Monte San Pietro

Monte San Pietro is a town in the Apennines that lies about 15 kilometres from the provincial capital of Bologna in the heart of the Bolognese Hills.

With its wide valleys and landscapes with breathtaking views, the area offers a great opportunity for outdoor activities such as trekking, MTB and Nordic walking.
There are many itineraries in which to rediscover unique realities, for example, there is the route called “The man who was and the man who will come” which is rich in history and enchanting landscapes; there is “The wine route” that traces the route of the wine porters through endless vineyards and magnificent ancient villages; the “Tower houses” route, which explores the houses of an ancient medieval village: the “Lands of fairies and bandits” route, which is totally immersed in the countryside and woods that allows you to appreciate the positive emotions that the place is able to transmit; there is the  “Disappeared castles and medieval knights” historical route  in search of mysterious places; the “Memoir drawers” route, in which you can discover the past memories of the territory; the “Up and down, hills and gullies” route  that combines naturalistic aspects and local traditions and the “Abbey and ancient villages” route  that recalls events and stories from ancient times, and chronicles of everyday village life.

Monte San Pietro is a characteristic place to stop in the Food Valley, where you can discover the various gastronomic products and wines that are typical of the area. Typical products include the numerous types of wine, chestnuts and honey, which can be appreciated in these unique experiences.

The naturalistic landscape alternates between the green of the woods and the yellow-grey colour of the gullies and conserves buildings of historic interest, unique examples of mountain architecture, museums and the astronomical observatory positioned so that it provides an ideal view for sky watching.
The gullies are one of the most distinctive features of the landscape, so much so that the word for gully ‘calanco’ comes from the Bolognese dialect.
Torrent Lavino crosses the borough territory from south to north.

The ancient church of Amola, which was first mentioned in 1300, can be found 3 km from Calderino. Inside you can admire one of the most prized works of Bolognese art: the “Via Crucis” by Mauro Gandolfi from 1792 which consists of 14 paintings.
A few metres from the church is Ca’ dei Ghedini, dating back to the fifteenth century, which presents interesting elements of architectural structure adorned with Romanesque caryatids and an ancient mask.
On a tour of the Benedictine Abbeys of Bologna you shouldn’t miss a visit to the Abbey of Saints Fabiano and Sebastiano (in the village of La Badia), which has always been a place of welcome and shelter for pilgrims.

Another attraction of the area, in San Martino in Casola, is the Nigelli Collection where you can admire a large collection of vintage motorcycles.