Villa Loris is a peaceful place, although just off the main road which cross the village of Rocca Malatina: a quiet aggregation of houses risen aside the “Sassi”, gorgeous arenaceous cliffs standing out the mild hilly landscape. The isolated proud presence of those peaks witnesses their resistance to erosion and marks on the territory the starting point of your possible daily excursions: the sober Pieve di Trebbio, the castles of Guiglia, Vignola, Monteveglio, Serravalle, Bazzano or Levizzano. Other charming medieval villages are spread on the hills around witnessing how rich is this area in history, nature and culture. In one hour by car you can reach Bologna, which offers the widest medieval centre of Europe and an incredible number of tourist attractions. In maybe less time, you can reach also Modena, famous all over the world for the excellent cuisine and the gastronomic traditions (actually it competes for primacy with Bologna). Another important place to visit is Sassuolo, renowned for its monumental Palazzo Ducale, built for Francesco I d’Este by the design of Bartolomeo Avanzini in early 17th Century. Don’t forget a visit to the “Salse di Nirano”, a geological phenomenon of international relevance: a series of mud volcanoes contrast the mild landscape offering an Icelandic-like vision. On the route, as integrative goal, we can suggest visiting the Ferrari Factory Museum, in Maranello, a "place of worship" for the international fans of that brand! If you come during spring don’t forget to cross the Panaro Valley, where thousands of bloomed cherry trees prepare themselves for the picking with spectacular white flowers: down in the valley of Vignola, famous are the “vignole” particularly tasty cherries. If you come during fall, you may appreciate the “duroni”, a particular variety of sweet chestnuts and complete your experience about chestnuts visiting a chestnut wood with secular trees in competition with the Californian sequoias regarding the diameters of their trunks. Up on the Apennine one can go trekking on Monte Cimone or even biking as there are many opportunities of playing alternative sports immersed into the nature: see the Cimone Bikepark, the Campanino Golf Club (about 20 Km from Villa Loris) or the Modena Golf Country Club at Formigine.
You can find here a small tourist guide thought expressly for our visitors of Villa Loris and some useful links of third parts.____________________________________