If you are a photography enthusiast, you are in luck: the Faenza area offers a series of panoramic points capable of capturing your attention and your imagination.
This area is in fact a true treasure chest of landscape and natural beauties that lend themselves perfectly to being photographed, in every season of the year.
Starting from the historic center of Faenza by car, in just under 10 minutes you can reach the first slopes of the Romagna Apennines where the former heliotherapy colony of Castel Raniero stands, built between 1926 and 1932.
After parking near the small church of Sant'Apollinare, take a route of about 1 km on the left to walk up to the Olmatello panoramic point, a natural terrace with a view of the clay gullies of the area.
The view you can admire from here is fantastic with yellow sands, gullies carved by rivers, and tall pines with the classic umbrella profile.
The panoramic point is located on private property but can be visited freely, but very carefully, as it is located near an unprotected overhang, called "the ravine of San Cristoforo".
Once you are back down again at the small church of Sant'Apollinare, you can move to Oriolo dei Fichi, a small village that dominates the surrounding plain.
A point of historical interest in this small town is a medieval tower, currently managed by the Association for the Oriolo Tower.
Subject to various restorations, the artefact dates back to 1476, the year of renovation of the fortress by the Manfredi family, lords of Faenza, and is traditionally attributed to Giuliano da Maiano.
The building with an irregular hexagonal plan called "double strut" has five floors, the first two underground and in the basement, the other three connected by a sandstone spiral staircase.
From this staircase it is possible to reach the large terrace at the top and enjoy an extraordinary view of the surrounding area.
On clear days it is possible to admire the cities of Faenza, Forlì and Ravenna, and part of the Romagna coast from Mirabilandia to Cesenatico, but also the Bertinoro hill and some peaks of the Apennines just beyond them.
From the Oriolo dei Fichi Tower to another medieval artefact.
Once you get back into the car you can reach the town of Brisighella, considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, to admire the landscape from its Clock Tower.
Nestled among the green hills of the Lamone river valley, Brisighella rises on the slopes of the Vena del Gesso Apennine park, at the foot of three rocky pinnacles that punctuate its landscape profile and mark its geographical and historical horizon.
The Clock Tower located on one of these three pinnacles can be reached on foot starting directly from the historic center of the town or, alternatively, parking at the foot of the Rocca Manfrediana.
This Tower was erected by Maghinardo Pagani from Susinana for defensive purposes and rebuilt several times throughout history. Today's version is from 1850, the year in which the clock was placed, whose peculiarity is that it has a dial with only 6 hours. From the top of the hill it is possible to enjoy a panoramic view of the entire town, the chalk veins and gullies of the area, but also of the Lamone valley and the verdant hills planted with olive trees and vineyards.
Going back by car from the center of Brisighella to Via Rontana, you quickly reach the top of Monte Spugi, an integral part of the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Regional Park.
Here there is a very interesting panoramic point to admire the surrounding area, also confirmed by the presence of one of the giant benches that are part of the Big Bench Community Project.
From this location immersed in nature, it is possible to admire the extraordinary landscape of the gullies of the Vena del Gesso Romagnola.
As a reference point to reach the bench, we recommend parking near the Casadio winery; and, from here, on foot in less than 10 minutes, you can reach the panoramic point.
The penultimate panoramic point to visit is Monte Mauro (515 m above sea level), the highest peak in the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Park.
Taking the car back, via the SP 23 provincial road, you reach Riolo Terme; at the first intersection turn left onto Via Firenze, and after about 1 km turn left onto Via Rio Ferrato.
After passing a farm, the main road takes the name of Via Monte Mauro (in the last 600 m it is gravel up to the car park on the right).
On foot you cover more than 1 km of road to get to the Parish Church of Santa Maria in Tiberiaco near the top of Monte Mauro from which you can admire wide 360° views of the Senio and Sintria valleys, of the Apennines, and you can also see also the skyscrapers of Milano Marittima and Cesenatico.
A final stop to admire a photographic landscape is within the municipality of Riolo Terme, a city renowned for its historical, environmental, food and wine riches but above all for its thermal waters.
Here we go up Via Mazzolano until near the monument to the “Portaferiti”, where it is possible to park the car.
Through a path that runs alongside the fields, you reach Mezzacosta, from where you can see the town of Riolo and its green hills while sitting comfortably on wooden benches.
