Vignola - Italy

The town of Vignola, in the province of Modena, is mostly famous for its cherries, and if you visit in spring all the hills are full of cherry blossom, and with cherries in June. When I was 16 I also picked cherries for a couple of weeks in one of the valleys near Vignola, hard work but what delicious fruits!

Anyway, this time I was there in winter, not a cherry in site so I had to console myself with the town's most famous cake: Torta Barozzi, a bittersweet soft chocolate cake, created in 1907 and named after Vignola's famous architect Jacopo Barozzi.

After breakfast in the famous Pasticceria Gollini it is time to visit Vignola Castle

Such amazing frescos....

... and a ghost???

The city is cute and tranquil, no tourists around, but there are some excellent restaurants, so much as many people from nearby cities and towns come here just to eat. Below just a few suggestions (but you better book first, especially for Trattoria Bolognese!)

Photos by Alessandra Zecchini ©