Marzabotto and Monte Sole
An Etruscan town with a grid of streets in the Reno valley and, on the hills above, the Monte Sole memorial park.
The story
In the 6th century BC the Etruscans founded Kainua here, a planned city with streets at right angles, temples and workshops: it is one of the few Etruscan cities whose layout can still be read. On the hills of Monte Sole, between 29 September and 5 October 1944, the SS killed about 770 civilians, most of them women, children and elderly people: one of the worst massacres of civilians in Western Europe during the war. Today the historic park preserves the ruins of the hamlets and churches.
Why go
Two stories two and a half thousand years apart in the same valley, forty minutes from Bologna, with trails through woods and ruined villages.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Marzabotto station, 2.6 km away. Alternatively: Pian di Venola station, 2.8 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Bologna Airport (BLQ), about 25 km away.
- Parking. The nearest public car park is 1.1 km away, free.
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from May to June and from September to October, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. From July to August it is hot: average highs exceed 30 °C. In January night-time temperatures drop below freezing on average. The wettest month is May (about 83 mm), the driest July.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from -1 to 8 °C | 8° -1° | 33 |
| Feb | from 1 to 10 °C | 10° 1° | 60 |
| Mar | from 2 to 13 °C | 13° 2° | 43 |
| Apr | from 6 to 17 °C | 17° 6° | 41 |
| May | from 11 to 22 °C | 22° 11° | 83 |
| Jun | from 16 to 28 °C | 28° 16° | 40 |
| Jul | from 19 to 33 °C | 33° 19° | 26 |
| Aug | from 19 to 32 °C | 32° 19° | 40 |
| Sep | from 14 to 25 °C | 25° 14° | 52 |
| Oct | from 10 to 20 °C | 20° 10° | 66 |
| Nov | from 4 to 13 °C | 13° 4° | 72 |
| Dec | from 1 to 9 °C | 9° 1° | 43 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 454 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.
Nearby
- ★ Rocchetta MatteiHistory and art · 17 km as the crow flies
- San Luca PorticoHistory and art · 19 km as the crow flies
- BolognaTown · 22 km as the crow flies
- DozzaTown · 33 km as the crow flies
- Maranello and the Enzo Ferrari MuseumHistory and art · 37 km as the crow flies
- ★ Salse di NiranoNature · 38 km as the crow flies
← See it on the map with all 27 placesGuide to Emilia-Romagna