An important town located in the Emilian Apennines, at South-East of Bologna, along the road of Futa, Pianoro is located in an area where Celts, Etruscans and Romans built their settlements. In the XI century Boniface of Canossa chose the Castle of Pianoro as his personal residence, destroyed by the troops of Bologna in 1377 to punish the inhabitants of an alleged conspiracy against them. From the XII century onwards the town followed the same fortunes and historical fate of the provincial main centre and several centuries later, during the Second World War, the region was heavily bombed and the scene of a fierce battle between Anglo-American and German forces.

Sites of Interest:
- the Church of San Giacomo Maggiore, located in Pianoro Vecchia, which was restored in the XVIII century, in which houses some remarkable paintings attributed to the French school. It is connected to an ancient "hospital" for pilgrims, whose presence has been documented since the XII century;
- the remains of the Abbey of Saint Benedict (XII-XIII century), in Cistercian style, with elements in early Romanesque and Gothic styles;
- the Abbey of San Bartolomeo, built in early Romanesque and restored in the XX century. Inside it preserves a precious vase in Greek marble dating from the Augustan Ages;
- the Tower of Lupari, a fortress built in Romanesque style, to whose construction also the Masters of Crafts of Como attended. The Bell Tower is equipped with a spiral staircase enclosed in an adjacent tower that allows access to it. The tower and the nearby buildings, feature a double porch and enclose a courtyard on three sides;
- the Mount delle Formiche ( of the Ants), called so because in early September, swarms of flying ants reach the church and die here. The Sanctuary of Monte delle Formiche, also known as Santa Maria di Zena has medieval origins;
- the Castle of Zena, built on the slopes of Mount delle Formiche, has medieval origins and has been enriched with architectural elements of the XIV and XVII centuries.