Rocchetta Mattei
The fairytale castle in the Bolognese Apennines, an architectural marvel in harmony with nature.
Itinerary
- Our guide will meet you in your hotel.
- Visit to Rocchetta Mattei with a specialised guide.
- Visit to the medieval village of Scola.
- Lunch in a winery in Sasso Marconi with wine tasting
- Visit to Guglielmo Marconi’s mausoleum and the village of Palazzo de’ Rossi.
- Return transport to your hotel
Count Cesare Mattei, built his astonishing fairy-tale castle in Grizzana Morandi, near Bologna, in the mid 19th century. The building combines unique mixture of architectural styles, from Medieval to Middle-Eastern and Moorish and is a labyrinth of interconnected rooms, courtyards, passages, stairways, and towers.
The castle was the cradle for a system of healing called electrohomeopathy, that made its creator Count Cesare Mattei world famous. He was even mentioned by Dostoeveskji in his novel The Brothers Karamazov and many illustrious figures, such as Czar Alexander II and Empress Sissi of Austria, sought treatment here. Restored and opened to the public in 2015, the tour lasts 90 minutes and includes the wonderful park that surrounds the castle and rooms with original furnishings.
After the tour, we will return to Bologna, stopping along the way to visit the beautiful medieval village of Scola and then onto Sasso Marconi where will lunch in one of the most important wineries in the area.
The village of Sasso Marconi owes its name to the big cliff (sasso means rock) that dominates the river Reno, and to Guglielmo Marconi, the scientist who invented radio and wireless communication. After lunch, we will visit Villa Griffone, which houses the scientist’s mausoleum and the Marconi Museum, and the medieval village of Palazzo de’ Rossi.
What’s included
- Tour Leader all day.
- All transfers
- Visit to Rocchetta Mattei with a specialised guide.
- Lunch in a winery in Sasso Marconi with wine tasting
- Insurance
What’s not included
- Anything not explictly specified
- Personal expenses
