Discover Castelnuovo Rangone

A simple way to decide where to stay when looking for a hotel in Castelnuovo Rangone is to consider whether you want to discover the town through archaeology, art, food culture or a cycling route. MuSa and Terramara di Montale offer different focuses; historical traces, parks and public art complete the picture.

Food culture and MuSa

MuSa is dedicated to the tradition of making cured meats and meat products. Its multimedia tour introduces visitors to the aromas and traditional knowledge behind it. It covers around 250 square metres over three floors; multimedia panels and artistic installations are part of the design. Alongside tasting regional traditions, the town’s history also highlights the craft knowledge behind them.

A recurring event is the Superzampone festival, held regularly on the first Sunday in December. The specific programme may vary from year to year. So if you plan your trip around the festival, check the dates for the relevant year. Together with MuSa, the festival offers insight into the importance of the cured-meat and meat-product tradition to Castelnuovo Rangone.

Terramara and archaeological history

In the hamlet of Montale is the Terramara di Montale Archaeological Park and Open-Air Museum, dedicated to the Terramare culture. It features a full-scale reconstruction of part of a Terramare village, based on archaeological findings. The reconstruction makes the layout of part of a village a focus of the museum visit, while the immersive tour explores the historical development of the Terramare culture.

Terramara uses projections and LED walls to tell this immersive story. It covers the period from the founding to the abandonment of the Terramare settlements. The two museums therefore have different focuses: MuSa foregrounds the aromas and traditional knowledge involved in making cured meats and meat products, while Montale focuses on the Terramare culture and its archaeological reconstruction.

Church art and traces in the town centre

The Church of San Celestino was built between 1856 and 1864 and features three paintings by Adeodato Malatesta. The main altar holds a large painting created by Malatesta between 1871 and 1873. It depicts Saint Celestine handing Saint Cyril the decree concerning the Nestorian heresy. The construction of the church and the later creation of the painting are two separate stages in its artistic history.

Older traces are also part of the townscape: the medieval walls date from the 13th century, and a section was uncovered during restoration work. Il Pozzo Ritrovato was rediscovered during work and excavations in the historic centre and can be seen on Via Roma. For contemporary art, CRAC Spazio Arte is a space set aside by the municipality. The works on display can be viewed from outside through a transparent window every day, around the clock; the exhibition content may change.

Since June 1998, 22 permanent glass poetry display cases have stood in parks, along cycle paths and on the streets of historic town centres. Together with the walls and the rediscovered well, they complement the church art with other public places where literature and history meet in the townscape.

Parks and cycling route

Collina delle Fiabe is a green space in Parco Rio Gamberi, populated by characters from popular children’s stories. Since its inauguration on 8 December 1985, John Lennon Park has hosted concerts, cultural initiatives and events every year. Specific future events may vary. The two places offer different attractions: characters from children’s stories bring the green space to life, while recurring cultural events shape the park.

For exploring by bike, the Jack Kerouac cycle route is an approximately ten-kilometre section of the Modena–Vignola cycle route. It passes through Castelnuovo Rangone, Spilamberto and Castelvetro and was built along a former provincial railway line. At the former railway gatekeeper’s houses, panels display excerpts from novels by the American writer Jack Kerouac. A fully restored old railway station is also located along the Modena–Vignola cycle route. From there, the route continues towards Spilamberto along Provincial Road No. 16, passes through the town centre and reaches Vignola.

Discover more destinations: Maranello, Zocca, Medolla, Savignano Sul Panaro, Sestola, Montecreto, Torre Maina, Disvetro.

For the broader travel overview: Modena.