Discover Bagnacavallo

Bagnacavallo combines a historic centre with long arcaded streets and a diverse cultural landscape. Its distinctive features include a Romanesque parish church with medieval frescoes, a theatre and art collections, as well as traditions involving marsh plants and wine. Nature also has a role of its own: waterways and combined cycling and walking paths connect the districts through the landscape.

Landscape and seasonal nature

Podere Pantaleone offers refuge to many bird species in winter and during migration. These include the nightingale, hoopoe, magpie, Eurasian scops owl, owl and barn owl. This seasonal connection gives Bagnacavallo’s natural landscape a distinct rhythm: birdlife is especially associated with winter and migration periods. The Centro Visite Podere Pantaleone has a space for environmental education, along with information about visits and tourism and cultural events at the site. The “Pietro Bubani” natural history section covers botany, geology, palaeontology and local fauna.

Arcades, squares and a medieval layout

The historic centre retains its original medieval layout, with a winding course and long arcaded streets. Piazza Nuova adds a distinctive touch: built in 1758, this oval market square lined with arcades is considered the first centre of its kind in Romagna to be equipped for trade. The piazza is a few dozen metres from Piazza della Libertà. Bicycles, motorcycles and cars are not permitted there; parking is available at Largo Kennedy and on the surrounding streets. Piazza Nuova is accessible to people with disabilities.

The town’s historical depth is also evident at the Antica Pieve di San Pietro in Sylvis. The Romanesque church dates from the 7th century and is one of the best-preserved parish churches in the Ravenna area. Its apse preserves frescoes from around 1320, attributed to the master Pietro da Rimini. It has also been suggested that the site may have corresponded to a port on the Via dei Romei, used by pilgrims travelling to Rome around the year 1000.

Church, theatre and art collections

The Teatro Carlo Goldoni was built between 1839 and 1845 and inaugurated as the Teatro Nuovo on 27 September 1845. Six violins, a viola and a cello are permanently exhibited in the theatre. The instruments received awards at the national violin-making exhibition in Bagnacavallo between the 1960s and 1990s. This brings together the history of the building and a special reminder of the violin-making exhibition under one roof.

The Museo Civico delle Cappuccine also brings together different artistic periods: its old art section features works from the 15th to the 18th century, while the modern art section displays paintings by around fifty Italian artists. The Convento di San Francesco dates from the 13th century, was remodelled several times and partially rebuilt in the 18th century. Its historic rooms include the Sala delle Capriate and the new dining hall, the Sala Oriani; cultural events are now held there.

Crafts and local traditions

In Villanova di Bagnacavallo, the Ecomuseo delle Erbe Palustri displays artefacts and tools used to process and weave marsh plants and native wood. In the Ecomuseum’s outdoor area, the Etnoparco “Villanova delle capanne” recreates traditional Romagnol huts made from marsh reeds. These two attractions illustrate the use of plant materials in different ways: through objects and tools in the museum, and through reconstructed huts in the park. Bursôn, a red wine made from an old native grape variety, is part of Bagnacavallo’s culinary tradition.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can weigh these interests against one another: are you mainly drawn to the medieval townscape, the arcades and the theatre, or would you prefer to focus on art collections, crafts made with marsh plants and seasonal nature themes?

Discover more destinations: Castiglione, Lido Adriano, San Zaccaria, Classe, San Pietro In Trento, Marina Romea, Fosso Ghiaia, Castel Bolognese.

View the full travel guide: Ravenna.