Bologna to the Apennines: A Self-Drive Day Trip

The Apennines begin where Bologna ends. Twenty minutes south of the city the motorway gives way to the SS64 Porrettana — a road that follows the Reno river valley up into the mountains, passing Etruscan ruins, a church designed by Alvar Aalto, a fortress that looks like something from a fever dream, and eventually the thermal spa town of Porretta Terme. This route makes a full and varied day out from Bologna without requiring any advance planning beyond lunch.

The Route at a Glance

Bologna → Marzabotto (30 min) → Riola di Vergato (15 min) → Grizzana Morandi / Rocchetta Mattei (10 min) → Lunch → Lago Suviana (20 min) → Porretta Terme (30 min) → Bologna (1h 15min). Total driving around 3 hours; plan for a full day.

Marzabotto — Etruscan Ruins (27km from Bologna)

The ancient Etruscan city of Kainua, founded in the early 5th century BC in the Reno valley, is one of the best-preserved Etruscan sites in northern Italy. Unlike most archaeological sites of this period, Kainua shows all three main components of an Etruscan settlement — the residential town, the acropolis with temple ruins, and the necropolis below — in a single visit. The Pompeo Aria National Museum on site houses finds from over 150 years of excavation. Entry around €3; allow an hour.

Note: the museum has been periodically closed for renovation — check opening times before visiting. The archaeological park is open Tuesday to Sunday.

Riola di Vergato — The Aalto Church

Fifteen minutes up the valley from Marzabotto, the village of Riola contains the Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta — the only building in Italy designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, completed in 1978. The white interior with curved wooden pews and its distinctive arched light scoops filtering natural light from above is genuinely striking. Worth a 20-minute stop.

Grizzana Morandi — Rocchetta Mattei

Ten minutes further on, above the village of Grizzana Morandi, sits Rocchetta Mattei — an eccentric 19th-century fortress commissioned by Count Cesare Mattei that mixes Gothic towers, Moorish arches, onion domes, and Islamic-inspired decoration into something unlike anything else in Emilia-Romagna. Count Mattei built it as his personal residence and centre for his alternative medicine practice. Tours are required; open Saturdays and Sundays (free on the first Sunday of the month, otherwise €10). Book ahead — it fills up.

See where the food actually comes from.
The Emilia Delizia food tour takes you inside working Parmigiano, balsamic, and ham producers — rated 4.9 stars on TripAdvisor.

This is a good point to stop for lunch. Locanda dei Fienili del Campiaro (Località Campiaro 112/C, Grizzana Morandi) is a converted farmhouse associated with the painter Giorgio Morandi, who spent summers in this area. The kitchen specialises in local mountain ingredients — crispy polenta with creamy cheese and porcini mushrooms is the standout. Reservations essential.

Lago Suviana

An artificial lake created in 1932 at 500 metres elevation, surrounded by the Regional Park of Lakes Suviana and Brasimone. The views from the shoreline are good, the water is clean, and in summer it is possible to swim. In other seasons it is a pleasant stop for a walk and a coffee. The Hotel Bar Ristorante Luana (Via Tramonti Suviana 32) on the lakeside serves homemade tagliatelle and, if you are very hungry after Rocchetta Mattei, a 40-ounce bistecca fiorentina cooked over coals.

Porretta Terme

The end point of the route, 60 kilometres from Bologna. Porretta Terme is a compact stone-built spa town that has been drawing visitors for its sulphurous thermal springs since Roman times. The springs are still the main reason to come — Hotel Helvetia operates a day spa with thermal pools and, improbably, a Finnish sauna installed in a repurposed WWII air raid shelter.

Porretta also hosts the Porretta Soul Festival each July — a long-running R&B and soul music event that draws a surprisingly international crowd to this small mountain town. If you time your visit right, it adds an unexpected dimension to the day.

Practical Notes

• Car essential: Public transport to these villages is minimal or non-existent
• Bologna ZTL: If staying in the historic centre, leave the city early — the SS64 picks up just south of the ring road
• Rocchetta Mattei: Weekends only; book tours in advance at rocchettamattei.it
• Lunch: Book ahead at Locanda dei Fienili — it is small and fills up on weekends
• Return: The drive back to Bologna on the SS64 takes about 75 minutes direct

A Different Take: Savigno and the Truffle Hills

If you prefer a shorter drive with a stronger food focus, the village of Savigno (25km southwest of Bologna) is the white truffle capital of the Bologna hills. Trattoria Amerigo 1934 (Via Guglielmo Marconi 14/16) is Michelin-rated and built entirely around local ingredients. The surrounding countryside is also where Emilia Delizia runs its truffle hunting experiences — a half-day with specialist dogs in the Apennine woods, followed by a meal using what you find.