For those who love mountain scenery, the Pietra di Bismantova (1040m) in the Parco Nazionale Tosco Emiliano is an easy but steep walk.

Its bizarre shape, which resembles the prow of a large ship, made it a sacred place of meditation for the Celts, a centre of spirituality for hermit monks and a destination for climbers from all over Europe. Even Dante evoked it as the mountain of Purgatory in the Divine Comedy.

The starting point is Castelnovo ne’ Monti, a village 40 km from Reggio Emilia. From Piazzale Dante Alighieri, take the Cai Path 697, which runs among downy oaks, hornbeams and junipers.

Along the way there is a Benedictine hermitage dating from 1617. In the cemetery there is a 300-year-old maple tree: its roots go down into the rooms below the sanctuary.

When you are almost at the top, you need to be careful because the last 10 metres are steps and can be wet at this time of year. There are ropes to secure yourself, but walking boots are necessary.

BISMANTOVA STONE NATURE TRAIL

Bologna is full of greenery and there are many places to walk in and around the city, but the classic walk for the people of Bologna is San Luca, a route that evokes emotions all year round.

You start from the Meloncello Arch and immediately take the famous portico Unesco World Heritage site, which winds its way up to the Sanctuary.

As you climb the steps to San Luca, you will meet the whole world: runners, families with children in prams, young people, ladies of a certain age, people chatting and people praying the rosary.

You run through a series of 350 arches for about 2.2 km. Every twenty arches there is one of the 15 Chapels of the Mysteries of the Rosary and the different coats of arms of the families and confraternities that took part in the construction.

After a 30-minute climb, you reach the top of the hill (280 metres) where the Sanctuary stands: the view of Bologna is well worth the effort.

THE PATHS TO SAN LUCA

The Argine degli Angeli is a magical walk: you will find yourself walking step by step, as if floating, along a white road, surrounded on all sides by the waters of the Comacchio valleys and the blue sky.

It is one of those landscapes that can only be found in the Po Delta, the magnificent protected park inhabited by pink flamingos, where the Po divides into a thousand streams before flowing into the sea.

The Argine degli Angeli (Angels’ Embankment) lies to the south of the Comacchio valleys: 5.4 km of flat terrain to be covered on foot or by bicycle (motorised vehicles are not allowed).

The silence is absolute. It takes about an hour and a half on foot and 30 minutes by bike. The route goes from the fishing station of Bellocchio to Volta Scirocco. The area is a rare oasis of biodiversity, populated by numerous birds.

About 20 minutes away is Comacchio, the city of water and canals, known as “Little Venice”, with its romantic Trepponti.

A TOUR ON THE ARGINE DEGLI ANGELI

The “palate”, as the piers of the ports are called in the Romagnolo dialect, are always a great attraction. In Porto Corsini, a coastal town near Ravenna, there is one that seems to go on forever.

It is the Northern Pier, a breakwater to protect against storm surges, a strip of dry land that extends into the Adriatic Sea for a good 2.25 kilometres.

The promenade, protected by solid rocks, is a daily habit for the locals. It is a relaxing walk, accompanied by the sound of the water and the seagulls, passing fishing huts, busy fishermen and sportsmen in training.

It takes about 25 minutes to walk to the end, where the lighthouse is located.

THE BREAKWATER OF PORT CORSINI

A walk in Rimini to the places dear to Federico Fellini’s heart can be a choice that combines a little exercise to get rid of the holiday lunch with art and culture.

In Rimini, everything speaks of the great director and there are so many places to visit: the starting point is the beautiful Parco XXV Aprile, with a view of the white Roman Tiberius Bridge.

After crossing the bridge, the first stop is Borgo San Giuliano, with its small houses decorated with Fellini murals, one of the favourite corners of the Maestro and Giulietta Masina.

Crossing the Ponte della Resistenza we reach the Palata (20 minutes), where the young protagonists of Amarcord used to hang out. Turning back, we reach the legendary Grand Hotel, where the director stayed when he was in Rimini.

From Piazzale Fellini we head towards the city centre, where we breathe in the dreamy atmosphere of the Fellini Museum, a diffuse museum made up of several places: the Fulgor Cinema in Corso d’Augusto and Castel Sismondo.

DISCOVER FELLINI'S RIMINI