Top of the World
Brisighella is a medieval fairytale town just south of Bologna. It’s incredibly beautiful and charming, yet it’s somehow managed to keep a low profile. You probably haven’t heard of it, which is why it deserves a spot among Europe’s best hidden gems.Brisighella stands midway between Ravenna and Florence, amid a beautiful panorama of fertile fields, vineyards and olive groves that exudes peace and tranquillity.The best way to explore Brisighella is to walk through its centre. The town’s hub is Piazza Carducci, under the gaze of the church of Saint Michael and John the Baptist, with its collection of 15th- and 16th-century artworks. Continue up Via Porta Fiorentina – pausing for a spot of food shopping in the local stores – towards the neoclassical Piazza Marconi or Piazza del Municipio.The Antica Via del Borgo, or Via degli Asini, is one of the area’s loveliest features, an arched stone walkway over the façades of the houses below. Further up, Via Della Torre leads to the clock tower, while a few steps to the east, the Rocca Manfrediana fortress now houses a local history museum. The Giuseppe Ugonia Civic Museum, meanwhile, displays works by the artist and painter Giuseppe Ugonia from Faenza, who lived in Brisighella. Some of his art can also be seen in the British Museum, London.
Just outside the town, the tiny church San Giovanni in Ottavo is one of the best-preserved in the whole of Romagna; you can find it on the SS302 main road to Tuscany. Brisighella’s natural charms are best appreciated in Carnè Park, whose 170+ acres of unspoiled beauty are ideal for trekking, horse riding, and mountain biking.
