The Romantic Night in the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy

A Night of Love in the Village of Painted Walls

Every year, around the summer solstice, the Association I Borghi più belli d'Italia (The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy) promotes the Romantic Night, an evening where over two hundred villages across the peninsula are adorned with an intimate and dreamy atmosphere. Among these is Dozza, a small medieval gem in the province of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna, which on June 20, 2026, participates in the initiative with a program designed for couples, lovers, and visitors seeking magic.

Dozza, A Postcard-Perfect Village

Perched on a hill overlooking the Sellustra valley, Dozza is famous throughout Italy for the Biennale del Muro Dipinto (Painted Wall Biennial): since 1960, over two hundred artists have left their mark on the facades of houses, transforming the village into an open-air art gallery, freely accessible at any time. Walking among these murals as evening falls, hand in hand, is already a romantic experience in itself, and during the Romantic Night, the village is enhanced with themed animations and surprises scattered along the alleys.

"Two Hearts and a... Fortress!"

The heart of the Dozza evening is the "Due cuori e una…rocca!" initiative, hosted at the Rocca Sforzesca from 6 PM to 9 PM. After visiting the fortress overlooking the village, lovers can leave a message of love in exchange for a glass of wine offered by the Fondazione Dozza Città d'Arte (Dozza City of Art Foundation). The fortress is not chosen by chance: its ancient cellars house the Enoteca Regionale dell'Emilia-Romagna (Emilia-Romagna Regional Wine Cellar), custodian of the regional wine heritage, while the upper floors host the Study and Documentation Center of the Painted Wall and the Mascellani collection.

Selfie Point, Music, and Atmosphere

For the occasion, the municipal administration sets up a selfie point with a large decorative heart near one of the benches at the entrance to the fortress, ideal for capturing the evening. Guitar notes and informal musical moments also spread through the village streets, as visitors stroll, sipping a glass of local wine among the painted walls. The result is an intimate and cozy setting, far from the crowds of major events, perfect for rediscovering the slowness and charm of a small historic village.

A National Event, A Unique Setting

The Romantic Night is a widespread event that ideally unites all the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy on the same evening, but each town interprets it in its own way. In Dozza, the combination of mural art and wine tradition makes the initiative particularly consistent with the place's identity: wine, the protagonist of the Regional Wine Cellar, becomes the common thread of a night dedicated to love and beauty. A perfect opportunity to discover or rediscover one of the most charming villages in the Municipality of Dozza and the Emilia-Romagna region.