The Romantic Night in the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy
The night dedicated to love in the village of Montechiarugolo, under the illuminated castle
About Romantic Night
A night of love among the most beautiful villages in Italy
The Romantic Night in the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy is the grand widespread festival promoted by the Association The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy which, around the summer solstice, transforms more than two hundred small centers on the peninsula into an open-air stage dedicated to love, slowness, and the beauty of authentic places. At sunset, the participating villages light up together with candles, torches, and soft lights, while squares and alleys fill with music, dancing, dinners under the stars, and fairytale atmospheres.
The Montechiarugolo Edition
Among the featured villages is Montechiarugolo, a small Municipality in the Province of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna, nestled on the left bank of the Enza river in a strategic position between Parma and Reggio Emilia. The heart of the evening is the charming Montechiarugolo Castle, a fifteenth-century fortress that dominates the village from its height: its walls, the medieval village, and the small cobblestone streets create a perfect setting for a romantic night.
The atmosphere is typical of the Romantic Night: the village is illuminated by warm lights, while local restaurateurs offer themed menus that conclude with the symbolic dessert of the event, the "Pensiero d'Amore", a creation designed each year specifically for the event by a great Italian chef or pastry chef and offered as a gift to love.
Castle, Music, and Candlelit Dinners
Over the years, the evening has been enriched with proposals related to the manor, with evening openings and candlelit guided tours and moments of live music, particularly piano concerts that accompany the discovery of the castle rooms. The main initiatives revolve around the castle and the town squares, in a journey that combines history, taste, and romance.
A National Tradition
Born in 2016, the Romantic Night has become one of the most beloved summer events in the circuit of Italian villages, with over a thousand initiatives spread throughout Italy on the same night. For Montechiarugolo, it is also an opportunity to enhance its historical heritage and its identity as a village, recognized as one of the most beautiful in Italy.
- Historic village and Montechiarugolo Castle illuminated for the evening
- Romantic dinners and themed menus in local restaurants
- The "Pensiero d'Amore" dessert created each year by a great chef
- Live music and candlelit atmospheres
Romantic Night — edition 2026
The 2026 Romantic Night of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, around the summer solstice, and involves over two hundred Italian villages that light up together at sunset. Montechiarugolo (Province of Parma) is among the participating villages in Emilia-Romagna.
As per tradition, the village and Montechiarugolo Castle will be illuminated with candles and warm lights, restaurateurs will offer romantic menus concluding with the "Pensiero d'Amore" dessert created for the occasion, and there will be moments of music and candlelit atmospheres.
The detailed program for the 2026 edition (times, events at the castle, any concerts and evening visits, participating restaurants) will be announced in the weeks preceding the event on the channels of the Municipality and the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.
Programme Romantic Night 2026
The detailed program for the 2026 edition in Montechiarugolo has not yet been published at the time of writing this description. Based on previous editions, the evening typically includes:
- Montechiarugolo village and castle illuminated by candles and soft lights from sunset
- Themed romantic menus in local restaurants, with the symbolic "Pensiero d'Amore" dessert
- Moments of live music and, in past editions, evening visits and piano concerts related to the castle
The official program with times and details will be announced by the Municipality of Montechiarugolo and the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy in the weeks preceding June 20.
Highlights Romantic Night 2026
Montechiarugolo Castle illuminated for the night of love and the "Pensiero d'Amore" dessert, a creation designed each year by a great Italian chef and offered as a gift to love.
Prices Romantic Night 2026
Practical information — Romantic Night
Where
Historic village and Montechiarugolo Castle, Piazza Mazzini 1, 43022 Montechiarugolo (PR), Emilia-Romagna.
How to get there
By car: Montechiarugolo is located between Parma and Reggio Emilia; reference highway exits Parma or Reggio Emilia (A1), then provincial roads towards the Enza Valley. By train: Parma station, then bus connections to the village. By plane: Parma "Giuseppe Verdi" Airport.
When
The 2026 edition will be held on Saturday, June 20, coinciding with the national Romantic Night of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy. Events take place from sunset until late evening.
Tips
For themed dinners and evening visits or concerts at the castle, reservations are recommended with the village's restaurateurs and the entity managing the castle's openings. Check the updated program on the channels of the Municipality and the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.
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Where does it take place — Romantic Night
Castello di Montechiarugolo e borgo storico
Piazza Mazzini 1, 43022 Montechiarugolo