Sestola
Sestola is a comune and town located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy in the province of Modena. The town is located close to the cities of Modena and Bologna. Sestola is surrounded by the Apennine Mountains and Monte Cimone is located quite close to the town.
Monte Cimone is located at an altitude of 2165 meters and is a popular destination for winter sports and skiing. Sestola is spread over an area of 52 sq km and has a population of approximately 2600. The economy of the town is dependent on agriculture, cattle breeding and on tourism based on the popularity of Monte Cimone.
Getting to Sestola
There are only limited numbers of transport options for reaching Sestola. The town is located close to Bologna and Modena so visitors can take a train or flight to either of these cities and then reach Sestola. The state buses in this region depart a few times every week from the bus stations in Bologna, Modena and the other destinations in the province for Sestola. The easiest way is to drive to Sestola. Sestola is located 50 km from Modena and 60 Km from Bologna so driving down is fairly comfortable.
Italy Sestola DownHill.
Moving Around the Town
Sestola is quite a small town and there aren’t many places to visit within the town. Visitors can explore the small streets and lanes easily on foot. The main attraction for visitors coming to Sestola is the nearby Monte Cimone which is famous for its ski slopes and its many winter sport activities. Visitors who have their own car can easily reach Monte Cimone, the road leading up to the mountain is quite scenic. Those who do not have their own car can rent a car to reach the mountain or can also use the public buses to reach the ski slopes.
Attractions in Sestola
Monte Cimone
Monte Cimone remains the most popular attraction for tourists in Sestola. The mountain is located in the northern Apennines and is located at an altitude of 2165 meters above sea level. Monte Cimone is divided between three different communes in the province of Modena. During the Cold War, access to the peak of the mountain was not allowed due to the military structure that was housed in the interior. Today, Monte Cimone is a popular winter sport location and several tourists visit the Mountain to ski during winters.
Giardino Botonica Alpino Esparia
Panorama of Sestola
The Giardino Botonica Alpino Esparia is a large botonical garden which is spread over an area of 3 hectares. The alpine garden is located at an altitude of 1500 meters and is located 4 km from Sestola. The garden is managed by Club Alpino Italiano. The garden was first started in 1952 for study of the medicinal plants that grew in the natural forest at the foot of the popular Monte Cimone. It was only in 1980 that it was converted in to a botonical garden and was made accessible to public. The garden has more than 200 different species of plants and exotic local flora and fauna. There are 32 different flower beds and a different section for medicinal plants. Within the garden is the Cimone Roccera which represents the Mountain’s flora and sandstone. Of particular interest is a small pond that contains crested newts.
Stay and Accommodation
Sestola is quite a small town but there are plenty of tourists that visit the town each year. The main attraction for most tourists is the nearby Monte Cimone. Monte Cimone is a popular winter sport destination and is much popular with skiers. For this reasons, plenty of people visit Sestola and to keep up with the growing number of tourists plenty of hotels have been set up in the town. There are also quite a lot of good Bed & Breakfasts in the town where visitors can find inexpensive accommodation options. For those who are planning to stay longer in the town, there are some mountain cabins and villas which can be rented by visitors. Some of the most well known hotels in Sestola are Albergo San Marco Di San Nicolo SRL, Hotel Al Poggio Di Bettini Sereno, Hotel Albergo Sport, Hotel Albergo Nuove Parco SNC, Hotel Miramonti Di Frodati Silvia e Simona SNC, Hotel Albergo Panoramic and hotel Albergo Rocco. In peak tourist season visitors might find it difficult to get rooms at low prices since most hotels hike up their prices and rooms get booked in advance so advance reservation is recommended.
Eating in Sestola
Skiing in Sestola
Visitors would have plenty of options to choose from in Sestola when it comes to dining out. Due to the rise in tourism in the recent years, plenty of restaurants and pizzerias have been set up in the town. There are also many bars and cafes as well as some fast food joints in the town. While most restaurants only serve traditional Italian dishes and local dishes, there are a few where other cuisines are also found. Most dishes are based on the local ingredients and fresh cheese. Some of the most well known restaurants in Sestola are Ristorante Albergo Calvanella di Pattorozzi Elvina, Ristorante Locanda Zita, Pizzeria ristorante Boschetto, pizzeria Ristorante II Campanoccio, II Ritrovo Degli Artisi Sas Di Webels Christiane, ristorante II Campanaccio Di Boselli Maria, Ristorante pizzeria La Teggia and bar trattoria Bonacorsi. There are also a few good bakeries in Sestola where traditional home made pastries and desserts are sold.
Nymph lake in Sestola
Shopping in Sestola
Because of the rise in tourism there are plenty of shops that have been set up in the recent years in Sestola. Visitors would find plenty of souvenirs, handicrafts, shoes, winter clothing and several other items in the shops; however, its best to avoid them since most items are sold at very high prices in the tourist seasons and most of these are not made locally. Sestola is only known for its cheeses which are made from the rich milk of the cattle which are bred by the locals so it is best to just purchase freshly made cheese in Sestola.
