The Most Beautiful Abandoned Villages in Emilia-Romagna

Next to the famous cities and the most beautiful villages of Emilia Romagna, there is a lesser-known and largely unknown corner where nature has taken over and seems to have frozen everything that remains.

Let's take a journey through the most fascinating ghost villages of Emilia-Romagna, witnesses of an ancient past and of old, captivating stories. If you're looking for curious and lesser-known places this year, let's embark on a journey through the most beautiful ghost towns of the region.

ALSO SEE: ABANDONED VILLAGES IN ITALY

In the province of Rimini, not far from Saludecio, there is an abandoned village known today as the village of fools, due to the absurd and unedifying behavior of its residents. The stone village, typically medieval, is nestled on a hill that forms the valley of the Conca River. It has ancient origins, documented to have been founded around the 9th century A.D., and was gradually abandoned towards the end of the 20th century.

Visiting Castel d'Alfero is like taking a trip back to the Middle Ages. The perfectly preserved ghost town is a fraction of Sarsina (FC). The village is perched on a rocky spur at the foot of the Para stream. Around the year 1000, it was home to an important castle, and a defensive wall protected the inhabited area, of which only traces remain today. For its value, the village is under monumental protection by the Cultural Heritage authorities. It is one of the places of the heart Fai.

Ancient ruins and spectacular views. This is what remains of San Paolo in Alpe, the abandoned village in the province of Forlì-Cesena.

Located on a plateau at about 3,383 ft (1,030 m) above sea level, it is within the Casentino Forests, Monte Falterona, and Campigna National Park. Its history is linked to events of World War II: San Paolo was home to the command of the 8th Garibaldi Brigade, and the plateau was the ideal location for air drops of weapons and supplies carried out by the Allies. On April 12, 1944, San Paolo was attacked by a Nazi-fascist division, aiming to liberate the rear of the Gothic Line from partisan resistance. Today, the ghost town is an ideal destination for hiking enthusiasts.

What remains of Pastorale is a heap of houses covered by vegetation. The village, situated at an elevation of 2,362 ft (720 m), was founded around the 17th century. Due to an earthquake that completely damaged the houses in the early 1960s, it was abandoned. Today, what remains is all frozen in that day.

In the municipality of Bettola, in the province of Piacenza, there is an abandoned castle that dominates an ancient connecting route between the Nure and Trebbia valleys. It is the Castle of Spettine, an ancient manor now in ruins, with its origins unknown. The manor, fascinating and mysterious, is reachable only on foot.

The history of Formignano is inextricably linked to the mines that were once active in that area. Formignano was gradually abandoned in 1962, the year when the mine was closed.

An ancient mule track from the municipality of Bocconi leads to what remains of Bastia, an ancient fortified village completely abandoned. The old town stands around a fortress that dominated the Montone valley: today you can reach the village to admire the old ruins.

According to legend, the village in the Apennines of Parma was abandoned following a Nazi massacre that resulted in the death of several children. The citizens, haunted by the cries of the murdered children, decided to leave the village, which today is a collection of ruins covered by vegetation.