Discover Vecchia: Culture, the Po Landscape and Nature Trails

Vecchia between Culture and the Po Landscape

Those who choose Vecchia as a destination will find in the municipality of Gualtieri an unusual combination of Renaissance architecture, the history of Antonio Ligabue and open landscapes along the Po. Gualtieri is located in the Po Valley on the River Po. This location shapes the range of experiences: culture enthusiasts can explore palaces, museums and churches, while cyclists and nature lovers discover routes along waterways, floodplains and protected areas.

Palazzo Bentivoglio and the World of Antonio Ligabue

Palazzo Bentivoglio in Gualtieri was designed by Aleotti for Ippolito Bentivoglio and completed around 1610. The Teatro Sociale is located in the north wing. On the piano nobile, the Fondazione Museo Antonio Ligabue manages the exhibition activities. Palazzo Bentivoglio also houses a donation established in 1992 with 53 works by artists who were friends of Tirelli.

The Museo Documentario Antonio Ligabue was established in 1988 in the Sala di Giove. It presents archival documents, photographs, paintings, prints, sculptures and films about Antonio Ligabue. The Casa Museo Antonio Ligabue offers a personal approach to the artist’s biography: Antonio Ligabue lived and painted there for several years as a guest of the Caleffi family. Those travelling with children or young people can use these different locations to choose between architecture, works of art and life stories without limiting the day to a single museum theme.

Practical orientation has also been taken into account in the municipality of Gualtieri. The Teatro Sociale is accessible and open to the entire community. The Museo Documentario Antonio Ligabue can be reached from the car park at Piazza IV Novembre or from Piazza Bentivoglio and has a freight lift for people who cannot use stairs.

Churches, Tower and Historic Buildings

The historical diversity includes several distinctive buildings. The Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione has a rectangular single-nave layout, an apse added in 1634 and a painted wooden ceiling in the Rococo style. The oratory Chiesa dell’Immacolata Concezione was built shortly before 1613 as the seat of the confraternity of the same name.

The Chiesa di Sant’Andrea already existed as a chapel in the 10th century and became a parish church in the 12th century. Between 1713 and 1738, it was rebuilt in a pronounced Baroque style with a central plan and dome. The Torre Civica consists of three cube-shaped sections and an octagonal prism, corresponding to the classical orders. Another example of historic hydraulic engineering is the Botte Bentivoglio, a siphon with two tunnels built in 1576 within a single summer.

Cycle Routes, Floodplains and Water Landscapes

For active days, a cycle route leads from Gualtieri to Boretto and Guastalla and on to Isola degli Internati. When water levels are low, the wrecks of a tugboat and two barges can be seen there in summer. They were shelled in spring 1944 and subsequently bombed by an American aircraft. Isola degli Internati is surrounded by Porto Vecchio, a former landing place for a cable ferry that transported workers to Pomponesco.

The open floodplain of Golena di Gualtieri is part of the Sites of Community Importance (SCI). Lined with poplars, Viale Po connects the centre of Gualtieri directly with the right bank of the Po. At the Torrione site, visitors can see the historic hydraulic engineering facility and preserved components from works carried out from the 16th century to the present day.

Another landscape impression can be experienced along the “Terra ed Acqua” route. It leads through the former Caldarèn clay pit, which is now a protected natural area, and runs along the left bank of the Lanca. This quiet side channel is a place where many fish species reproduce. This makes it possible to combine different priorities when planning a trip: a day of art and architectural history, a cycle tour to Isola degli Internati or a quieter exploration of the floodplain and waterways.

The Right Accommodation for Your Trip Planning

When looking for a holiday apartment in Vecchia, it is worth using your preferred daily activities as a guide. Travellers who mainly want to discover Palazzo Bentivoglio, museums and churches will plan differently from those who want to focus on the cycle route, the Po landscape and the “Terra ed Acqua” route. The destinations described offer various reasons to choose accommodation as a starting point for culture, nature or a combination of both interests.

Find more places for your search in Vezzano Sul Crostolo, Barco, Succiso Nuovo, Fogliano, Tabiano, Praticello, Cavriago and Cerredolo.

For the higher-level travel overview: Reggio Emilia.