Things to see near Camugnano
B&B Camelia is in the heart of the Bologna Apennines, between the Reno valley and the Suviana and Brasimone lakes. Castles, medieval villages, sanctuaries, hot springs and waterfalls are all within half an hour's drive: here are our favourite places, with the time it takes to reach them from the B&B.
Rocchetta Mattei
Perched on a rocky spur above Riola, Rocchetta Mattei is the most surprising castle in the Bologna Apennines. Count Cesare Mattei, the founder of electrohomeopathy, began building it in 1850 on the ruins of an ancient fortress, mixing medieval, Gothic, Moorish and Art Nouveau styles.
Don't miss the Moorish courtyard inspired by the Alhambra and the black-and-white striped Hall of Arches. Restored and reopened to the public in 2015, it can only be visited on a guided tour booked on the official website. It is just 4 km from B&B Camelia: the closest attraction to our door.
La Scola village & Riola
La Scola is a small stone village above Riola, so well preserved that time seems to have stopped. Its name probably comes from the Lombard word "sculca", a lookout post: the village watched over the border between the Lombards and the Byzantines.
Stroll among the tower houses built by the Maestri Comacini between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Oratory of San Pietro (1616) and Palazzo Parise. Down in Riola, don't miss the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, a modern masterpiece by the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.
Montovolo
Montovolo, known as "the Sinai of Bologna", is a rocky mountain that holds one of the oldest Marian sanctuaries in Emilia-Romagna: the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine della Consolazione, whose doorway is carved with the date 1211.
A little higher stands the Romanesque Oratory of Santa Caterina d'Alessandria, linked by tradition to crusaders returning from Damietta, with 15th-century frescoes. Hikers love the panoramic trails, and climbers the Scalpellini crag. The sanctuary is usually open at weekends in summer: check before you go.
Lake Suviana
Surrounded by woods, Lake Suviana is the heart of the Suviana and Brasimone Lakes Regional Park, protected since 1995. Its calm water and green shores are perfect for a walk, a picnic or a sunny day in summer.
Trails and mountain-bike routes run around the lake, and Lake Brasimone, the park's second lake, is just a few kilometres away. From B&B Camelia you can reach Suviana in about 17 minutes by car.
Porretta Terme
Porretta Terme is a historic spa town in the upper Reno valley. Its sulphurous and salt-bromide-iodine waters, from 14 springs, have been known since Roman times and are still used for thermal treatments and relaxing pools.
Besides the spa, take a stroll through the town centre along the Reno river and, in summer, don't miss the Porretta Soul Festival, dedicated to soul music. Opening times and prices of the baths are on the official website.
Labante caves
The Labante caves, near Castel d'Aiano, are one of the most important examples of travertine in Italy: a huge limestone rock built up, layer after layer, by spring water that still flows over it as a waterfall into a small green pool.
The site is free and always open, and the waterfall is only a few steps from the car park along a wooden walkway. It is a protected Natura 2000 site and the starting point of the Sentiero delle Tane, a 3–4 hour loop through woods and villages.
Via Mater Dei & historic trails
The Via Mater Dei is a walking route of about 157 km in seven stages that links the Marian sanctuaries of the Bologna Apennines, from Bologna to Riola. Its last stage climbs to the Montovolo sanctuary and comes down through La Scola and Rocchetta Mattei: right on our doorstep.
Even if you don't walk the whole route, its stretches make wonderful day hikes, and the area is crossed by other old paths between Bologna and Florence. Ask me for the best stretch to start from the B&B.
Camelia's tips
Also worth a visit: Lake Brasimone, the Monte Sole historical park, the Sopra Sasso caves, the Etruscan excavations and the village of Vigo. Download our guide with all our recommendations, or ask me when you arrive!