Timetable of extra-urban routes
Transport service
840 000 216 - Contact Center Seta (Monday-Saturday from 07:00 a.m. to 07:00 p.m.; Sunday from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m., closed on weekday holidays)
840 151 152 - Railway Call Center
Tickets can also be purchased in the tobacconist shops (tabaccheria).
Here are the maps of the 32 Municipalities of the local editorial staff of Reggio Emilia:
Reggio nell'Emilia
Albinea
Bagnolo in Piano
Bibbiano
Boretto
Brescello
Cadelbosco Sopra
Campagnola Emilia
Campegine
Casalgrande
Castellarano
Castelnovo Sotto
Cavriago
Correggio
Fabbrico
Gattatico
Gualtieri
Guastalla
Luzzara
Montecchio Emilia
Novellara
Poviglio
Quattro Castella
Reggiolo
Rio Saliceto
Rolo
Rubiera
San Martino in Rio
San Polo d'Enza
Sant'Ilario d'Enza
Scandiano
Vezzano sul Crostolo
Altitude: 149 m
Inhabitants: 15.278 (updated to December 31, 2022)
Post code: 42014
Weekly market day: Thursday
Patron Saint: San Rocco (August 24)
Hamlets: Cadiroggio, Roteglia, San Valentino, Tressano
0039 0536 850114 - Town Hall Town Hall of Castellarano
Castellarano
By car
From the Reggio Emilia exit on the Motorway A1: take SS567 to Scandiano, then the Provincial road to Castellarano.
By train
From Reggio Emilia: TPER train Reggio Emilia-Sassuolo then bus No. 88.
By camper
Free Area sosta camper in via Don Reverberi, 17.
The town is located in the hills, on the left bank of the Secchia River, to the south east of the administrative centre of the province.
The town is an example of a fluvial castle town with a large, well conserved historic centre, clearly maintaining its original Medieval layout. The settlement, documented as far back as 900 is, however, older, as revealed by archaeological findings in the vicinity.
The Village: The main street is still paved with river pebbles. At the base of the hill is the fifteenth-century Rocchetta, owned by the municipality, from which the walls departed, still partly visible. Two cobbled streets run through the ancient village and lead to the Castle (private) and the Clock Tower, an ancient medieval lookout destined to watch over the Secchia. Opposite the Castle is the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, of Romanesque origin.
The best seasons for visiting are spring and summer, so as not to miss the attractions of the surrounding hilly area.
The Santa Maria Assunta Church whose crypt conserves Romanesque elements; the XV-century Rocchetta and the Clock Tower.
Fun fact! In Castellarano there is a garnet-colored Big Bench (located on Mount Malee), in the hamlet of Roteglia, with a wide panoramic view of the Secchia valley and the main hills of the area, including Monte Cusna and Monte di Valestra. You can easily reach the bench on foot after parking at the San Valentino farmhouse.
The Castellarano territory is characterized by several naturalistic and tourist trails that link to various villages and locations, through the green landscape of the hills. Crossed by the CAI 602 path and its many variants, it is also within the wider hiking trails of the upper and middle Secchia river and the Via dei Vulcani di Fango.
At Campiano is the Santuario della Beata Vergine della Neve (Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Snow) dating back to the XVIII century; there is the Castle of Roteglia; in San Valentino is a beautiful adjacent valley and the village, from the XI century, has a Castle and Romanesque parish church.
The San Valentino Golf Club is located in the valley of the same name.
Grapes Festival - Third weekend of September
Historical parade (Sunday).
The town is an example of a river castle village with a vast historic center in an excellent state of conservation, which allows the reading of the original medieval layout. The settlement, already documented in the 10th century, is however much older, as evidenced by various archaeological finds in the surrounding area. The first traces date back to the Mesolithic (XI-VIII millennium), especially in the areas of Campiano and Gambarata. Very substantial evidence of a long-lasting Etruscan and Roman presence first, have been found in the historic center of Castellarano, above the remains of the ancient terramare.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, around the second half of the sixth century, Castellarano was occupied by the Longobards who placed a military garrison here, also due to the proximity, in the Apennine area, of their opposing Byzantine troops. This important settlement is amply documented by numerous archaeological finds and large necropolises with tombs mostly belonging to warriors, with funeral kits consisting of weapons, now preserved in the museum of Reggio Emilia.
Few traces remain of the Matildic period (10th-11th centuries): it is known that the Countess Matilde owned a house and a chapel in Castellarano which she donated to the Monastery of Polirone (S. Benedetto Po); in 1106 the Countess held a placit at the church of S. Maria, she entrusted the government of Castellarano to a family of local nobles and, in the municipal era, Castellarano swore allegiance to Reggio Emilia. The city, in fact, was very fond of the small center since here was the entrance to the very important Reggio canal which drew water from the Secchia to feed the sewers, productive activities and mills in the city.
During the struggles between Guelphs and Ghibellines, Castellarano was the seat of very aggressive Guelphs, for this reason the fortress was besieged and destroyed. In 1319 the warlike Da Roteglia family occupied Castellarano and, between ups and downs, was linked to the history of the town until 1419, the year in which Castellarano was definitively occupied by the Estensi troops. Castellarano suffered serious damage from the fire of 20 July 1944, set in the town, in retaliation, by German troops: they burned many buildings in the historic center including the palace, which was rebuilt in 1974.
Curiosity! In 1997 the fossil skeleton of a whale, nicknamed Valentina, was found in the gullies of Rio della Rocca, near San Valentino. The find can be admired at the Palazzo dei Musei in Reggio Emilia.
Phone: 0039.0536.6850127.
Guided tours: Rabisch Association - e-mail: rabisch@gmail.com.
Of the ancient parish church are still a part of the ancient walls, 4 columns with capitals and 2 shelf capitals visible under the floor of the the current church. These architectural remains, due to their characteristics, may be traced back to the Lombard dominion of our territory, while the portal with lunette, which for a certain period was placed in the church, next to the San Pancrazio altar, certainly dates back to after the year 1000.
The current church, which has undergone several changes over the years, has a Latin cross plan with side chapels and a dome. The main altar and the chapels are adorned with oil paintings dating back to different times of the XVII century. In the same century, exactly in 1666, Lorenzo Pellegrini bulit the organ, restored in 1997 following the mobilization of a citizens' committee to raise funds.
]]>Via Rontano, 7 - 42014 Castellarano (RE)
Phone: 0039.0536.854048.
http://www.pievesanvalentino.it/it/
Historical notes
In the apse of the main altar it is possible to admire the precious altarpiece by Benvenuto Tisi, known as "the Garofalo", painted in 1517 on commission from the Sacrati family, feudal lords of San Valentino. The altarpiece, within a wonderful wooden frame, depicts the Virgin Mary seated on a throne with the Child, flanked by Saints Stefano and Eleucadio. On the top of the altarpiece is a smaller painting depicting Christ taken down from the Cross. The work was restored in 1991, therefore it shows the original colours that enhance its beauty.
The façade, decorated with spires, has two rose windows, a large window and a round portal decorated with a terracotta frame with floral motifs. The spire of the bell tower, struck by lightning, was rebuilt in 1947 with a heavy concrete pyramid, not respecting the original one that ended in a spire. In 2010 the restoration work that brought the parish church back to its former glory was completed.
Town center - 42014 Castellarano 0039 0536 850114 - Castellarano Municipality
0039 335 7014932 - Centro Studi Storici Castellaranesi
Stone alleys, open spaces, terraced houses give us the image of a very suggestive river village. It is located on the banks of the Secchia river, perched on a sandstone hill which dominates the valley below and which offers monuments, spaces and views of great charm.
A delightful Rocchetta is the most characteristic monument and the first scenographic outpost to protect the centre. It dates back to around 1470 and was the fortified gateway to the ancient village as well as a crossing point of the ancient road that led from the mountains to the plain. The interior spaces are now used partly as exhibition spaces for exhibitions of different kinds, and partly as a restaurant. Crossing the gate that introduces you to the medieval village, you reach the Aia del Mandorlo, a splendid terrace overlooking the Secchia valley, from which it is possible to admire the Castle with its tower, the oldest building in the entire historic centre, and the fifteenth-century Clock Tower, whose wooden gears date back to the 1600s.
Entering the cobbled streets of the village, you will come across the ancient Parish Church, the Rione San Prospero with its historic houses, the panorama of via del Taglio and the eighteenth-century aqueduct, now undergoing restoration, erected to supply the Castle's fountains.
A romantic and long circular route allows the tourist to climb and then descend on cobbled streets and to discover the ancient village of Castellarano.
The Borgo is pet friendly: bowls of water can be requested at the reception.
The Village can always be visited for free.
The Rocchetta exhibition halls are open every first and third weekend of the month. Guided tours on request / reservation required for groups and schools.
Guided tours by reservation: 0039 3357014932 - Centro Studi Storici Castellaranesi
Castellarano
By car
From the exit Reggio Emilia on the Motorway A1, take SS567 to Scandiano, then Provincial road to Castellarano
By train
From Reggio Emilia, TPER train Reggio-Sassuolo then bus No. 88
By camper
Parking and Camper service in via Don Reverberi, 17
After Matilda's death the castle and the feud remained in the hands of Count Raniero and then passed on to various feudal lords. Over the centuries the castle was subject to much reconstruction and transformation. In 1481, the entrance door fell into the underlying moat, then in 1558 the castle was badly damaged, the tower partly ruined and shortened, and thereafter called "torre mozza" or the cut-off tower. The castle was subsequently rebuilt and made fit for habitation but was probably of little distinction.
However it was transformed into a palatial residence with gardens, fountains and sculptures by the last feudal lord of the Este San Martino line, The Marquis Carlo Filiberto II. This reconstruction work is mentioned in several documents in the municipal archives, where it is recounted that 500 carts were necessary for the transport of stone, bricks, quicklime and sand. In order to transport the water necessary for the fountains, the Marquis constructed an aqueduct spanning 13 arches drawing water from an area called "La valle". In 1777 the castle was again restored and modified by the feudal lord Gaudenzio Valotti; at his death passed into the hands of Duke Ercole III of Modena who stripped it of all valuable decoration and transported these to his villa in Mugnano. After the arrival of the French and the suppression of the feudal system, the castle was sold to the Canevazzi family and then to the Casali family who are the owners to this day. July 20, 1944 the Germans set fire to the castle in an act of reprisal and left it in ruins. It was not until 1974 that the owners renovated the castle following the guidelines of the Superintendent for Historic buildings, freeing the walled up crenellations and restoring the building to its original appearance.
How to get there:
From the Reggio Emilia exit of A1 Motorway: follow National Road SS 147 in the direction of Scandiano, then take the Province Road for Castellarano.
Public bus transport service.
42014 Castellarano 0039 0536 850114 - Castellarano Municipality
0039 335 7014932 - Centro Studi Storici Castellaranesi
The Rocchetta, a public asset owned by the Municipality of Castellarano, was an outpost to control the access roads. In fact, it was necessary to go beyond the Porta Maggiore (facing the current Piazza XX Luglio), formerly preceded by a drawbridge, to enter in Piazza d'Armi (today Piazzale Cairoli) where the military garrison, under the direction of the Captain of the Rocca, carried out the task of guarding the gates of the town.
From the Rocchetta, also called in old documents "Castelletto" or "Porta", started a circle of walls and a patrol walkway, still visible today, which encircled the whole hill. Its irregular plan is divided into three main towers - the Levatoia Tower, the Cappellana Tower and the Rosa Tower - under which the entrances open, once equipped with shutters; to these is added the original "heptagonal" turret in the north-east corner.
The vault of the Cappellana door is characterized by the seventeenth-century frescoes that decorate it, of particular interest is the fresco portraying the Madonna della Ghiara adoring the child with San Pancrazio on the left and San Macario Bishop on the right. What you see here today is a copy placed during the restoration works promoted by the local Pro Loco in the 1970s, while the original painting is kept inside the town hall.
La Rocchetta shows a set of sedimentations derived from the different phases and historical functions, of modification and growth of the plant. Moreover, its external appearance, especially towards the square in front, does not differ much from that of a Renaissance castle characterized by the beautiful loggia on the main floor. When the walls lost their military value, the Piazza d'Armi became an urban space intended for trade, residences and warehouses. In this square there was the Pavaglione portico or loggia della mercanzia, the public salt warehouse, a communication passage with the pawnshop. The Rocchetta itself for a large historical period became a place of residence for some citizens of Castellarano.
The Rocchetta restored in the eighties, today lends itself to simple visits that allow you to admire the precious testimonies returned by the recent renovations:
The Village can always be visited for free.
The Rocchetta exhibition halls are open every first and third weekend of the month. Guided tours on request / reservation required for groups and schools: 0039 3357014932 - Centro Studi Storici Castellaranesi
Castellarano
By car
From the exit Reggio Emilia on the Motorway A1, take SS567 to Scandiano, then Provincial road to Castellarano
By train
From Reggio Emilia, TPER train Reggio-Sassuolo then bus No. 88
By camper
Parking and Camper service in via Don Reverberi, 17
Via Torre, 1 - 42014 Castellarano (RE)
At the foot of the tower passed the pilgrims on their way to Rome, on a journey of a thousand unknowns but with strong existential connotations, and the merchants coming from Tuscany and usually headed to Ferrara.
It was also possible to control an activity that seems strange to us: navigation. In fact the Secchia river was often navigable by boats, similar to barges, which were exploited for the transport of goods, so much so that at the beginning of the XIV century the Municipality of Modena decided that the timber, sent to the town from the mountain, was transported on boat from Sassuolo downstream, to safeguard the bridges, put at risk by the transit of heavy goods. There was also a system of ferries connecting Castellarano to San Michele, which then belonged to the jurisdiction of Castellarano.
This activity was supposed to be very important as there is via Barcaroli in the town centre, probably the seat of families dedicated to this activity.
In the late XVII century the Tower hosted the prisons and a room for the caretaker on the ground floor. The element that characterizes the tower is the clock with single-hand dials placed on four sides and corresponding to the four cardinal points. The clock mechanism is regulated by a weight system that is still now perfectly functional, even if it dates back to the early XVII century.
]]>Trail with multiple surfaces, moderate altitudes except for the ascent to Roncolo Park and the ascent to Costa di Montecavolo.
Altitudes between 101 and 381 meters above the sea. Max gain: +23m, climb 1012m, descent 989m.
Total distance: 51,7 km
Difficulty level: medium, presence of steep climb segments not suitable for low-trained people. The route follows cycling tracks, countryside roads and streets with low or none traffic. Pay attention at the crossroads and roundabouts.
Most difficult segments:
Ascent to Costa di Montecavolo
Ascent to Roncolo Park
Segments on main roads:
- Vezzano sul Crostolo: SP63R/Via Roma Sud, 350m segment,
- Albinea: Via Roma, 400m segment
A separating line, a natural border that defines the immense lowland from the Apennines mountain tops.
The foothill range, in the immediate south of Reggio Emilia, is a peculiar area rich of beauty and places of interest, dotted with castles on top of rolling hills which guard the rear valleys and with the sight on the vast flatland; the first woods and hills which repair from the bustling Pianura Padana, as if we were in another place and in another time.
This track follows all the foothill range from Castellarano to San Polo d'Enza, getting through vineyards, castles, natural parks and verdant woods.
Our journey starts from Castellarano, a riverside town on the Secchia river, where you can see the Rocchetta from the 15th century, the Castle and the Clock Tower. From the starting point you can visit the Santa Maria Assunta parish, in romanic style.
The track then goes through the Secchia Cyclepath until the hamlet of Veggia, where we will turn towards the left. Passing on Via Statutaria, we can find the village of Casalgrande Alto. Here we can make a little detour to visit the Casalgrande Alto Castle, unfortunately only visitable on the outside. This fortress, with the distinguishable tower at the entrance, was the guardian of every inch of the underlying plain and the final part of the Secchia valley, and it is linked with the other castles in the Modena province, as the Montegibbio Castle on the other side of the valley.
Returning on Via Statutaria, we pass south of Scandiano, and at the roundabout between the villages of San Ruffino and Ventoso we can reach Monte delle Tre Croci (the Three Crosses Mountain), a beautiful observation deck of all the lower Pianura Padana, from Bologna to Parma and until Mantua in the distance.
Continuing on our track, we overpass the Tresinaro Stream in the village of Ca' de' Caroli and we find the Astronomical Observatory "Lazzaro Spallanzani", created and owned by amateurs and it represents an observation point for citizens, schools and space enthusiasts.
Overpassing the village of Borzano, we reach Albinea municipality, an elegant town on the very first hill of the Apennines and place of relax for many Reggio Emilia citizens, who come here every summer to find some fresh air in the hottest days of the season.
Here you can see from outside the Albinea Castle and Montericco Castle (only from the outside because they are private residencies and the access is forbidden).
All along the centuries, the noble families of Reggio Emilia proceeded to build here their villas, such as Villa Moratti, Villa Tarabini Viganò with the Acetaia Comunale (the traditional vinegar cellars, owned by the same municipality), Villa Calvi, Villa Arnò that hosts jazz festivals during the month of July, Villa Sidoli-Rossi, guardian of the secrets of the Italian Unification period and witness of the major events of the WW2, where the Allies threw themselves with the parachute in order to attack the German commando inside the villa.
During the third weekend of June, Albinea hosts the typical Sagra del Lambrusco (Lambrusco food festival), where you can taste the delicious wine of this area.
From Albinea we head south along the Crostolo valley, until we reach Vezzano sul Crostolo, the first municipality entirely surrounded by hills of our tour. The municipality offers a dense network of trails and tracks to walk, as well as public parks and natural areas, such as the Ecoparco di Vezzano and the Parco Matildico di Montalto. Through the municipality territory there is a long-distance trail that goes from Mantua, Lombardy to Lucca, Tuscany, called Via Matildica del Volto Santo. This trail retraces the old ways of communication of the Middle Age that connected the Po Valley to the sea across the mountains, focusing on the territories owned by the Great Countess Matilda of Tuscany (in Italian Matilde di Canossa).
Climbing up the Costa di Montecavolo, we can admire dramatic views of the hills that unfold before our eyes. We then arrive to the homonymous town.
Exiting from Montecavolo, we arrive in Roncolo, little hamlet of the Quattro Castella municipality, where we start the steep climb to the Roncolo Park. This park is State-owned, it is free-access and it offers a great endemic biodiversity, marked by deciduous vegetation, such as hornbeams, Turkiye oaks, maples, walnut trees, and endemic fauna such as some predators, ungulates and rodents.
From the Park we arrive at Monte Airone, where we descend through a trail until the underlying paved road. Here we continue on the road, and on the right side we can see the badlands (in Italian calanchi), erosion phenomenons due to the water runoff on clay soils and, far in the distance, the Castle and the Bianello Oasis.
The fortress, open for visits with a ticket, hosts baroque-styled halls, while the main structure is in Romanic style. Every 24th of July, recurring the death of Matilda of Tuscany, the Castle is illuminated with a red light, and it is visible from the A1 motorway.
The LIPU Bianello Oasis, surrounding the castle, is a beautiful example of the Emilian Low Apennine environment. There are more than 130 bird species and a rich undergrowth full of endemic vegetation. The natural reserve also offers reserved guided tours and a Visitor Centre in the Monticelli village.
Turning right on Via Ermete Conti, we pass by the Rifugio Matildico, a wild animals rehabilitation centre and didactic centre for environmental education.
Continuing on Via Conti, we descend back in the lowland. Turning left on Via Belvedere, we enter San Polo d'Enza municipality, finishing point of our tour. Here we can visit the ancient Rocca, dated in the year 1000 and the Resistance museum. The entering point of the town is in itself quite characteristic, because is an ancient door of the old fortified town. The finishing point is right in front of the train station, where we can return back to Reggio Emilia with the Regional train.
It is possible to follow the tour by its entirety or in smaller segments, following the GPX files (for GPS devices or mobile apps that read this file), KML files (for Google Earth, both for desktop and mobile app) or the PDF cartography.
]]> +39 0536 859380
Cinema Belvedere
Temporarily closed.
How to get there:
From the Reggio Emilia exit of A1 Motorway: follow National Road SS 147 in the direction of Scandiano, then take the Provincial Road for Castellarano.
golf course
putting green
swimming pool
Weekly closure not holyday Wednesday
From Reggio Emilia exit of A1 Motorway: follow National Road SS147 in the direction of Scandiano, then take the Provincial Road for Castellarano.
Club House with restaurant
small restaurant and cocktail bar
Football field
3 tennis courts (1 in grass)
volleyball and basketball
croquet
archery
bowling
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Via Rio Rocca - 42014 Castellarano
Website
Moto Club Castellarano
Telephone
0039/0536/990293
E-mail: motoclubcastellarano@tin.it
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