San Marino: Villa Smeraldi, Museum and Pomario

Villa Smeraldi offers a way to connect a stay in San Marino with specific cultural and landscape themes. The historic complex houses the Museo della Civiltà Contadina, as well as the Parco di Villa Smeraldi and the Pomario. The museum focuses on work and life in the Bologna plain, while the park and fruit-tree collection highlight the historic design of the landscape and the preservation of old varieties.

Museum and agricultural history

At Villa Smeraldi in San Marino di Bentivoglio, the Museo della Civiltà Contadina documents work and life in the Bologna plain up to the mid-20th century through artefacts and archival materials. Some sections cover the production cycles of hemp, wheat and milk. These topics give a specific focus to the broad view of everyday life and work: they trace the path from different agricultural products to the activities involved in producing them.

The museum offers educational and outreach activities for schools and the public. The school programmes currently on offer include “La casa contadina”, “Dal grano al pane” and “La canapa, il filo e la tela”. As some activities may be revised, it is advisable to check the current programme before making specific plans.

The museum's areas open to the public are accessible to people with disabilities. They have compliant ramps, as well as lifts or goods lifts. Check current accessibility before your visit.

Historic park and Pomario

The historic Parco di Villa Smeraldi covers just under four hectares. It lies between the Navile Canal and the abandoned course of the Savena River and was laid out in the style of English landscape parks in the second half of the 19th century. The period in which it was created and its park style offer a different perspective from the museum collection: here, the focus is on the design of a historic landscape.

At the Pomario, Villa Smeraldi preserves old fruit trees as a living reserve of biodiversity. The collection includes around 150 varieties of apples, pears, peaches, cherries, plums and apricots. Together, the park and Pomario show two different aspects of the site: the 19th-century landscape park and the preservation of a diverse collection of fruit varieties. Visitors particularly interested in old fruit varieties will find the Pomario a tangible way to explore biodiversity; the park complements this focus with its historic layout.

Getting there by bus or via the Ciclovia del Navile

TPER bus routes 446 and 447 connect Bologna with the San Marino Centro stop. The journey takes around 30 minutes; from the San Marino Centro bus station, the Museo della Civiltà Contadina is about a five-minute walk away. As timetables and journey times may change, check the connection before setting off.

The Ciclovia del Navile also offers a described route: at Via di Saliceto, a route branches off via the side road Canali e Crociali to San Marino di Bentivoglio and the museum. This provides different reference points for planning: a bus connection from Bologna, with approximate travel and walking times provided, and a cycle route via the named roads. No specific journey time for the cycle route is available here.

Events and dates

The Festa della Semina – Open Day del Gusto Autunno is a recurring autumn event at Villa Smeraldi. It includes a traditional farmers' market selling and offering tastings of seasonal produce from local producers. Its food focus differs from the themes of the museum collection: here, the emphasis is on seasonal products and tasting them.

Recurring events in San Marino include San Marino in festa, with a white night on the first Saturday in September. The also-recurring Festa della mietitura e della trebbiatura takes place at the Museo della Civiltà Contadina at the end of June. Check the specific dates and programmes for the relevant year. Villa Smeraldi is also home to the historic dance floor Incanto Verde. The frescoed Salone delle Feste is used for conferences and concerts.

Discover more destinations: Rioveggio, Baragazza, Argelato, Camugnano, Marzabotto, Vergato, Sant'Agata Bolognese, Tossignano

For the main travel overview: Bologna.