Agriturismo Pradone

We stayed for only one night at the Agriturismo Pradone but I wish we stayed more. The location is quiet and away from noise and congested roads but at the same time not very far from Bologna. The rooms are well lit and spacious, clean and they've got everything you need. The style is rural and perfectly in harmony with the surrounding environment. Special mention need the beautifully renovated breakfast room, where we had a rich breaksast and tasted a nice marmelade and some fresh fruit kindly prepared by the lady. Thank you for you kinf welcome, we'll come back again!

We stayed at the Agriturismo Pradone from 23 to 30 September 2012 and had a wonderful time. The property is approximately 40 minutes easy drive from Bologna Airport. You will find a car useful when staying here as the nearest rail station is around 6km down the road although I gather there is a bus service from the nearby village. Don't be put off about the tales of mad Italian drivers as whilst they may exist, I have yet to encounter one and after driving in Cyprus, Italy is a doddle! Agriturismo Pradone was at one time a working farm and has been tastefully converted into small apartments and letting rooms. The apartment we had lacked for little. Nicely furnished in a mix of Ikea and local items, a mix that for a change worked very well indeed and we even had a washing machine! The breakfasts were good and plentiful and typically Italian rather than ''continental'' in that there was lots of cakes and sweet things to choose from along with the more familiar ham and cheese. Both the owner and the staff we saw were kind and helpful and you honestly got the impression that they were happy to have you as guests. The nearest railway station is about 6kms away in Castelfranco Emilia here you can get a train to almost anywhere in Italy, We used TrenItalia to get to Venice and Rimini as well as the short trip into Bologna. The fare to Venice and Rimini was about the same, an amazingly cheap 25 Euro and thats for a return ticket for a journey that takes a shade over 2 hours. The fare to Bologna was 3 Euros return which is half the price we were charged for parking the car in that fine city. Nearby car (or train) trips are Modena and Palma are easy and both towns are well worth a visit. This part of Italy is often overlooked in favour of its nieghbour Tuscany but both districts are worthy of a visit. Whilst there we thought it was the PC to do so we went to see Mussolini in Predappio, about and hour or so down the motorway. Facinating visit to say the least where the town seems to be geared up for this type of tourism. His birthplace is now a community centre and small museum which you can visit. Most of the buildings in the town were built in the 1930s including the Police Station who were not the least bit fazed when we asked for directions to the Mussolini family crypt. There is a shop selling everything Mussolini from keyrings to a life size bust of il Duce. The family crypt in housed in the local cemetary which is beautifully kept. Mussolini is still watched over by a blackshirted youth stationed in the crypt itself. Not to sure if Il Duce was pleased to see us or not but it certainly made for an interesting twist to a memorable holiday, a sort of Fasinating Fascism I suppose! Back to agriturismo Pradone. The ground floor apartment we had should not present any problems for the moderately disabled, having a flush floor shower and a higher than usual W.C. The dining/breakfast room could be easily negotiated by a standard wheelchair. There were no steps that I can recall in the downstairs part of the building and the garden is on level ground. A wheelchair user might find the gravel and grassed area a bit heavly going though. It was possible to drive our car right to the door had we wanted to do so. It was great to see an assortment of 'fancy' rabbits roaming freely it made a nice touch and would no doubt keep the kids amused for hours on end. Thanks once again Laura and staff for a wonderful stay. I have no doubt we will return! .