enclosed 18th-century elliptical square, formerly a market and venue for cultural events, with its romantic atmosphere, is perfect for an aperitif. 
For dinner, you’ll be spoilt for choice among the restaurants in the historic centre and the surrounding area, all offering excellent Romagna cuisine.

Events

• Feast of St Michael, at the end of September. During this festival, dedicated to the city’s patron saint, pop-up taverns are set up inside the palaces and guided tours of the city and its monuments are organised.
• The exhibitions held at the Museo Civico delle Cappuccine and in the complex of the former convent of San Francesco.

Don't miss
The San Michele dessert, made to a mysterious recipe that bakers prepare during the festival.