Driving through the hills of Romagna, south of Faenza, you notice a long, pale ridge cutting across the valleys like a wall. This is the Vena del Gesso Romagnola, a band of gypsum rock about twenty-five kilometres long, and Monte Mauro is its highest point, rising above the villages of Riolo Terme, Brisighella and Fognano. The ridge is now a regional park and part of the UNESCO site for the evaporitic karst of the northern Apennines.
The gypsum makes for an unusual landscape: cliffs that shine in the sun, sinkholes and caves, and patches of rare plants that love the alkaline soil. The Tanaccia cave near Brisighella and the Re Tiberio cave on the Senio river have long histories of human use, from prehistoric times on. On the summit of Monte Mauro stand the ruins of a medieval castle and a small church, and the views stretch across the hills toward the Adriatic.
Brisighella is the jewel of this area. A medieval village with three hills, each topped by a landmark: the fortress, the clock tower and the sanctuary of Monticino. Its Via degli Asini, the street of the donkeys, is an elevated covered lane where carters once stabled their animals. Riolo Terme has thermal baths, and the whole area is known for olive oil, especially the Brisighella oil, one of the most prized in Italy.
The riding is excellent. The roads that climb from the plain along the valleys of the Lamone, Senio and Santerno, and cross between them over the hills, are twisty and scenic, with good surfaces and moderate traffic. The road from Brisighella toward Marradi and the Tuscan border is a fine ride, as are the routes toward Casola Valsenio and Palazzuolo sul Senio. Imola's Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari is not far, and this part of Romagna is passionate about motorcycles and motor racing.
Castel Bolognese, about twelve kilometres away, is the nearest larger town, but Brisighella and Riolo Terme have fuel and plenty of trattorias. Romagna's food is hearty: piadina flatbread, cappelletti, and the local Sangiovese wine. Autumn brings truffle and chestnut festivals in the hill villages.