STRONGHOLDS AND CASTLES AROUND PIACENZA HILLS

More than 300 fortified buildings including towers, houses, strongholds and boroughs can be found around Piacenza hills. The majority of these are private property, others are open to the public for guided tours, offering rooms for the night and delicious buffets.
These places have been restored to maintain their beauty as years go by.
This trip around the castles in Piacenza province can be done by car or by bus, on a single day, starting from Rocca d’Olgisio continuing in Val Tidone, on the boundary that separates Emila-Romagna with Lombardy. 
This stronghold is nestled on a cliff that overlooks Tidone and Chiarone rivers, it is one of the most ancient and suggestive fortifications around Piacenza, with 6 circles of walls. Founded around 1000 AD, it has an irregular plan with the entrance on its northbound side, facing a suggestive road.
The park of the castle offers a wonderful view of the surrounding area; part of the building has become a hotel.
Driving for almost 20 km and reach the medieval borough of Rivalta: the castle, documented from 1048, since the 15th century is owned by the Landi family, who still manages the building. A sumptuous noble residence, surrounded by a glorious park, this mansion is characterised by the unmistakable profile of the “torresino” (a tower). The main hall, the dining room, the kitchen, the cellars, the dungeons and the bedrooms are open to guided tours. The borough also offers typical restaurants, shops, a wine shop and a hotel to spend the night.
Only few kilometres away from Rivalta there is Agazzano Castle, which dates back to the 14th century: its court is magnificent, with a portico dating back to the 15th century. The castle is a balanced mix of the typical austerity of fortified buildings and the elegance of noble palaces in the Renaissance period. Rivalta Castle was adapted at the end of the 18th century as family house, furnished with elegant paintings and precious frescoes and furniture. The garden is a charming example of the French style. Few metres away from the castle, in Agazzano village, it is possible to find restaurants and typical eating places.