MONGHIDORO - Bologna
Guide to MONGHIDORO
Monghidoro is a town of 3,788 inhabitants in the province of Bologna. Due to its location, this area has always been a point of passage between the Po Valley and Central Italy, and for this reason it has been crossed by Byzantines, Lombards, and Ostrogoths during their raids.
The first stable settlement dates back to about the eighth century by the Goths, who called this territory “Mons Gothorum,” Mountain of the Goths, from which the name Monghidoro probably derives.
Intorno al XIII secolo l’intero territorio passò sotto il controllo di Bologna, e divenne il punto di confine e di controllo verso il territorio della città di Firenze, dato che le due città erano spesso in lotta tra loro; in questo periodo Monghidoro veniva anche chiamata Scaricalasino, perché qui i mulattieri dovevano scaricare le merci trasportate a dorso di mulo per i controlli di frontiera.
WHAT TO SEE AND WHAT TO DO
Until 1806, Monghidoro was an important ecclesiastical center in the area, with the Church of Santa Maria at its head, unfortunately completely destroyed. It is worth a visit, however:
- the Cloister of the Olivetans, dating back to 1500, recently restored.
- the Museum of Peasant Culture, in Piamaggio, 3 kilometers from Monghidoro, which shows what peasant life in the area was like, with reproductions of various settings and activities.
- For those who love outdoor activities, nearby is the La Martina Park, where it is possible to take walks and mountain bike rides to admire the flora and fauna typical of this region, and even stop for a picnic and even camp overnight in the equipped camping area. Nearby, along the valley of the Savena river, it is possible to admire various water mills, many of which are still functional; the most famous of which is the Allocco Mill, while the one in Grillara is one of the oldest.
- Another place suitable for hiking and excursions is the Alpe di Monghidoro, where it is possible to find trails of varying difficulty that allow one to cross the territory and enjoy the stunning panoramas it offers.
- In Monghidoro there is also the Triton Park Adventure Park, at 3,280 feet of altitude on Mount Oggioli, where there are various courses, five suitable for adults and two for children, with fixed and mobile walkways, ropes, net tunnels, and much more. The park also has an area for picnics, equipped with barbecues and a small pond with some examples of newts, from which the adventure park takes its name.
EVENTS AND MANIFESTATIONS
Many events take place in Monghidoro:
- at the beginning of June, the Bread Festival takes place, to remember the ancient trade of the baker and to have the opportunity to taste the typical bread of the area and many tasty sweets, all accompanied by stalls of handmade products and musical entertainment;
- a metà giugno c’è un’esposizione di auto d’epoca, quest’anno alla 30° edizione; a luglio e agosto, il venerdì sera per le vie del paese vengono allestiti degli stand enogastronomici e di artigianato locale;
- in mid July, at Campeggio, a fraction of Monghidoro, there is the Sagra del Tortellino, a typical dish of the region, in broth or with sauce, depending on the area, in this case also presented in a sweet version;
- on November 1st here the Tartufesta takes place, with enogastronomic stands featuring mountain specialties and truffle-based dishes and stalls of local handicraft.
Tourist Information Office Municipality of Monghidoro
Via Matteotti,1
www.facebook.com/iat.monghidoro/
Town of Monghidoro
Via Matteotti, 1
Tel.: +39 051 655 5639
www.monghidoro.net
OTHER USEFUL CONTACTS
A.S.L. (Local Health Authority) Simiani Hospital in Via Roma 8, Loiano tel. +39 051 654 53710
where - on the mountains of Bologna, towards the south
CAR: From the A1 Highway, the exit to reach Monghidoro is through the A1 var - Variante di Valico - exit towards Badia, or A1 Panoramica exit Pian del Voglio then Provincial Road 61, then Provincial Road 79 towards Monghidoro; alternatively, both from North (Bologna) and from South (Florence), the former State Road 65 della Futa (now Regional Road 65 in Tuscany and Provincial Road 65 in Emilia Romagna)
TRAIN + BUS : TPER BUS SERVICE, with frequent intervals, from Bologna Bus Station (adjacent to Bologna Central Railway Station), direction Monghidoro
MONGHIDORO
