Discover Russi between culture and nature

Russi offers travellers several distinct points of interest: a town museum in a 14th-century complex, Palazzo San Giacomo, an archaeological site associated with a range of habitats, and a programme of festivals and theatre. You can plan your trip around the themes that interest you most.

Museum and palazzo: different sides of cultural history

The Museo Civico di Russi is housed in a historic complex dating from the 14th century. It was built at the behest of Guido da Polenta and completed in 1371. The museum has four sections: the archaeological collection of the Villa Romana di Russi, the “Sale della Città”, artworks from the Azienda USL di Ravenna collection, and the “Alfredo Baccarini” archive. Archaeological, town-related, artistic and archival perspectives thus come together in one museum.

Palazzo San Giacomo offers another focus on cultural history. The municipality organises guided tours of the palazzo and its exhibitions. The building bears witness to what is probably the most extensive cycle of private and aristocratic wall paintings to have reached Romagna between the 17th and 18th centuries. While the Museo Civico brings together different collections, the history of these wall paintings takes centre stage at the palazzo.

Archaeology, habitats and a cycling link

The Natura 2000 site IT4070022 – SAC-SPA “Bacini di Russi e Fiume Lamone” includes the Villa Romana di Russi Ecological Rebalancing Area. It brings together the archaeological site with riverside woodland, mesophilic woodland, wet and flooded meadows, a permanent meadow and a pond. Archaeology and diverse habitats together give the area its natural and cultural character.

A cycling link connects Russi railway station on the Faenza–Ravenna line with the historic centre and Palazzo San Giacomo. It passes the Villa Romana and the ecological rebalancing area, then follows the embankment of the River Lamone. The route provides clear reference points for finding your way between the station, town centre, palazzo, archaeological site and riverbank.

Fira di Sett Dulur and theatre

On the third weekend in September, Fira di Sett Dulur brings the historic centre of Russi to life with cultural and sporting events, exhibitions, conferences, fireworks and a craft market. If you want to plan your trip around the Fira, check the specific event dates in advance. This will help you take the festival dates into account when planning.

Food is also part of the festival: the Fira features local specialities such as cappelletti, bël e cöt, a high-quality cotechino, and canèna nôva, a traditional young wine. The combination of events, market and specialities gives the festival several distinct themes. The Teatro Comunale di Russi presents an annual season of drama and dance. While the Fira is associated with the third weekend in September, the theatre season offers a different timeframe for culture lovers.

An open-air museum as another cultural attraction

The Percorso del Risorgimento in Russi is an open-air museum of commemorative plaques, buildings and monuments. Its format differs from that of the Museo Civico in the historic complex: here, plaques, buildings and monuments define its open-air museum character. Alongside museum collections and wall paintings, Russi thus offers another distinct way to explore cultural history.

Discover more destinations: Bagnacavallo, San Zaccaria, Castel Raniero, Riolo Terme, Milano Marittima, San Pietro In Vincoli, Punta Marina, Casalborsetti

For the broader travel overview: Ravenna.