Guided Walks

Ravenna, Bologna and of the mountainside towns of Romagna

Hi, I am glad you are visiting the website of Lato monte Guided tours! By checking this pages, I hope you can get useful hints to reserve a guided tour with me, in some of the most beautiful places of the gorgeous Emilia- Romagna. Sure you cannot miss a visit to Ravenna, famous all over the world for its early Christian and byzantine mosaics, or to Bologna, home to one of the most ancient university in Europe (founded in1088 AD).
Anyhow, Latomonte Tour Guide’s aim is to show you not only the beauty of these “big names”, but also the special charm of some smaller towns, located in Romagna (the area stretched from the Adriatic sea to the border with Tuscany): Faenza, Brisighella and Dozza. They are true hidden gems, almost unknown to mass tourism, which welcome their visitors with breathtaking views, cosy parish churches and elegantly decorated buildings.
Deeply convinced that every single site hides a special “spirit” (the ancient Latins called it “genius loci”), which distinguish it from every other place, I will be glad to show you the most peculiar aspects of every site: the mysterious details of the ancient UNESCO mosaics in Ravenna, as well as the intriguing stories of Bologna’s main palaces and the technical virtuosity of the majolicas of Faenza.
And if you think that mingling with the locals is one of the most enriching part of a trip, I will be glad to introduce you to my very special contacts: booksellers, ceramists, art collectors, olive oil producers, independent wine growers, talented actors and innovative ice-cream companies. Their work and commitment give an added value to the life of every single town-centre and listening to their inspiring stories and experiences show how a second chance gives often the opportunity to live life with renewed purpose.

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Ravenna

All that glitters is gold.

Faenza

The town of ceramics with an international vocation.

Dozza

Between Bologna and Tuscany, a crossroad of ancient and modern art.

Brisighella

An ancient Middle Age village, eight cardinals and a fortress.

Bologna

Open-minded, full of contradictions and of good vibes.

The guided tour

a choice we will make together

No matter if you spend some day, or just a couple of hours in Bologna, Ravenna, or in the other towns where I usually “guide”, no matter if you do not feel like walking too much, we will decide together what to do and where to go. No rush, no need to hurry up, visiting a place must be, first of all, a pleasure! So, I will be glad to suggest you the tour that could match your needs: more intensive, or “softer”, according to the time (and energies) you can spend in every single place.

And please do not hesitate to ask me if you have special requests: I will try to do my best to comply with them (and, believe me, sometimes this kind of requests need also to take a step back and to show a great sensitiveness towards people. Like when I was asked to take a small group to visit the Faenza Commonwealth War Cemetery, where an English soldier, relative of my clients, is buried).

Discover

Behind Latomonte there is me

Maria Federica Baroncini, qualified tour guide (badge issued by the Province of Ravenna) since 1998.

Actually, the idea to call this website name Lato monte (mountain side in English) came to me while I was taking some day off on the Adriatic coast. In the hotel we booked, we were asked whether we preferred a room with a sea-side view, or the “mountain side”. We chose the mountain side (and not for the cheaper price of the room, as one may assume!) and, quite unexpectedly, a beautiful, soothing vista of the distant hills and the nearby pinewood accompanied us all our holiday long. It was quite a surprise waking up every morning with that special feeling of having not seen all yet, of having to look to the horizon again to discover new details (the top of a bell tower with an uncommon shape, or the slopes of the nearby hills, which made one guess where they are heading to).  This gave us a “different taste” to our holiday and made us think that everywhere, even in the most famous places, there is always a “mountain side”: it can be an unexpected detail of a more well-known monument; or an ancient, parish church situated off the beaten track; or, again, an unconventional meaning given to a story usually taken for granted.

My Plus

I am also tourist consultant

I am pleased to let my costumers know that since 2019 I have added another qualification to that of tour guide: I am now also authorized travel consultant. It means that, beyond accompanying you during the tours, I now can also assist you in organizing your visit and your stay in our region: for example, choosing where to stay and what to eat, drawing up the right agenda, deciding what to visit first and what to skip, helping you with the bookings and reservations. My consultancy is focused on Bologna, Ravenna and on the nearby territories.

Your guided tour

A journey of discovery together