Via dei Brentatori

The walk starts from Piazza Maggiore, just a few steps from the site of the Compagnia dell’Arte dei Brentatori. In the symbolic square of Bologna, we leave the Basilica of San Petronio on our left and take Via de’ Pignattari.

Passing the plaque commemorating the former headquarters of the Brentatori, now the site of a hotel, we continue toward Piazza dei Celestini, crossing Via D’Azeglio. From here, we take Vicolo dello Spirito Santo. When we reach via Val d’Aposa, we turn left and reach via Saragozza through via Collegio di Spagna. We then follow via Saragozza to the Meloncello arch, where the portico leads us to the Sanctuary of San Luca.

After visiting the shrine dedicated to the Blessed Virgin of St. Luke, we continue on Montalbano Street for about 650 meters, where the route descends to the right on route 112a (Via Crucis dei Bregoli) toward the Parco della Chiusa. Since the Via Crucis is not passable due to landslides from the May 2023 flood, we take a left onto route 112b, which takes us to route 900. At the fork, we continue straight downhill to St. Martin’s Church. Shortly thereafter, we enter the park through the monumental gate and follow the avenue of plane trees (route 112) to the ruins of a villa, then cross the road and continue on an unnumbered path parallel to Via Panoramica.

Resuming via Panoramica, the route continues flat and then descends to the Reno River, following the right bank to a blue footbridge (note: the footbridge will be closed until the end of September for work, so the route will undergo changes as indicated on the home page). Beyond the bridge, Route 126 begins, taking us into the Casalecchio sports area, passing under the highway and entering San Biagio Park.

After several pedestrian crossings through the urbanized area, we enter Faianello Park and cross it to Via Cimabue. This road leads us through a commercial area before passing via Porrettana. Soon after, we go up via Michelangelo to enter the woods, keeping the left side near the fields at the foot of the Tizzano hill. In front of the entrance to Eremo di Tizzano, we turn left onto via Tizzano to the gate of the Tizzano winery.

From here, the road continues as Via Monte Capra to the junction with Via Carrani, where we turn right to the end of the road. Here, obvious prohibitions prevent us from accessing the Ducentola locality. To continue, we go around the private property fence to the right and continue on route 126 at the foot of Monte Capra, passing a ditch in the woods until we reach route 102 on the ancient “Gessaroli” road. This road descends to the right towards Zola Predosa, but has some landslides covering it in two places and a third of boulders that fell from Monte Rocca. Fortunately, recent maintenance work allows us to walk along it, walking over the landslides and using a specially opened variant to avoid the unstable boulders.

Arriving at the Lavino provincial road, we cross it and continue straight to the river, near the monument to Don Fornasari, Martyr of the Resistance. Here the second STAGE begins; turning right, we reach Zola Predosa in about 15 minutes, while on the left we can reach Ponte Rivabella in half an hour. In both locations, you will find overnight accommodations.

From the bridge on Via Risorgimento in Zola, follow trail 209 along the right bank of the Lavino, passing a second bridge. Continuing along the stream, you will cross a ford a few meters from the Don Fornasari monument. Soon after, the trail begins to climb with steep curves until you reach Monticino on Via Predosa. Here, the trail turns left onto Via Predosa, which for the next 1500-1600 meters is paved, and then becomes natural surface and passes under the church of San Lorenzo in Collina (there is a variant to the right if you want to visit the church).

After a little more than a kilometer, at La Fornace, you will find a junction with trail 211. A hundred meters further on, at Cà Bianca, you abandon 209 to follow 205 to Collina di Sopra. Here, continue uphill along Via Foscolo, which after the cemetery takes you to the ancient village of Oliveto. From there, follow Via Castello, which runs along the ancient medieval walls, passes in front of the Jew’s house and, from the parking lot of St. Paul’s Church, becomes the Cinghi path, which descends to Via San Egidio. Following first this road to the left and then Via Palazzetto, the Via dei Brentatori rejoins Route 205 at the junction of Via dei Ciliegi. From here, path 205 takes you to S.Teodoro, the Visitor Center of Monteveglio Park.

After crossing the uphill meadow behind the Visitor’s Center, Route 205 climbs up to cross 201, which soon takes you to the Abbey walls. Nearby you will find numerous B&Bs and farmhouses offering accommodations for all tastes.

Leaving through the door under the watchtower, descend to the left of the parking lot toward the cemetery, where you intercept route 201. Past the cemetery, 201 continues slightly uphill along the edge of the gully, then climbs steeply to the overhanging Via Volta.

The Via dei Brentatori leaves Route 201 before the steepest part, turning right onto the Park’s Nature Trail “Africa and Old Crops,” marked SNA. After 200-250 meters, at the junction for “Africa,” turn left and take Park Trail 5 (IT5 “From Africa to Mount Gennaro”). Follow this path, which takes you first on the slope and then on the ridge of the mountain, until just before the summit, where you will deviate onto Itinerary 2 (IT2), which descends from Mount Gennaro from the northern slope to the intersection of Via Sant’Antonio and Via Sassuolo near a rubble.

Here, take a left on Via Sant’Antonio, pass in front of the house called “Rondanina,” and continue through the woods for about 500 meters to a point where several trails cross: an unnumbered section and the SND trail coming from the top of Monte Morello. Take the unnumbered section to the left, which completes the bypass of the mountain to the west and brings you to Route 8 (IT8 Corte D’Aibo-Monte Morello). Following IT8, descend to the Corte D’Aibo farmhouse and, continuing along Via Rio Marzatore, reach the bridge over the stream of the same name.

Crossing the road, the path climbs steeply up a hollow and takes you to Montebudello, skirting a vineyard. At Montebudello, take the carriage road of the same name on the right for 1.7 km until you cross the “Little Cassia,” where you turn left and continue for another 1.6 km to the Rocca di Bazzano. After crossing the Rocca, the route descends along the cobblestone road that enters Piazza Garibaldi and takes first Via Matteotti (in the upper left corner of the square), then Via Gramsci, leading you to the train station.