Top 10 Castles in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Ticket office closes 45 minutes before.

On a sandstone spur, this fortress stands over the Panaro valley. Documented back to 1178, it is one of the most interesting examples of fortification architecture in Emilia. In the fourteenth century it belonged to the Este family of Ferrara, but in 1401 they donated it to the Uguccione Contrari family who turned it into a refined mansion. In 1577, the Fortress was handed over to the Boncompagni family. Purchased by the Cassa di Risparmio di Vignola bank in 1965, it was handed over to the Vignola Foundation in 1998. The massive quadrilateral structure spread over five floors, with three corner towers – Nonantola, Donne and Pennello – is encircled by projections for plunging defence, typical of the XV century. In the courtyard, the small fortress stands to the left and open the Contrari and Grassoni halls. Winter opening times. Week days: 9:00/12:00 – 14:30/18:00. 0/12:00 – 15:30/19:00Holidays: 10:30/13:00 – 15:30/19:00. Closed on Mondays. Free admission

The Sanvitale Fortress of Fontanellato rises, enchanting and suggestive, at the centre of the village; surrounded by a wide moat, it contains a precious treasure: the “Room of Diana and Actaeon” painted by Parmigianino in 1524. The aristocratic apartments of the Sanvitale counts is still intact, with original furniture and furnishings. From the “Camera Ottica” it still possible observe the real life outside the castle thanks to an ingenious system of lenses

The castle of Gropparello is an old yet perfectly preserved fortress, which was built like an aerie on the top of a rock peak. From its terraces and towers it is possible to enjoy a breath-taking view on the cliff around the walls. Here you can be wrapped up in a truly enchanting and magical atmosphere. The nature around the Castle, with its bright and far-reaching landscape, gives it an air of mystery, just like being immersed in the old fairy tale of Rapunzel in her tower. The property is articulated into the Castle, with its park and its rocky walkways , and the Masseria (Farmhouse), where the services are located (such as the Restaurant, the Rose Pavilion, and the salon Loggia dei Leoni) and where it is possible to enjoy its patrimony of antique rose gardens and fruit trees (especially grapes and quince trees). Masseria and Corte dell'Ulivo The different spaces of the Castle's park are all joined by a picturesque gravel path, linking the Masseria to the Castle. In case it is necessary to travel such length by car, it is possible to drive on the main road and enter directly through the Castle's gate. The open spaces, wide and articulated, enable us to create a trail where the various stops can mark the different moments of the ceremony. This is very important to create an event that is rich, dynamic and full of surprises. Our goal is to make your time pass by lightly and to make each moment bespoke and tailored to your wishes. The invitees can put themselves at ease, enjoying every corner of the Castle and fully participating to all the moments of the celebration - the cocktails, the wedding lunch, the cutting of the wedding cake, and the dance afterwards. It is possible to arrange a light aperitif with cocktails in the Castle, so to reserve a space for the starters, for which we usually offer the Padiglione delle Rose (the Roses Pavilion). The Wedding Lunch or Dinner can be provided in the Loggia dei Leoni, or in the Sala Rossa (the Red Hall), with its authentic mediaeval feel. All halls are equally charming at night. The Wedding Cake represents a central moment in the celebration. We particularly treasure it both in its aspect and quality (hence why we decided to offer the services of our in-house cake designer) and in the context of its presentation. The celebration ends with the dance. The best location for this is the Castle's stone hall, whose walls are perfect to be covered with coloured lights. If desired, the Castle has plenty of outdoor spaces for the bride and groom's photos: from the wilder, more romantic spots, such as the walkways around the castle walls, to the wonderful rose gardens, where nature and art are combined to create spots of pleasures and delight. The atmosphere can be enhanced by beautiful night lights, whether with coloured lights or with Roman torches. We also propose bespoke Tableaux Mariage, which we can customise by working with drawings, gold-foil or embossing, for the most stunning results. The Tableau can be customised around specific themes - whether the honeymoon, or the couple's love story, or referring any image that they feel represented by. It can be coloured or black and white, in pencil, ink or watercolour, with or without golden embroidering. It can look like a painting or like a comic book. If the couple does not have a clear idea we are more than happy to participate in the search for an idea they will be satisfied with, even preparing free drafts to choose from. The cake and the 'confettata' (the Italian tradition of a buffet with confetti, typical sugared almond candy) are an important part of the Wedding banquet. Recently cake design has become a more and more present trend in our culture, and of course we, too, have found ourselves under its spell! From our laboratory we can create simple or more elaborated cakes, which we take care in customising exclusively for each event.

The castle and the medieval village belong to the Zanardy Landi family, a branch of the Landi familily that owns the castle since the 13 th century.The castle is open for guided tours (you can visit the honour room , dining room, copper kitchen , wine cellar, prisons, bedrooms,tower realized by Pietro Antonio Solari, the same architect of the Kremlin of Moscow ), while the guest quarters are used for banquets, events, symposiums, conventions and marriages, (with possible use of the 14th century San Martino church).