Dozza and Brisighella: Two Villages Worth the Drive from Bologna

Thirty-five kilometres from Bologna, the medieval village of Dozza covers its walls in murals. About 80 kilometres in the same direction but deeper into the Apennines, Brisighella balances on three rocky spurs above the Lamone valley. Neither features on most tourist itineraries — which is part of the point. Both reward a half-day or full-day visit, and can reasonably be combined into a single trip by car.

Dozza: Painted Walls and the Enoteca Regionale

Dozza has been covering its house walls with outdoor murals since 1965. The event — Muro Dipinto — takes place every two years, usually in September, when invited artists paint directly onto the facades of the historic centre. More than 100 works have accumulated over the decades, making the village a permanent open-air gallery. The paintings stay up; new ones are added each cycle. Walking the narrow streets, you pass abstract compositions, figurative portraits, and large-scale illustrations, all at street level, on the walls of houses where people actually live.

Inside the medieval castle — the Rocca Sforzesca — is the Enoteca Regionale Emilia Romagna, a regional wine cellar and tasting room stocking several hundred labels from across the region. This is a serious wine destination: Sangiovese di Romagna, Albana, Pignoletto, Lambrusco, Trebbiano — producers from every province represented under one roof. You can taste by the glass or buy to take home. The castle itself is worth exploring for its frescoed rooms and views over the surrounding hills.

In September, during the Muro Dipinto weekend, the village also hosts the Festa delle Arzdore — a food festival centred on handmade pasta: tortellini, tagliatelle, lasagne verdi. If you can time your visit to coincide, it is a good reason to stay longer.

Getting there: Dozza is 35 km from Bologna, about 35 minutes by car. There is no direct public transport connection that makes the trip practical; a car is effectively required. Parking is available at the foot of the village.

Brisighella: Three Towers and Brisighello Olive Oil

Brisighella sits above the Lamone river valley, 14 kilometres south of Faenza. The village is defined by three rocky outcrops that rise sharply above the rooftops: the Rocca Manfrediana (a 14th-century fortress), the Monticino Sanctuary (17th century, with views across the valley), and the Torre dell’Orologio (the Clock Tower, dating to 1290). Each is worth the climb.

The most distinctive feature of the village is the Via degli Asini — a raised, covered walkway running along one of the rocky ridges that once served as a route for donkeys carrying gypsum from the quarries above. It is unique in Italy and offers a view down into the streets below from a vantage point that feels genuinely medieval.

Brisighella produces its own PDO olive oil — Brisighello — from a native olive variety that grows on the clay soils of the valley. The oil has a distinctly bitter finish that softens on the palate. It is available at local shops and at the November olive oil festival, which draws buyers from across the region.

Getting there: Brisighella is accessible by train — take the Bologna–Faenza line and then a connecting bus, or the Faenza–Marradi line which stops at Brisighella directly (journey around 1 hour 10 minutes from Bologna). By car, allow about 1 hour 15 minutes from Bologna via Faenza.

Sangiovese di Romagna

Both villages sit within the production zone for Romagna Sangiovese DOC, the red wine that defines this part of Emilia-Romagna. Sangiovese is the same grape used in Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, but the Romagna expression has its own character: higher acidity, a rustic, earthy quality, and tannins that suit pasta dishes and grilled meats. At its best — from producers in the hills between Forlì and Faenza — it is a genuinely serious wine.

The Enoteca Regionale in Dozza’s castle is the best single place to taste across the range — multiple producers, multiple vintages, knowledgeable staff. If you want to visit a producer in the countryside around either village, the local tourist offices can suggest appointments.

For a guided experience combining both villages with wine tastings and a local expert, see our Foodies’ Delight food tour from Bologna.