• HOME
  • BLOG | TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
    • NATURE AND LANDSCAPES
    • HIKING, OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE TRAVEL
    • CITIES, CULTURE AND ART
    • FOOD AND WINE
    • TRAVEL TIPS
  • DESTINATIONS
    • EUROPE
      • AUSTRIA
      • BELGIUM
      • FRANCE
      • GERMANY
      • GREAT BRITAIN
      • GREECE
      • ITALY
      • PORTUGAL
      • SPAIN
      • SWITZERLAND
    • ASIA
      • INDONESIA
      • JAPAN
      • MYANMAR
      • PAKISTAN
    • SOUTH AMERICA
      • ARGENTINA
      • BRAZIL
    • OCEANIA
      • NEW ZEALAND
    • AFRICA
      • GAMBIA
      • SOUTH AFRICA
  • LEARN ITALIAN FAST
  • ABOUT
    • WORK WITH ME
    • CONTACT
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Twitter

Wild About Travel

Travel Tales by a Travel Addict

  • HOME
  • BLOG | TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
    • NATURE AND LANDSCAPES
    • HIKING, OUTDOORS AND ACTIVE TRAVEL
    • CITIES, CULTURE AND ART
    • FOOD AND WINE
    • TRAVEL TIPS
  • DESTINATIONS
    • EUROPE
      • AUSTRIA
      • BELGIUM
      • FRANCE
      • GERMANY
      • GREAT BRITAIN
      • GREECE
      • ITALY
      • PORTUGAL
      • SPAIN
      • SWITZERLAND
    • ASIA
      • INDONESIA
      • JAPAN
      • MYANMAR
      • PAKISTAN
    • SOUTH AMERICA
      • ARGENTINA
      • BRAZIL
    • OCEANIA
      • NEW ZEALAND
    • AFRICA
      • GAMBIA
      • SOUTH AFRICA
  • LEARN ITALIAN FAST
  • ABOUT
    • WORK WITH ME
    • CONTACT
Home » Blog » Porretta Terme: Charming Town, Hot Springs, and a Scenic Train Journey

Porretta Terme: Charming Town, Hot Springs, and a Scenic Train Journey

//  by Simon//  8 Comments

Famous since the days of yore for its hot springs, Porretta Terme is a charming village amid the Apennines, on the edge between the Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany regions.

Porretta Terme Houses

Porretta Terme, hot springs and the legend of the sick ox

Albeit known and appreciated by the Romans, a medieval legend boosted the town’s fame for its healing thermal water. According to the tale, a suffering ox left free to roam around by his owner went to quench his thirst at one of the hot springs surrounding the village. Being healed when he came back, the word spread out about the healing powers of the hot springs, and since then the watering ox became the symbol of Porretta Terme’s coat of arms.

Porretta Terme View of Terme di Porretta

Today, not only Porretta Terme is a lovely and lesser-known thermal resort, but it is also an excellent starting point for outdoor activities in the surrounding hills, forests, and mountains.

Besides, this charming town is a perfect day trip from Bologna (it’s only one hour away), to which it is connected by the scenic railway ‘Porrettana‘. Dating back to 1864, the Porrettana was the first railroad crossing the Apennines and, at the time, it was an incredible engineering work. Today, it’s a minor train line, to say the least, but the lack of comfort is largely compensated by the rolling hills and the feeling on a journey to an area far from the crowds and the frenzy.

Porretana Scenic Railway

A little-known area of Italy, remote and charming

I love art and architecture, and there’s probably no place like Italy for that. However, I also have a thing for small towns and secluded sites. I felt fascinated by Craco Ghost Town in the Basilicata region, with its crumbling houses in a scenery reminding of apocalyptic scenes in a movie, and fell in love with Aurel, a tiny but beautiful hamlet in Provence.

Read also: 10 Reasons You Should Travel to Emilia-Romagna

During my 2-weeks trip in Emilia-Romagna, I traveled around the region to visit wonderful cities like Ravenna, Ferrara, Parma, Modena, and smaller towns like delightful Brisighella, or the pretty medieval Castell’Arquato.

I studied the map and gathered information on multiple sources in the quest for another unusual destination for a day trip from Bologna. Porretta Terme sounded ‘exotic‘ enough for me to decide and go for a visit.

Terme di Porretta Porretta Terme Alleys

I arrived from Bologna on a Saturday morning, without knowing it was market day and found the main street lined with pretty colored houses bursting with life.

Hard to tell for sure, but people seemed mostly locals, either from Porretta or neighboring towns. People strolling between the stalls, people sitting at one of the alfresco bars, and a laid-back, pleasant atmosphere. When I listened, I could hear a funny mix of accents from Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany. After all, it’s a territory in-between the two regions.

Market Porretta Terme

A quick stop at the local tourist office to ask information on short hikes to do nearby, a tour of the market and then a brief pause for lunch in a simple Trattoria. Here, as well, the menu proposed local food specialties from both regions, and although Tuscan cuisine is delicious, I decided to remain faithful to Emilia-Romagna eating a dish of traditional and tasty Tortelloni di Magro. This home-made pasta filled with ricotta and topped with hot melted butter, sage, and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano is a severe threat to the arteries’ health, but it’s so unbelievably good that resisting was not possible.

A lovely walk in the forest

The Forest in Porretta Terme Hiking in Porretta Terme

In the afternoon, I headed for one of the many hikes starting from Porretta Terme. I randomly followed a path which first goes through enchanting rural houses and then becomes a trail in the forest leading to a panoramic viewpoint on the surrounding hills. From there, it’s possible to either go back the same way or continue along the loop trail heading back to the town center. I never fail to have a more extended hike if I get the chance, so I went for the loop trail, enjoying the sounds of the woodland.

As I got back to Porretta Terme, the market was finished and the main street cleared.  The town was back to quiet, a charming, sleepy village where time flows by slowly.

Porretta Terme-7

On the train back to Bologna, right after the station of Pioppe di Salvaro, my eyes were caught by the sight of the Rhine river (not the one flowing from Switzerland to the North Sea, though, despite the homonymy) with its azure water and the white shore, scribbling it on my note as a reminder for the future.

During the journey, looking at the rolling hills embellished by the warm afternoon light, I remembered how this area was a strategic outpost during World War II, when Germany occupied Italy in 1943, leading to the massacre in the nearby town of Marzabotto, the worst slaughter of Italian civilians by the Nazis.

Porretta Terme Colored Houses

Thankfully the area promptly recovered, and today it is an oasis of peace and beauty where you can enjoy life at a slow pace and outdoor activities in a lovely scenery.

_______

Practical Information

How to get to Porretta Terme:

By Train: from Bologna, there is a train every hour and the journey lasts 1 hour 10 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. Check the Porrettana train schedule and prices

By Car: Porretta is about 63 km (39 miles) from Bologna, and the ride is about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Start Planning your Trip:

Find Accommodation Deals



Booking.com

Find Deals (up to 30%) on Italy Tours 


Note:

This post was brought to you as a result of the #Blogville campaign, created and managed by iambassador in partnership with Emilia Romagna Tourism.

Wild About Travel maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site.

Pin it if you like it!

 

Simon

Travel addict and passionate about photography, Simon Falvo started Wild About Travel back in 2009. Leveraging her strong PR background, she developed an extensive knowledge of Digital Communications and Social Media Marketing. Besides travel writing Simon holds workshops and trainings, she collaborated with tourism boards for digital marketing campaigns and participated as a speaker at several events.

Category: ITALYTag: charming towns, europe, unusual destinations

Previous Post: «Yangon, Dala Township From Yangon to Dala Township: A Photo Tour
Next Post: The Spectacular Restonica Valley in Photos Restonica Gorges»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Iain @ 100trains

    at

    Just a private “heads up” Simon (don’t publish). Two “t”s in “Porrettana”. HTH

    Reply
    • Simon

      at

      Awww… Thanks so much for pointing this out, Iain. The worst part of it is that I’m Italian and I misspelled the name of the railway. I’ll amend that right now.
      And it was very kind of you to think of this comment as private, but it’s a very good point and while I do my best to always provide accurate information, I might miss something and I’m grateful if someone notices and lets me know. It’s very useful to me and all readers.

      Reply
  2. Iain @ 100trains

    at

    Thanks Simon!

    Porretana railway is now happily on “the list”.

    The timing of your post is rather fortuitous for me. I’m currently in Sardinia. Next stop is Sicily – then mainland Italy 🙂

    Reply
    • Simon

      at

      I’m so glad you found out the article, Iain. Nothing makes me happier than helping people to discover off-the-beaten path places in Italy. I’ll follow along your journey in my country!

      Reply
  3. Corinne

    at

    Simon, Gorgeous shots as always, and I love the little snippet stories that you’ve told us. So interesting.

    Reply
    • Simon

      at

      Thank you, Corinne. It’s a lovely area that I was so glad to discover. Too much to see in Italy!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Discovering Piceno Through Wine and Food « Daily Nerdy says:
    at

    […] regions like the superb and wild Basilicata in Southern Italy, or unusual towns like the lovely Porretta Terme in […]

    Reply
  2. Discovering Piceno Through Wine and Food says:
    at

    […] regions like the superb and wild Basilicata in Southern Italy, or unusual towns like the lovely Porretta Terme in […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Time limit is exhausted. Please reload CAPTCHA.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

about me

simon-falvo

Hi, I’m Simon!

A solo and independent traveler for over 20 years, and a 50+ girl young at heart.

I worked for over a decade in Investment Banking, then a few years in one of the largest international PR groups. In 2009, after a burn-out, I left the corporate world and started a new adventure.

MORE

book your stay



Booking.com

book a tour / skip the lines

questions about italy?

Send me an e-mail

 

featured posts

Vie di Dante - Views from Dante's Train

Dante’s Train: A Beautiful Train Ride From Faenza To Florence

Ski resorts in Switzerland

Ski Holidays in Switzerland: How to Pick your Ideal Mountain Resort

Portovenere, View on the Gulf

Discover the Best Things to do in Portovenere, Italy

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • About Me
  • Work with Me
  • Cookie Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Mai Lifestyle Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.