The full address Via Bonzeti, 6 (La Stalla) Via Bonzeti, 8 (L'Antico Palazzo) Via Bonzeti, 36 (Casa Vigneto) Villa Bonicelli 42010 Toano Reggio Emilia GPS Latitude: 44.354409 Longitude 10.532396 Map View Larger Map

If you are flying to get here, the nearest airports are Bologna and Parma, which are both around 90 minutes' drive from the house. Bologna: Ryanair flies to Bologna from London Stansted, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin, Paris Beauvais, Dusseldorf Weeze and Barcelona El Prat, among others. Easyjet flies to Bologna from London Gatwick and Paris Charles de Gaulle. British Airways/Iberia flies to Bologna from London Heathrow, Valencia, Madrid and Bilbao. Parma: Ryanair flies to Parma from London Stansted. Other airports: For further flight options from many European and international...

The tiled and lit swimming pool is in a sheltered spot looking out over the lush green mountains, within easy reach of all three of our rental properties. There is a terrace on one side of the pool with sun loungers and a large parasol (available on a first come, first served basis). The pool is 3m x 9m and is 1.2m deep throughout - an ideal size and depth for all ages. Serious swimmers can get a few lengths in, children will love splashing around in it, and those who just need to cool off after a day in the Italian sun will feel instantly refreshed!

Walking in any direction is a rewarding experience in the Appennini mountains! Some lovely walks can be enjoyed straight from your doorstep – from a 10-minute stroll to a whole day (or even longer!) of trekking. Kids will love walking down to the river Dolo, just a few minutes away; there are a few areas by the river where you can sit and sunbathe, have a picnic or cool off – and plenty of rocks to climb over. The nearby Fonti di Quara are sulphur springs that were known as far back as Roman times. There are several marked walks that can be picked up from Villa Bonicelli itself; alternatively,...

Cooking courses are available in Modena and Bologna, but we propose something very similar that is a lot closer to home and offers much better value for money. We can arrange tailor-made cooking courses at local restaurant Al Ciocco in Farneta (10 min drive), with chef Gabriella, who speaks excellent English. A typical course might involve making two types of fresh pasta, two pasta sauces and a dessert (or two). You can then eat what you have made, and more, in the restaurant, and take home anything that’s left. In season, the course can include a trip to the local market in Farneta to buy some...

A good place to buy wine is Enoteca Il Cantinone in Cerredolo. They also hold wine tasting evenings – check out the website for more information. Le Strade del Vino e dei Sapori is the collective name for the routes throughout Italy that lead to and through leading food and wine production areas. All the routes across Emilia Romagna are detailed here. Those in Reggio Emilia can be found here and here. A wine producer that we have visited is Venturini Baldini, near Parma. It's a small organic producer based on a beautiful estate with woodland, open meadows and a lake. They also produce...

Emilia Romagna is a car and motorbike enthusiast’s dream come true. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati all have their factories and museums in the area, which is known as 'Motor Valley'. Find out more at the following websites: The Ferrari museum (and factory and racetrack) is in Maranello, just south of Modena. Tickets can be bought in advance on the website. There is also the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena. This museum focuses on Enzo Ferrari himself and the history of racing cars. Part of the museum complex is the house in which Enzo was born, but alongside it is a beautiful...

The Emilia Romagna region is full of wonderful medieval and Renaissance cities with beautiful cathedrals, ducal palaces and narrow, winding streets. You'll be spoilt for choice – the only problem is, you won't be able to see them all! Bologna (100km), the region's capital city, is a real delight, with its characteristic red-brick buildings and over 40km of covered porticos (useful in bad weather). It is also home to the oldest university in Europe, founded in 1088, earning it one of its nicknames, La Dotta (The Learned). Also known as La Grassa (The Fat), Bologna takes its food very seriously;...

A day at the seaside can be enjoyed at La Spezia or Lerici, about two hours away – and don't miss the Cinque Terre, five beautiful cliff-top villages dotted along the rugged Ligurian coastline that can only be reached by foot or by train. They're charming and surprisingly unspoilt, thanks to their UNESCO status. Alternatively, head to the Adriatic coast to one of the nine lidos of Ravenna or the legendary resort of Rimini, with its 15km of sandy beaches (2.5hrs approx).  

If you would like to spend a day playing golf in beautiful surroundings, there are several courses about an hour from Villa Bonicelli: San Valentino Golf Club Via Telarolo, 12 - 42014 Castellarano (RE) Tel (+39) 0522 371295 Matilde di Canossa Golf Club Casinazzo 1 - 42100 San Bartolomeo (RE) Tel (+39) 0522 371295 When I enquired they said that visitors had to be members of the Federazione Italiana Golf, or the equivalent in your country. The green fee is E45 on weekdays and E60 at weekends. Fattoria del Golf (9-hole pitch and putt) Monterampino, 6 - Canali (RE) Tel (+39) 0522 599342 Modena...