[June 2026] Vigoleno, located in Italy‘s Emilia-Romagna region, is a truly tiny and charming village.
We visited there for a day trip one Sunday in June.
When we arrived at the car park, I could only see the castle’s outer walls and felt a bit bewildered, but once we passed through the castle gate, I found a row of old houses inside.
The village has a history dating back to around the 10th century, and you can enjoy a townscape that retains its medieval character.
As we walked past a church that looked steeped in history, a mass was in progress.
Despite the village’s small size, it is clearly inhabited, and the church continues to serve its religious function.
We stepped inside after the mass ended and discovered it was the Pieve di San Giorgio, built in the 12th century.
Although the structure is simple, old frescoes remain in places, giving it a lovely, authentic charm.
I later learned that the frescoes date back to the 15th century.
After that, we entered the castle itself.
From the ramparts, you can look out over the entire village and enjoy the surrounding scenery.
Looking down at the village, I was reminded of a similar view I had once seen in Monsaraz, a village in Portugal’s Alentejo region.
The colour palette is different, of course.
The place hasn’t been spoiled by modern over-tourism; the only tourists there were a group of local seniors and a few individual visitors.
However, it was an incredibly hot day, so we walked around looking for shady spots where the breeze could reach us.
For lunch, we visited a restaurant within the village called Taverna al Castello.
For the starter, we had fried mushrooms and assorted cured meats.
My main course was a duck dish served with apple sauce.
The meat came in thick, hearty chunks that were very satisfying to eat.
My husband had the Vitello Tonnato.
It didn’t look very appetizing—it had a rather unappealing, flat appearance—but he said it tasted good.
However, the house wine, served in a bowl, was strangely sweet—almost like sangria.
Not only did it not pair well with the meal, but unfortunately, it also gave me an upset stomach later on.
I would recommend choosing a different wine.
