Zocca: Chestnut Culture, Trails and Historic Sites

Between Churches, Museums and Historic Sites

The Museo del Castagno e del Borlengo was established on the ground floor of the former Ospitale di San Giacomo di Zocca. Three rooms present the history of the chestnut and the mountain culture associated with it through tools and old customs. The Museo-Laboratorio del Borlengo contains an exhibition area with old Borlengo pans and objects from farming culture; a workshop also demonstrates how Borlengo is prepared.

Distinctive historic sites can also be found outside the town center. Montecorone has a particularly beautiful medieval layout, with stone buildings, sandstone portals and pointed-arch windows. It is also home to the 17th-century Oratorio di San Rocco. Montetortore is a historic settlement with impressive ruins of a 12th-century castle between the provinces of Modena and Bologna.

Rosola is a well-preserved village clustered around a 13th-century tower, a remnant of the former castle. The former castle complex has been converted into a public park. The Santuario della Verucchia dates back to the 15th century; it contains a panel depicting the Madonna and Child.

Trails, Views and Chestnut Landscapes

The Parco Regionale dei Sassi di Rocca Malatina covers 2,300 hectares between Guiglia, Marano sul Panaro and Zocca. The Itinerario 400/2 runs through the area as a circular route. It offers sweeping views of the Apennine ridge and passes through a dense chestnut forest on its northern side. The museum's outdoor tour also leads through chestnut groves on Monte San Giacomo. Thirteen stations with information panels focus on chestnut cultivation, woodland maintenance and the development phases of the orchard.

For active days, Zocca offers a dense network of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The trails pass through villages, by castle ruins and noteworthy churches. The Percorso 370 forms a circular route from Zocca via Zocchetta, Montombraro, Ponte Bignami, Santa Croce, San Giacomo and Via Mavore and back to Zocca. Another hiking trail, approximately 48 kilometers long, leads from Casona di Marano to Monte Belvedere in Montese at an elevation of 1,140 meters.

A separate short orientation route leads to the Sasso: an unpaved road approaches the Sasso, from where an easy footpath reaches the summit in about five minutes. The different types of routes therefore range from a short ascent to a long hiking trail.

Chestnuts and Regional Specialties

In Zocca, the chestnut shapes not only the landscape and museum activities but also the events calendar. The Sagra della Castagna di Zocca is an event held on Sundays in October. The Museo del Castagno also offers the Laboratorio della Crescentina e della Tigella on July 5, 2026, and September 27, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors learn to prepare Crescentine, make a Tigella using the traditional earthen form and sample the prepared products.

Choose Accommodation According to Your Travel Plans

When selecting a hotel or other accommodation in Zocca, you can base your choice on the focus you want for your trip: churches, museums, villages and historic sites are suited to a culture-oriented stay, while the trail network, circular routes, viewpoint and chestnut landscape offer different highlights. Zocca is both the starting point and destination of the Percorso 370 and the location of the viewpoint in the center.

More Destinations

If you are planning your trip beyond Zocca, you can also consider Monteombraro, Ponte Gombola, Castelnuovo Rangone, San Donnino, Medolla, Ravarino, Serramazzoni and Pievepelago.

For the higher-level travel overview: Modena.