Along the road that leads from Piacenza to Castell’Arquato, not far from Gropparello, lies Carpaneto Piacentino between the fertile plain and the hills covered with vineyards and woods.
It would appear that the origins of Carpaneto go back to Roman times, when perhaps this town was a connection with Veleia, an important Roman municipium that is now a national archaeological site open to visitors.
In the Middle Ages the village of Carpaneto was the scene of clashes between Guelphs and Ghibellines, and belonged to important families including the Anguissola and the Scotti.
Today in the area of Carpaneto the traditions of agriculture and wine-making are still strong, and various farms and estates are associated with the Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori dei Colli Piacentini – the Piacenza Wine Road.
Spring and autumn are the best times to admire the countryside, the hills and the woods of this district with their wealth of flowers and magnificent colors.
To see: the Castle, today the Town Hall, with a series of paintings by the Futurist artist BOT ( Barbieri Osvaldo il Terribile), and the parish church of Santi Fermo e Rustico.
Here you can explore the world of fossils: part of the municipality of Carpaneto (near Badagnano and along the Carbonaro stream) is part of the Riserva Naturale Geologica del Piacenziano – a Geological Natural Reserve.
Cured meats or salumi, cheese, meat and wine are produced in the district of Carpaneto.
There the Coppa Piacentina PDO and the red wine Gutturnio D.O.C stand out, both with a special festival and events dedicated to them. A typical menu would include the classic dishes of Piacenza: tortelli, pisarei and anolini.
A circular "green route" has been created by the local associations of hikers and bikers, starting from Carpaneto and reaching the hills nearby and the eroded area of the calanchi that forms part of the Piacenziano geological reserve.
The Spring Fair in April.
At the end of August /beginning of September the traditional Festa della Coppa Piacentina PDO (Carpaneto is the center of the area where this typical cured meat of Piacenza had its origins. This PDO product is made from the neck muscles of pigs).
Innumerable towers, castles and villas (Badagnano, Travazzano, Olmeto, Celleri, Torre Confalonieri, Ciriano, Magnano, Rezzano, to mention a few) enhance the landscape between the plain and the hills among the vineyards.
In the rural village of Zena there is a Castle, dating back to the Middle Ages and modified over the centuries. The Castello di Zena is today a private home, but it is also a venue for weddings and events and it is occasionally open to visitors.
Particularly impressive to see are the church of Santa Maria Assunta at Travazzano and the hermitage of Sant’Espedito near Badagnano.
