Itinerary: Modena - Villa Sorra

Itinerary: Modena - Villa Sorra

The Villa Sorra Park covers approximately 30 hectares from Gaggio di Piano in the town of Castelfranco Emilia. It is made up of the villa, a historic garden with ornamental plants imported from all over the world, a poplar wood outside the park that gradually turns into a woodland plains, meadows and cultivated fields.

How to get there
By car: from A1 exit Modena Nord or Modena Sud follow the signs direction Bologna (SS.9), exit at the exit number 1, proceed straight for 4,5 km, after the locality Pnte Sant'Ambrogio turn left direction Gaggio in P. and after 2,2 km turn right and proceed straight for 2 km.

By bicycle: The itinerary (36,8 km one way, 90% asphalt path) begins from the parking area of palazzo dello Sport, Via Divisione Acqui.


Villa Sorra
Villa Sorra, set in the center of the complex, was built in the XVIII century. Today it houses, among other things, the Museum of Rural Culture. The current appearance of the garden is the result of various works and modifications on the original 1700's architecture performed at various times and, in particular, by the romantic restructuring implemented in the 1800's. The woods are mainly composed of English oak, hornbeam, maple, elm, poplar and ash trees while the underbrush includes cornelian cherry,  crabgrass, elderberry, wayfaring tree and hawthorn. Various amphibians, wetland turtles, checkered water snakes, kingfisher, moor hens live in the pools and canals surrounding the historic garden. Finally, the woods provide refuge for squirrels, hedgehogs, woodpeckers, finches and titmice.
The Villa is not accessible and can only be seen from the outside.