For centuries the “granary” of Bologna, Granarolo dell'Emilia stands at the gates of the city, in the north-east plain.
Granarolo dell'Emilia keeps a portrait of San Girolamo attributed to Guercino in the Church of San Vitale.
In the surrounding countryside there are several villas of notable architectural interest, today private residences which can only be admired from the exterior. Particular examples are Villa Amelia (now called Sapori) in Fibbia (3,5 Km), with rooms decorated in tempera from the 17th century and famous for its “conserva” (pantry). And Villa Mareschi (now called Villani) in Lovoleto (5 km), with its peculiar double row of centuries-old oaks, embellishing the long main road to the villa.
Among the parish churches, it is worth visiting San Mamante in Lovoleto, with its 17th and 18th century frescoes and sculptures. Already in existence in the 12th century, the church was rebuilt after the mid-16th-century. From an architectural point of view, its structure gives a sense of spatial harmony between the façade and the side chapel.
The cycle path "Via Lattea" (Milky Way) in the Granarolo countryside is an itinerary to discover one of the most typical local agri-food productions since the second half of the 1900s: milk.
Verdevolo (end of May) is a festival dedicated to the environment with initiatives in parks, markets with organic products and agricultural stands.
This territory is dotted with traditional country parishes. The Parish of Saint Antonio and Beata Vergine is perhaps the most curious one, with its pronaos passing over the ditch along the road, 300 mt south of Lovoleto’s church.
