A day of discovery in the Modena hills, including a bike trip through Vignola’s cherry orchards and the famous vineyards where Lambrusco grapes are grown for the making of Grasparossa di Castelvetro.
If you take this itinerary between mid-March and mid-April, you might be lucky enough to witness a genuine spectacle: the cherry trees in bloom!
Some towns are worth a visit just to admire the beauty of their historical centers. For example, Spilamberto, with its Rocca Rangoni Fortress; Vignola’s medieval castle; Levizzano Rangone and its fortress once owned by the father of the famous Matilde of Canossa; Castelvetro, whose medieval quarter is marked by towers and belfries; and Castelnuovo Rangone’s Torrione civic tower and its charming bronze statue of a pig.
This itinerary is suitable for all types of biking (gravel bikes, cycling tours, mountain bikes).
Start out in Spilamberto where you’ll see the first of the many towers that dot the Modena hills: the Torrione di Spilamberto or the Spilamberto Tower.
This is the name given to a complex of medieval-era buildings located at the main entrance to the town. From the ramparts of the Torrione, the entire river plain is visible as far as Modena and Bologna.
One of the rooms on the upper floors of the tower was once the location of prison cells, and the rings where chains were attached can still be seen, along with the grand coat of arms of the noble family Rangoni, who were the feudal lords of Spilamberto for centuries.
On weekends, the Antiquarium Museo Archeologico, a museum dedicated to Spilamberto’s archeological history, is open to visitors to the Torrione. The Museum’s collections include the most important evidence of prehistoric life in the area.
Before biking off toward the next stop, don’t miss a visit to the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar in Spilamberto. In the Museum, you’ll learn about the techniques and tools used locally in the production of Modena’s most famous gastronomic product and surround yourself with the unparalleled aromas and flavors of traditional balsamic vinegar. If you make reservations ahead of time, you can take part in a unique ceremony: a formal tasting of balsamic vinegar.
Follow the bike path along the former railway tracks for an easy ride to the base of the Medieval Castle of Vignola. Visitation is free.
The Contrari and Grassoni Rooms, used for conferences and concerts, are on the basement level; on the ground floor are a number of ceremonial halls as well as a bookshop located in the old kitchens; on the second floor, the main floor of the Castle, are the reception halls and living areas, some of which are frescoed with splendid cycles of late Gothic paintings by the unknown “Maestro of Vignola”; the third floor is home to the spacious rooms used by soldiers and other personnel stationed at the Rocca, the so-called Sale degli Armigeri. The top floor is taken up by circular walkways that run around the building and connect the three towers. These were used by patrols of soldiers charged with protecting the Rocca.
Just in front of the Castle, in Piazza dei Contrari, is the Palazzo Contrari-Boncompagni, better known as Palazzo Barozzi because of its marvelous spiral staircase designed by the architect Jacopo Barozzi.
The staircase is a genuine masterpiece of sixteenth-century architecture. The self-supporting structure, made of 106 steps and shaped like the interior of a snail shell, is fascinating both for its design and for its beautiful decor.
Leaving Vignola and crossing the Percorso del Panaro, you’ll first come to Marano sul Panaro and, after that, Levizzano Rangone. If you take this itinerary between mid-March and mid-April, you’ll witness a genuine spectacle of nature: the cherry trees in bloom!
Before moving on, it’s worth a stop at the Levizzano Castle, once owned by the father of the famous Matilde of Canossa . From inside, take in a picturesque view of the surrounding vineyards. On the ground floor of the castle is the Rosso Graspa Museum of Wine and Rural Culture. The Museum is dedicated to local farming life, history, and culture.
Continuing toward Castelvetro di Modena, you’ll take tiny streets that offer extraordinary views over surrounding hillsides and the orderly symmetry of row after row of vineyards. The road becomes steeper as you descend into Castelvetro di Modena, a medieval town where time seems to have come to a standstill.
A stroll through the famous Piazza Roma, ringed by the Torre dell’Orologio, the Torre delle Prigioni, and Palazzo Rinaldi, can’t be missed. The Piazza is best known for its unusual pavement of black and white stone slabs in the form of a checkerboard, which have given the piazza its nickname, Piazza della Dama or the “Checkerboard Piazza.” Each year, at the end of September, an unusual game of “Living Checkers” is held there. Girls and young women transform themselves into game pieces, and the “mossieri” or movers, alongside Knights and Ladies in Renaissance garb, bring an ancient gala to life.
Before starting out toward your last stop, be sure to taste a glass of the excellent wine that has made this area famous: Castelvetro’s Lambrusco di Grasparossa!
Once you’ve left Castelvetro di Modena, take the “Via Destra Guerro” bike path toward the north. The path follows a stream until it intersects with the bike path of the former Modena-Vignola railway. At that point, follow the indications for Settecani and then for Castelnuovo Rangone.
The history of this village can still be read in the ancient origins of the buildings and other monuments, which have been restored over the centuries. The Rocca dei Rangoni and the renowned statue of a pig in its main piazza remain the symbols of the city.
The processing of pork is, indeed, the main industry in Castelnuovo, and you can bring your itinerary to an appropriate end with a delicious stop at the Museo della Salumeria or MuSa (“Museum of Charcuterie”)!
