There are plenty of options for spending the Ferragosto weekend (an Italian Holiday) in Piacenza and the surrounding province, combining art and nature.
Things to do in Piacenza over the Ferragosto weekend
In the city, the Civic Museums at Palazzo Farnese are open on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August from 10 am to 6 pm. For information and bookings: +39 0523 492659 – 2658 – info.farnese@comune.piacenza.it.
To celebrate Ferragosto, Kronos – the Cathedral Museum is offering a special tour of the domes painted by Guercino and Pordenone, starting at 4 pm, by booking only.
The Alberoni Gallery will also be open for a special guided tour at 4 pm. The tour will include the Collegio Alberoni with its monumental library, the Cardinal’s Apartment featuring Antonello da Messina’s *Ecce Homo* and the most valuable paintings in the Alberoni collection, the scientific section and the Tapestry Room. Admission, which does not require booking and is subject to availability, costs €8.
From festivals to castles: a Ferragosto in the Piacenza hills
Agazzano Castle is open to visitors, and in the evening you can dine and dance at the “Vico in festa” festival in Vicobarone.
Bobbio, in Val Trebbia, has various museums open to visitors over the Ferragosto weekend. The Rocca Malaspina del Verme in Bobbio, the Town Museum, the Abbey Museum and the Mazzolini Collection offer a comprehensive overview of Bobbio’s cultural heritage.
Additionally, the shops are open until late in the evening on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August, with live music in the squares and a fireworks display at Ponte Gobbo (11.30 pm).
Also in the Trebbia Valley, Rivalta Castle is certainly worth a visit.
In the village of Travo, you can visit the Neolithic Village, followed by dinner at the Ferragosto festival. On Sunday evening, the hamlet of Scarniago hosts a concert as part of the ‘Piccoli borghi in musica’ festival.
Furthermore, the Val Nure comes alive on the evenings of 15 and 16 August with festivals in various villages throughout the valley. There are also some beautiful castles to visit: the village and Castle of Grazzano Visconti, the Castle of San Pietro in Cerro and the Castle of Gropparello.
Finally, the Val d’Arda is home to the Visconti Fortress at Castell’Arquato and the keep and village of Vigoleno, two medieval gems. In the village of Veleia, you can visit the Veleia Romana archaeological site (Friday to Sunday and public holidays: 11.00–18.30).
In Vernasca, in the upper Val d’Arda, enjoy a sparkling Ferragosto with the Vernasca Bierfest on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August.