Religious paths and Medieval routes
Virgin Mary of Monticino protects the valley where Lamone river flows between Tuscany and Romagna, in the sanctuary named after her. The building stays on one of the three typical hills in Brisighella (Ravenna). The Virgin with her Child, in polychrome terracotta, had been placed in 1626 on a pillar inside the village and thereafter transferred in 1662 into a chapel on the hill that, in 1758, became a church with well-known painters’ frescos. In 1926 the building was further enriched by Cardinal Michele Lega’s grant. He was one of the many Cardinals born in Brisighella. Near the Monticino hill there are historical places of worship: St. Michael Collegiate Church, Osservanza(Monks) Church/Cloister, St. Francis Church and The Holy Cross Oratory. Also, restored castles and relevant archeological sites such as: a Venetian fortress, Rontana Castle, Ceparano Castle. The most ancient Romanesque parish church in the valley, St. John in the eighth mile, built on a Galla Placidia’s temple; routes of Roman roads whose milestone names still exist: Rio Quinto (V), Sesto (VI) and Settimo (VII), Pieve in Ottavo (VIII), Ponte Nono (IX), St. Mary in Undecimo (XI). Interesting Medieval finds; traces of walls, the Donkeys’ Alley, Marino’s Tower and others. From the Virgin sanctuary start/end four circular walks (medium-low difficulty). One of them has been shaped also for the youngest. The three others, more challenging, can be split into more stages, offering refreshment points and overnight stops. The surrounding landscape offers the typical Appenine scrub and moreover vineyards, olive groves and artichoke fields. Oil, wine, “moretto” (dark) artichoke are some of the typical products of this territory. It is a unique area as it is located between the “gypsum vein” inside the Regional Park of the same name (lately entered into the Unesco sites) and the Blue Clays “calanchi” (gullies). In this area there are also some stages of the following journeys: St. Anthony, Via Misericordiae and Sancti Romualdi.
Route map
Four circular walks, centred around the Monticino sanctuary as well as Brisighella, medieval borough, rich of historical/cultural monuments. These walks reach areas of artistic and scientific interest, totally 84 km. According to your training and endurance, but also to the pleasure of looking around, the four walks could be split into six-eight stages. Otherwise you can plan part of them, even in different seasons, according to the time that you have to spend in this experience.
The four circular walks (Maps and Tracks)
GPX Tracks (by Ettore Fabbri CAI Faenza)
GPX Track Madonna del Monticino 1
GPX Track Madonna del Monticino 2
GPX Track Madonna del Monticino 3
GPX Track Madonna del Monticino 4.1
GPX Track Madonna del Monticino 4.2
You can use the following apps to view tracks :
- Outdoor Active Android – download
- Outdoor Active Apple – link to the store
- Komoot Android- download
- Komoot Apple – link to the store
Reception facilities and contact people
You can ask for the pilgrim’s travel credential either downloading it from this web site or asking for its paper version at the starting and finishing point c/o Brisighella Pro Loco, located near the Municipality and the well-Known Donkeys’ Alley (Marconi Square).
Pro Loco contacts: tel. 0546-81166 email: brisighella@racine.ra.it web-site: www.brisighella.org
For the final certificate it is required to stamp the declaration that the journey has taken place, according to the number of stages, at the affiliated structures and at the arrival point. Alternatively, you could get the certificate completing all the walks, stage by stage, even some weeks/months later.
Other locations where to ask for the pilgrim’s travel credential:
B&B Casetta Folli: call (Andrea) +39.3356811781 email: casettafolli@libero.it
Emiliani Nunnery Fognano: tel 0546-85006 email: info@istitutoemiliani.it
“Ca’Carné” Regional Park Refuge: via Rontana 42 Brisighella, tel. 0546-80628
“La Rocca” Hotel & Restaurant, tel. 0546-81180, email: info@albergo-larocca.it
“La Meridiana” Hotel & Restaurant tel. 0546-81590, email: info@lameridianahotel.it
Walks description
Cammino (Walk) 1 (Km. 20,8):
Brisighella Railway Station, Pascoli Ave., Monticino, Mount Rontana, Don Gnocchi Trail, Ca’ Carnè (also roman ruins nearby), CAI 511 Trail, Villa Vezzano, Marino’s Tower, Rio Chiè country road, Brisighella and Railway Station.
Food and accommodation, bicycle shelter and car parking: Rio Manzolo Farmhouse, Villa Vezzano (1 Km from the walk), Marino’s Tower Farmhouse (along the walk), B&B Casetta Folli (1/2 Km from the walk), “La Rocca” Hotel & Restaurant, Brisighella
Cammino (Walk) 2 (Km. 21,1)
Brisighella Railway Station, Strada Village, Pieve Tho (Parish Church), Fondisola, Pedrella, Ghiozzano, Campiume, Castellina, Poggiale, Poggio Mirandola, Torricella, St. Michael in Quarneto, CAI 505 Carnè Trail, CAI 511 Trail, Monticino, Brisighella and Railway Station. Alternatively stage n. 2 bis: Castellina, Villa Corte, Paventa, Montalbano, Valletta country road, St. Michael in Quarneto etc.
Between Pedrella e Ghiozzano you meet Monte Visano road: turning on the right to Fognano there is the Emiliani Nunnery (food and accomodation).
Food and accommodation, bicycle shelter and car parking
B&B Il Conventino, Strada Village (along the walk), Emiliani Nunnery, Fognano (1/2 Km from the walk); Ca’Carnè Regional Park Refuge Rontana road (along the walk), La Rocca Hotel & Restaurant, Brisighella
Cammino (Walk) 3 (Km. 31,4):
Brisighella Railway Station, Maglioni Street, Railway underbridge, Terme road, Canaletta road, Bicocca country road, Campo Colle, Ca’ di Là, Ceretto, Ca’ dei Merli, Ospedaletto, Ceparano country road, Ca’ L’Abate (small parking space), CAI 503 trail to Ceparano tower, back to St. George in Ceparano, Modiglianese road (paved, ½ km), Carla road, Pian di Vicchio road, Sarna, Red’s Mill, Level crossing and then to the right Rio Quinto country road, CAI 505 trail, Traversara, Montecchio, Rio Chiè country road, “Blood’s Factory”, uphill path to Rontana, Monticino, Brisighella and Railway Station.
Food and accommodation, bicycle shelter and car parking
B&B Casa della Nonna (Granny’s House) St. Ruffillo (along the walk)), La Quercia Farmhouse, Ca’Balbi Farmhouse, Contea di Val D’Amone Farmhouse (all along the walk), Camper Parking Area 1 Giuseppe Billi Street, Brisighella (1/2 Km from the walk), Ca’ Carnè Regional Park Refuge Rontana road (along the walk), La Meridiana Hotel & Restaurant, Terme street, Brisighella.
Cammino (Walk) 4.1 (also for children) (Km. 4,8):
Brisighella Railway Station, the Old Village, Donkeys’Alley, Clock Tower (either by stairs or country road behind the Village), Venetian Fortress, Monticino, Regional Park paths and the open-air geological Museum, Rontana road, Pascoli Ave., Brisighella and Railway Station.
Cammino (Walk) 4.2 (also for children) (Km. 6):
Brisighella Railway Station, Stabilimento Ave., pedestrian way to Terme road, B&B Il Palazzo, then on the right to Baccagnano road, Moreda Ford, Zano’s Mill, Cavallina, Monks’ Church and Cloister (Osservanza), Brisighella and Railway Station.
These two walks can be split or made on the same day, before and after lunch time (Km. 10,8)
Food and accommodation, bicycle shelter and car parking:
Ca’ Carnè Regional Park Refuge, Rontana, B&B Casetta Folli, Il Palazzo Farmhouse (all along the walk), Camper Parking Area 2, Antonio Masironi Street (along the walk), La Rocca Hotel & Restaurant, La Meridiana Hotel & Restaurant, Terme street, Brisighella.