The path of the Marian Sanctuaries of the Bolognese Apennines
157
KILOMETERS
8
STAGES
10
SANCTUARY
11
MUNICIPALITIES
What is the Via Mater Dei?
A path that speaks to the heart
The Via Mater Dei is much more than a path: it is a 157-kilometer-long embrace that, in seven stages, connects Bologna to the sanctuaries of the Apennines, passing through enchanting villages and suspended silences, from Pianoro to Firenzuola, just beyond the Tuscan border.
It is a path that begins from the ancient stones of the city, guardians of history and spirituality, and gently climbs the mid-mountain ridges, where time slows and the spirit breathes.
Walking, sweating, letting the rain, the sun, the wind pass through you… you feel the earth again under your feet and in your heart.
Every step is a dialogue with nature, every climb is an invitation to look within, every stop is a caress of the soul.
And then, when we reach the last shrine, when the road ends and we return home, something unexpected happens: the world is the same, but we have changed. Because on the journey, what changes are the eyes with which we look at life.
Discover the path
The Stages of the Via Mater Dei
The Sanctuaries
Our spiritual anchors
Each sanctuary along the Via Mater Dei is a small treasure chest of history, art, and devotion.
They are places that welcome, protect, and accompany.
Entering one of these sanctuaries is not just crossing a threshold: it is feeling part of a living tradition, it is listening to the deep beat of faith that has spanned the centuries.
From the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Vita in Bologna to the one in Montovolo, every stop is an embrace of the soul.
The municipalities of the path
The Services
A unique experience
Mater Dei is not just a path, but a slow and profound inner journey, which begins within the medieval walls of Bologna and winds through the ridges of the Bolognese Apennines.
Walking over 150 km in seven stages, crossing nine municipalities and their sacred places, means rediscovering yourself, step by step.
The wind caressing your face, the scent of the woods, the silence full of meaning: everything becomes prayer, reflection, wonder.
An experience of skin and spirit that marks and also needs support.
