Located along the Via Emilia, almost in line with Bologna, San Lazzaro is nestled between the Plains and the Bolognese hills.
Villanovian Civilization had its origin in this area and the whole of Italian history flew along the main street, Via Emilia (built-in 187 b.C.).
The Prehistoric Museum "Luigi Donini" illustrates the most ancient history of the eastern Bolognese territory, with a focus on the Villanovan civilization, one of the most important European cultures from the Iron Age, which spread in the area from the 9th Century b.C.
The hills of San Lazzaro, of karst formation, have an exceptional environmental value, so much so that in the heart of these hills there is the Regional Park of Bolognese Gypsums and the Abbadessa Gullies. The Park is full of caves, the most famous of which are the “Farneto”, the “Spipola” and the “Croara”.
In the same area, it is worth visiting the Abbey of Santa Cecilia della Croara, declared a Monument messenger of a culture of peace by Unesco, which contains a beautiful altarpiece attributed to Annibale Carracci.
The Fondazione Cirulli, set in a building strongly symbolic for modern Italian architecture, is a journey across twentieth-century Italian art and visual culture, from the early years of the country’s engagement with modernity to the postwar economic boom (1900-1970). A rich collection that includes disparate fields, such as decorative arts, architectural design, industrial design, graphic design, and photography.
Lovers of cycling and mountain-biking can enjoy beautiful routes along the Chalk Veins of San Lazzaro di Savena, for example the Ciclovia dei Gessi di Gaibola.
At the beginning of August, there is a famous festival, the Fiera di San Lazzaro, mentioned in a traditional Bolognese song, made famous in a version by Italian songwriter Francesco Guccini.
