Bolognese Plain

<< Emilia-Romagna

The vast plain of the Po Valley occupies the northern portion of the Metropolitan City of Bologna. This area is mostly rural and features a few agricultural centers. The largest town in the Bolognese Plain is Imola, located east of Bologna.

Imola

Imola is the second largest city in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, located on Via Emilia and forming part of Romagna. Imola was founded by the Romans as Forum Cornelii in 82 BCE. After centuries of constant wars, the city came under the rule of the Papal States in the 16th century and then it shared the history of the rest of Romagna until today. Now Imola is an important regional center and it is internationally famous for its motor racing circuit.

✪ Imola Circuit

Also known as: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari

The Imola Circuit is a globally renowned motor racing circuit located just south of Imola, and one of the few to run in an anti-clockwise direction. Inaugurated in 1953, it was initially used for motorcycle racing, before becoming an official Formula 1 circuit in 1980. The Imola Circuit has hosted every edition of the San Marino Grand Prix, held between 1981 and 2006, and since 2020 it is the site of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The circuit is surrounded by a park, and in the same area there a few monuments dedicated to some of the most iconic people in the history of motorsport.

Rocca Sforzesca of Imola

The Rocca Sforzesca is a large fortification in Imola, built between the 14th and 15th century. For centuries the castle was used as a prison, keeping this role until 1958. Now restored, it houses a museum with a collection of historic weapons and ceramics.

Dozza

Dozza is a small town near Imola. It is best known for hosting a festival of painted walls and featuring many colorful painted houses, which make it one of the most peculiar villages of Emilia-Romagna.

Dozza Castle

The Dozza Castle (Rocca di Dozza) is a medieval fortress built during the 13th century, but featuring various later additions. The castle now serves as a museum and it has many adorned halls with historic furnishings and artworks.

San Lazzaro di Savena

San Lazzaro di Savena is a suburb of Bologna, located just east of the capital of Emilia-Romagna. Once a small town, it has recently developed thanks to its vicinity to Bologna, but it also hosts a few historic buildings and archaeological sites.

Museum of Prehistory Luigi Donini

The Museum of Prehistory Luigi Donini (Museo della Preistoria Luigi Donini) is an archaeological museum featuring numerous fossils and findings from the region around Bologna. The museum includes full-size replicas of ancient dwellings and prehistoric animals.

Castenaso

Castenaso is a suburb of Bologna, located northeast of the large city. It is best known for the archaeological findings unearthed around the town, dating from the Iron Age.

Museum of the Villanovan Civilization

The Museum of the Villanovan Civilization (Museo della Civiltà Villanoviana) is an archaeological museum located near Castenaso, in the town of Villanova, from which the ancient culture takes its name. The Villanovan culture was the earliest phase of the Etruscan civilization dating from around 900 BCE to 700 BCE. This museum showcases the history of this culture and hosts some archaeological findings.

Anzola dell’Emilia

Anzola dell’Emilia is a town located along the Via Emilia a few kilometers east of Bologna. A relevant regional center during the Middle Ages, it developed recently as an industrial hub.

Gelato Museum Carpigiani

The Gelato Museum Carpigiani is a unique museum focused on the history of the Italian artisan gelato, hosted among the factories of one of the largest manufacturers of machines for the production of ice cream. The exhibition showcases the history of ice cream from prehistory to the present day.

Funo

Funo is a small industrial center in the municipality of Argelato. Located just north of Bologna, it hosts many factories and one of the largest gross sale centers in Europe, known as CenterGross.

Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum

The Ferruccio Lamborghini Museum (Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini) is an exhibition on the life and work of Ferruccio Lamborghini, the founder of the car manufacturer Lamborghini. The museum houses a numerous historic vehicles and includes the personal car collection of Ferruccio Lamborghini.

Sant’Agata Bolognese

Sant’Agata Bolognese is a small town in the countryside between Bologna and Modena. The village was founded in ancient times and it was fortified during the Middle Ages. Today it is best known as the headquarters of car manufacturer Lamborghini.

✪ Lamborghini Museum

The Lamborghini Museum is a collection of historic vehicles showcasing the rich history of the Lamborghini company. The museum some of the most iconic supercars produced by Lamborghini and it features a family tree with all the models ever made by the company.

Pieve di Cento

Pieve di Cento is a town in the countryside north of Bologna, very close to Cento. The city was established in the Middle Ages, growing around an ancient church. Pieve di Cento still features a few medieval attractions.

Rocca of Pieve di Cento

The Rocca is a 13th-century fortification in Pieve di Cento built under the rule of Bologna. After losing its military importance it was used as a rural residence. Now restored, the fort houses a museum of local history. A section of the museum is hosted in the nearby Porta Bologna, an ancient city gate. The other surviving parts of the historic fortifications of the town are the three medieval city gates Porta Asia, Porta Cento, and Porta Ferrara.