La Scola: Italian Village Where Time Has Stopped
Italy attracts many visitors all year round. Most of its cities and towns are a must see tourist destinations. However, there are places that are not as mainstream, but are fascinating nonetheless. Medieval village of La Scola is one of them.
From Bologna, northern Italy, take a little detour and in just about 40 miles, you’ll find yourself in a whimsical village of La Scola. Massive houses built centuries ago, seem to be frozen in time.
The Borgo La Scola is among the best preserved medieval villages of the Bolognese Apennines. The term Scola derives from the German or the Greek origin word Skult, which means watchtower, guard post or lookout. It was a military base, so it is no surprise, that there are so many towers in La Scola.
The village was formed later in XIII century. It was a time of expansion and economic development, when the population grew and started building. Great number of stonemasons worked to transform the old towers into homes.
There are many road signs in the village of that time. La Scola is nested on a gorge around its towers. The village looks like a movie set or a fairy tale. It feels like a knight riding a horse or a medieval princess will appear in the cobblestoned streets at any moment. The village is definitely worth visiting: it will exceed an expectations for sure.
Address: Via Vimignano Chiesa, 14, 40030 Vimignano-la Scola BO, Italy
Province: Province of Bologna
Official website.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- La Scola, Grizzana Morandi, Bologna, Italy
- Coordinates
- 44.2155136, 11.0725598
- Access
- Explore the village on foot; Sculca volunteers offer local information and accompanied walks from Via Vimignano 15, or arrange contact by email
- Opening hours
- Sculca visitor assistance: volunteers are present at the village-square office on weekends; contact the association for arrangements
- Location checked
- 2026-09-18
- Facts checked
- 2026-09-18
Location
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