Bassa Centrico Festival
Four days of events spread between Palazzo Bentivoglio and the Teatro Sociale
About Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri
A spread-out festival between the Po and the Gonzaga lands
The Bassa Centrico Festival was born in 2026 as a large spread-out review designed to unite and tell the story of the eight municipalities of the Unione Bassa Reggiana — Luzzara, Guastalla, Gualtieri, Boretto, Brescello, Poviglio, Novellara, and Reggiolo — into a single open-air stage. Promoted by local administrations together with IAT Bassa Reggiana, the festival enhances the so-called Lands of the Po and the Gonzaga through guided tours, exhibitions, river navigation, theater, excursions, and food and wine.
Gualtieri and its monumental square
In the Municipality of Gualtieri, in the province of Reggio Emilia, the festival revolves around one of the most scenic squares in the Po Valley: Piazza Bentivoglio, a large arcaded quadrilateral dominated by the 17th-century Palazzo Bentivoglio. It is here that a large part of the Gualtieri program is concentrated, featuring art, theater, and village entertainment. During the review, the Palace opens its collections with guided tours of the noble floor, the Antonio Ligabue House Museum, and the Tirelli-Trappetti Donation.
Antonio Ligabue, the painter of the Bassa
Gualtieri is inextricably linked to the figure of Antonio Ligabue, the great naive painter who lived and painted along the Po riverbanks. The festival allows you to discover his places with visits to the House Museum dedicated to him and to Casa Bruno Rovesti, while the bar theater hosts the photographic exhibition "La voce dell'afasia", part of the Off circuit of Fotografia Europea 026.
Teatro Sociale and Terreni Fertili
The heart of the scenic offering is the Teatro Sociale di Gualtieri, which hosts its Terreni Fertili Festival, the national festival dedicated to contemporary stage writing and the promotion of emerging artists. The shows at the Teatro Sociale animate both the opening on May 30th and the grand finale on June 2nd, confirming Gualtieri as one of the most vibrant cultural centers in the Bassa Reggiana.
Who is it for
It is an event suitable for families, art and photography enthusiasts, walkers and cyclists, and anyone who wants to discover an authentic corner of Emilia-Romagna away from the beaten paths. Many experiences require booking: a way to experience the territory at the right pace, the slow rhythms of the great river and its floodplains.
Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri — edition 2026
The first edition of the Bassa Centrico Festival (May 30 - June 2, 2026) inaugurated a spread-out review among the eight municipalities of the Bassa Reggiana. In Gualtieri, in the province of Reggio Emilia, the festival was centered in the monumental Piazza Bentivoglio: guided tours of Palazzo Bentivoglio, the Antonio Ligabue House Museum, and the Tirelli-Trappetti Donation, the shows of the National Festival "Terreni Fertili" at the Teatro Sociale, the photographic exhibition "La voce dell'afasia" within the circuit of Fotografia Europea 026, the entertainment for families "Ragazzi in piazza", and canoe excursions to Isola degli Internati. Four days of art, theater, and nature along the Po River.
Programme Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri 2026
Saturday, May 30 - Gualtieri
- 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM & 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM — Palazzo Bentivoglio: guided tours of the noble floor, the Antonio Ligabue House Museum, and the Tirelli-Trappetti Donation (€8 full / €5 reduced)
- Morning and afternoon — Canoe excursion to Isola degli Internati with lunch on site, by reservation (tel. 338 7629199)
- 4:00 PM — "Ragazzi in piazza" in Piazza Bentivoglio: entertainment, theater shows, and games for children and families, organized by Pro Loco Gualtieri
- 9:00 PM — Teatro Sociale: opening of the National Festival "Terreni Fertili", dedicated to contemporary stage and emerging artists (paid entrance)
Throughout the festival
- Visits by reservation to the Antonio Ligabue House Museum (tel. 333 6546098) and Casa Bruno Rovesti
- Photographic exhibition "La voce dell'afasia" at the bar theater, in the Off circuit of Fotografia Europea 026
Monday, June 1
- 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM — Walk "Telling the story of Bassa Reggiana"
Tuesday, June 2 - Grand Finale
- 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM — Grand Bike Tour: departure from Reggio Emilia, visit to Palazzo Bentivoglio in Gualtieri, boarding the motor ship Padus for navigation on the Po to Guastalla (reservation: [email protected])
- 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM & 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM — Antonio Ligabue House Museum, by reservation (tel. 333 6546098)
- 9:00 PM — Teatro Sociale: closing show of the National Festival "Terreni Fertili" (paid entrance — info 329 1356183)
Highlights Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri 2026
Prices Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri 2026
Practical information — Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri
How to get there
Gualtieri is located in the Bassa Reggiana, on the right bank of the Po River. By car, it can be reached from the Reggio Emilia (A1) highway exit, continuing north along the SS63/SP358. The nearest train station is Guastalla, on the Parma-Suzzara line, a few kilometers away.
Visits and tickets
Palazzo Bentivoglio can be visited with guided tours at an indicative cost of €8 (full price) and €5 (reduced price), which include the noble floor, the Antonio Ligabue House Museum, and the Tirelli-Trappetti Donation. The Teatro Sociale show as part of Terreni Fertili has a paid entrance. Many activities (canoeing at Isola degli Internati, visits to Casa Bruno Rovesti) require booking.
Information and reservations
IAT Bassa Reggiana — tel. +39 0522 839763, e-mail [email protected]. Teatro Sociale di Gualtieri — tel. +39 329 1356183, [email protected]. Full program, times, and reservations on the website www.terredipoedeigonzaga.it.
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Where does it take place — Bassa Centrico in Gualtieri
Palazzo Bentivoglio e Teatro Sociale
Piazza Bentivoglio 26, 42044 Gualtieri