Bolano: medieval town center and green hills

Bolano offers several reasons to visit: a medieval town center, historical landmarks and a landscape shaped by hills and cultivated land. The Alta Via dei Monti Liguri also passes through the municipal area. If you are looking for a hotel in Bolano, you can start by considering whether local history, the landscape or the long-distance hiking trail is most important for your trip.

Medieval town center and historic buildings

The historic center retains its medieval urban layout. Squares, open spaces and winding lanes shape the town and lead to the forecourt of the parish church. The former entrance gates include Porta Castello, Porta Stazon and Porta Fontana; the last of these is now called Chilosi. Their names provide specific historical points of reference in the town center.

Traces of the former Malaspina castle remain on the hill above the village. They are set within a massive, walled earthwork. The street “Dietro le Mura” provides another point of reference for the former fortifications: it runs along the outside of Bolano’s western walls. In the church of the Oratorio dei SS. Antonio e Rocco, you can admire a valuable 18th-century Ligurian organ.

The history of Bolano and Ceparana

The history extends beyond the visible medieval structures. The statutes of the community of Bolano, sworn in 1204, are among the oldest in all of Lunigiana. The Liguri-Apuani are considered the area’s first inhabitants. Several cist graves containing urn burials were discovered in the plain of Ceparana; one particularly specific find is a cist grave excavated in 1882 in the Viara locality.

The history of the so-called Castello Giustiniani in Ceparana also spans several eras. Through alterations over the centuries, the complex developed from a Benedictine abbey dating to before the year 1000 into an aristocratic residence. Today, the castle is privately owned. This historical transformation and the archaeological finds provide distinct points of interest alongside the medieval structure of the town center.

Terraces, forests and the Alta Via

Gentle green hills and terraced areas of grapevines and olive trees shape Bolano’s landscape. The scenery also includes extensive woodlands, particularly chestnut forests. For centuries, the terraces have produced high-quality wine from the grapes grown there. Viticulture and olive cultivation give the surroundings an agricultural character, while the forests form another part of the landscape.

The Alta Via dei Monti Liguri begins or ends in the municipal area of Bolano. Its eastern endpoint is in Ceparana; from there, the route runs for 440 kilometers to the Italian-French border. These details answer different questions about the route: Bolano identifies its connection to the municipal area, Ceparana is the eastern endpoint, and 440 kilometers is its length to the border. For planning, it is therefore useful to distinguish these place and route details rather than interpreting them as an indication of a short local hike.

Borgo Incantato

Borgo Incantato is a children’s event that has been held in Bolano’s old town center for more than ten years. If you would like to plan your trip around the event, check the specific dates in advance. This lets you choose the historic town center, the landscape or the route as the focus of your trip and include an event in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Vezzano Ligure, Cerreta, Riomaggiore, Montemarcello, Bonassola, Tavarone, Fiascherino, Colombiera-Molicciara.

For the broader travel overview: La Spezia.