DOZZA
DOZZA Travel Guide
Dozza is one of the most fascinating villages in the metropolitan city of Bologna.
Situated on the first hills that, from the Via Emilia, rise towards the Tuscan-Romagnan Apennines, it forms, with the fraction Toscanella, a town of 6,600 inhabitants.
Coming from the West, it is sufficient to cross a small stream, the Sillaro, and the magic happens: the imaginary borders with Emilia are left behind and one enters suddenly into the mythical Romagna, among the vineyards and the frank smiles of its people.
Here Celts and Romans settled, before the Lombard invasions, which, however, had to give way to the Byzantines, who included Dozza in their Exarchate until the middle of the 8th century. After a period as a free commune, the settlement became part of the Papal States.
Today, most of the population lives in the valley, in Toscanella, an industrial and hardworking center, but it is mainly the capital that attracts tourists for its curious peculiarities.
WHAT TO SEE IN DOZZA
Dozza is not just one of the beautiful medieval villages that embellish our country, it is distinguished by being frescoed by famous painters.
Almost every wall, in fact, is a small work of art, because here great artists periodically gather and paint murals on the walls of its houses.
The historic village has an elongated shape that, passing through a picturesque Arch, ends next to the Sforzesca Fortress, which, among other things, houses the Regional Wine Library, where over 800 wines are collected, which attentive sommeliers guide through the tasting.
The Fortress is a medieval monument transformed by Caterina Sforza into a fortified castle and can be visited to admire the ancient kitchens, the furnishings, and the historical hunting lodge on the noble floor. The visit develops over 4 floors and allows you to know both the medieval fortress, the Renaissance one, and finally the eighteenth-century one, with the interventions of the Malvezzi-Campeggi family who lived in the Fortress until the sixties of the last century.
The Fortress also hosts the Documentation Center of the Fresco Wall.
Do not miss a visit to the ancient convent, now known as Villa di Monte del Re, and to the parish churches of Dozza and Toscanella.
events in DOZZA | Festivals and Fairs
The main event is undoubtedly the Biennale of the Painted Wall, the famous festival where, in September, artists from every corner of the world gather to paint murals in the village of Dozza and street art and graffiti in Toscanella.
Since 1960, it has been a painting exhibition featuring over 200 artists for more than half a century of contemporary art. It takes place in odd-numbered years and has a section of street art in the fraction of Toscanella.
www.fondazionedozza.it
THE WINE IS FESTIVE
In the month of May, it is the turn of the Wine Festival, with the participation of all the vini producers from the hills of Imola.
FANTASTIC
Dedicated to fantasy art, Fantastika takes place every even year, on the last weekend of September.
www.fantastika.it
HOW TO GET TO DOZZA
On the highway: A14, exit at the Castel San Pietro Terme toll booth.
on train: Imola station (5 km) or Castel San Pietro (5 km), then bus Tper - Rapid Bus Service - The (bookable) line 147 of the ATC of Bologna offers connections from Dozza to Toscanella and from there to Imola and Bologna with line 101, with a run every hour (from 7.00 to 20.00 on weekdays from Monday to Saturday 14.00 - 20.00 on holidays). Bookings at least 1 hour in advance 051 290 299.
Useful Info and Contacts
City of Dozza - Metropolitan City of Bologna
XX September Street, 37 - 40060 DOZZA (BO)
Tel. 0542/678116 - 678351
website: comune.dozza.bo.it
other useful addresses
- ROCCA di DOZZA & BIENNALE MURO DIPINTO - (last edition 2015, next: 2019) Foundation Dozza City of Art - Piazza della Rocca - Rocca Sforzesca di Dozza 40060 Dozza (BO) 0542 678240 / 0542 678240 www.fondazionedozza.it
- REGIONAL WINE CELLAR EMILIA ROMAGNA
Piazza Rocca Sforzesca - 40060 Dozza (BO) TEL. +390542 367700 www.enotecaemiliaromagna.it/it
