Panzano – Castle, Automotive History and Cycle Paths
Accommodation in Panzano
Castle history between courtyards and mills
Panzano combines a striking castle complex with historical traces of regional agriculture and a network of cycling and walking paths. The town’s history focuses on Panzano Castle, the Righini Collection and the Malvasia Mill. As a result, architecture, Italian automotive history and a rural setting come together in Panzano.
File:Diversivo Gaggio-Panzano - Castelfranco Emilia, Modena, Italia - 2 Febbraio 2026 02.jpg
Photo: Giorgio Galeotti via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In the 16th century, the influential Malvasia family from Bologna had Panzano Castle rebuilt in place of older medieval settlement structures. The complex was created as a holiday residence and agricultural estate, preserving the connection between prestigious living and agricultural use that shaped its origins.
Panzano Castle is a complex of four adjacent courtyards. The manor house courtyard includes two towers and a portico. The Zena Canal is also part of the complex’s history: it played a major role in shaping the core of Panzano’s villa-and-castle complex. Together with the Malvasia Mill, which is one of the oldest mills in the area, it creates a multifaceted picture of the town’s historical structure. The Della Pieve Mill also belongs to the same group of the oldest mills.
Automotive history in the Righini Collection
Panzano Castle is home to the Righini Collection. It comprises around 350 exhibits and thus represents a distinct focus within the historic castle complex. Here, you can experience a connection between local history and Italian automotive culture, without reducing Panzano to just one era or a single area of interest.
The Righini Collection displays historic automobiles by Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Isotta Fraschini, Rolls-Royce and Alfa Romeo. This spans several renowned brands from the Italian and European automotive industries. Individual vehicles also give the collection a personal and contemporary-historical dimension.
The collection includes the 1940 Auto Avio Costruzioni 815, regarded as the first vehicle built by Enzo Ferrari. Also represented is an Alfa Romeo 2300 8C, previously owned by Tazio Nuvolari. In a castle once belonging to the Malvasia family, the Righini Collection preserves the history of the Italian automotive industry.
Cycling and walking paths between Modena and Castelfranco Emilia
The regional path network provides another point of reference when planning active days. The completed combined cycling and walking path between Modena and Castelfranco Emilia is 6.7 kilometres long in total. Considering cycling and cultural experiences separately helps you set realistic priorities for your trip.
The cycle path connected to Panzano is designated as Section 6 of the Ciclovia del Sole. The cycle path is also connected to the Panaro nature trail. The combined cycling and walking path is linked to the Via Romea Strada Longobarda Nonantolana. Another completed combined cycling and walking path connects with the cycle path to Panzano and continues to the municipal centre of Castelfranco Emilia.
When choosing your hotel in Panzano, you can use these different aspects of the town as a guide: castle history and historic architecture stand alongside the Righini Collection and its automobiles, while the designated and connected paths showcase the region’s opportunities for active travel. This allows you to tailor your stay to the interests that bring you to Panzano – culture, technological history, rural character or a combination of these.
Further destinations: Mirandola, Modena, Zocca, Montefiorino, Castelnuovo Rangone, Romanoro, Casoni, Solignano Nuovo
Back to the main travel overview: Modena.
