As a gateway to the Casentino Forest National Park, the village of Santa Sofia is a jewel that preserves its authenticity and historical charm.
This enchanting village, surrounded by green hills and bathed by the waters of the Bidente river, offers visitors a unique experience of breathtaking landscapes, delicious food and a cultural heritage rich in history.
With its combination of history, nature and authenticity, Santa Sofia proves to be a treasure of Romagna to be explored in every detail.
These 24 hours offer just a taste of the wonders this village has to offer.
Whether you are a history enthusiast, a nature lover or simply looking for a peaceful retreat, Santa Sofia will prove to be an unforgettable destination in the heart of Romagna.
The Contemporary Art Gallery is located in the centre of Santa Sofia, in Viale Roma 5. Named after "Vero Stoppioni", promoter of the Campigna Prize, it was established in the early 1990s with the purpose of collecting the participating works from the various editions of the Campigna Prize.
The most interesting Italian artistic trends from the 1950s to today are represented, with works ranging from realism to informal art, from pop art to abstractionism, from metaphysical representation to new figuration. We find artists such as Fabrizio Plessi, Mattia Moreni, Piero Ruggeri, Pompilio Mandelli, Enzo Brunori, Alberto Sughi, Giovanni Korompay and Aldo Borgonzoni.
A special section is dedicated to Mattia Moreni (1920-1999), "the most mobile and restless of our masters" as art historian Renato Barilli defines him, who participated in several editions of the Campigna Award, creating a privileged relationship with Santa Sofia and its territory.
In the city centre, from the Parco della Resistenza (formerly Parco Giorgi, access from Piazza Matteotti) you can start to discover the Open Air Sculpture Park, created in 1993 in close connection with the "Vero Stoppioni" Gallery and dedicated to contemporary art.
Here you can admire the works of Mauro Staccioli "Santa Sofia '93" and Hidetoshi Nagasawa "Sotto l'albero del ginkgo" (Under the Ginkgo Tree), while in the nearby Piazza Matteotti, looking up at the façade of the "ex-Mairie", the former seat of the municipality, you discover Chiara Pergola's work entitled "VIA".
We continue our visit by descending into the underlying riverbed of the Bidente river, following for about 2 km the River Park path that from Santa Sofia allows you to reach the Capaccio hamlet, skirting the course of the river.
As many as 14 works are present in the park (the number will increase over time) and are integrated with the landscape and history of the area, in a direct dialogue between art and the environment.
Among the sculptures and installations, Arnaldo Pomodoro's imposing work 'Cono tronco' and Sissi's 'La deriva è il nodo della mia gola' (The drift is the knot in my throat) located in Piazzetta Milleluci are worth mentioning.
The Sculpture Park is free to visit any day of the year and is an opportunity to bring children closer to contemporary art. Plexiglass panels are placed along the route telling the adventures of Emi and Poi, a child and a hawk who interact with the works themselves.
About 13 km from Santa Sofia, taking the San Martino road, in the heart of the Casentino Forest National Park, is the Ridracoli Dam, an example of perfect integration between the work of man and the environment.
The dam, an artificial barrier of the Bidente river, stretches for almost 5 km towards the forests of Mount Falterona and Campigna.
A visit to this little paradise offers many opportunities to be in the open air, surrounded by water and colourful nature.
Trips on an electric boat with a guided tour on board, canoe tours, excursions and e-bike rental are possible.
In 30-40 minutes it is a 30-minute walk to the Ca' di Sopra Refuge, where you can stop to enjoy a picnic or a moment of relaxation at the green area in front, from which you can overlook the entire Dam, admiring a breathtaking view.
You can also visit the IDRO ecomuseum, an interactive museum in which water and the territory are the protagonists. Inside, you can carry out a series of experiments and watch documentaries on the fauna of the Bidente Valley and the origin of life.
The museum also consists of a central location, in the village of Ridracoli, which includes several exhibition rooms, and themed stations: the technological, landscape and nature centres located in the dam area.
Look at the map with directions.
