Jolanda di Savoia: Rice Fields, Wetlands and Settlement History

Jolanda di Savoia lies in the lowlands between the Po and Volano rivers, in the eastern part of the Po Valley. Rice fields, the history of land reclamation and a wetland give the town its distinctive character. Two aspects are particularly important when planning your trip: the landscape shaped by rice cultivation and the development of settlements associated with the draining of the Province of Ferrara. Nature also has a specific place here: the Bacini di Jolanda di Savoia cover 45 hectares and are located within the municipality. Jolanda di Savoia looks out toward the Po Delta Park, which is described as a UNESCO heritage site.

Landscape and Birdlife

The Bacini di Jolanda di Savoia comprise the basins of a former sugar factory and a small wetland created through collective agri-environmental measures. A Special Protection Area has been designated for the Bacini to protect birdlife. It preserves one of the most important heron colonies in Emilia-Romagna. The protected area therefore brings together former industrial use, a landscape shaped by agriculture and birdlife. Its two parts have different origins: the basins date from the time of the sugar factory, while the wetland was created through collective environmental measures. This combination makes the Bacini a distinctive feature of the landscape alongside the rice fields that define the surrounding area.

Rice Cultivation and the Sagra del Riso

Rice is part of the landscape and regional identity of Jolanda di Savoia. The surrounding area is defined by rice fields where the distinctive Riso del Delta IGP is grown. Jolanda di Savoia is also one of the most important growing areas for IGP-certified Riso del Delta del Po. The town is also part of a special area around Ferrara known as Terra del Riso. These connections help put the importance of rice cultivation here into context: it is not only a feature of the open landscape, but also a defining part of the town.

The Sagra del Riso is another reason to visit. The festival is held every year in August over two weekends. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the dates of that year's event before you travel. This lets you include the seasonal celebration in your plans without assuming a specific date.

Townscape and Settlement History

The townscape includes large open courtyards, rows of small workers’ houses and distinctive buildings associated with rice-growing businesses. These varied forms tell the story of a landscape where agriculture and settlement are closely connected. The settlement’s original name was Le Venezie. The Great Land Reclamation of Ferrara had a direct impact on settlement in Jolanda di Savoia. The town’s development can therefore also be understood as part of the transformation of the provincial landscape.

A sugar factory began operating in Jolanda di Savoia in 1924. Its former use is also linked to the Bacini, whose basins came from the former sugar factory. Another geographical point of interest is in the hamlet of Contane: Corte delle Magoghe is considered Italy’s lowest point and lies 3.44 metres below sea level. This precise elevation illustrates the distinctive nature of the lowlands and adds a notable landmark to the picture of Jolanda di Savoia.

A Route Through the New Landscape

The circular route Le «terre nuove» del Delta del Po passes through the planned agricultural centres of the reclaimed landscape in the Province of Ferrara; Jolanda di Savoia is one of them. The route places the town in a broader context of settlement and the region’s agricultural development. For trip planning, this perspective offers a way to consider the townscape, land reclamation and rice cultivation as interconnected themes. It complements the natural landscape of the Bacini with the history of a plain shaped by human activity.

Discover more destinations: Poggio Renatico, Dosso, Berra, Ambrogio, Portomaggiore, Ca' Matte, Ferrara, Goro.

Return to the main travel overview: Ferrara.