Castel del Rio
Castel del Rio is a mountain-type village along the Santerno Valley. On the high slopes, centuries-old forests and chestnut groves are found.
The village bears traces of the rule of the Alidosi family, who left as evidence of their power over the area the Alidosi Palace, now the municipal headquarters and the Museum of the War and the Gothic Line, and the Alidosi Bridge.
The excellence of Castel del Rio
Local products made with the Castel del Rio chestnut
The local product par excellence is the Marrone di Castel del Rio, a fruit of the highest quality that has characterized this area and the entire upper Santerno Valley. It differs significantly from the more common chestnuts in size and in its sweeter, more fragrant taste. Easy to store, they are an absolutely organic gastronomic delicacy, a gift of the sun and the earth, produced with the utmost respect for the environment. The chestnut can be consumed cooked in special pans directly over the fire (brusé) or boiled in water (ballotte); with the puree of boiled chestnuts, typical desserts and “Capaltéz“, a traditional local first course, are prepared; with the flour obtained from dried chestnuts, “Castagnaccio“, “Sweet Polenta“, the dough for tagliolini, doughnuts, fritters, and other typical desserts are made. Rhum Chestnuts, Chestnut Marmalade and “Maroncello” liqueur are some of the products derived from the processing of Castel del Rio Chestnuts.
