There it was. Suddenly, as we turned a bend in the road, this extraordinary structure appeared before us. It looked like a castle — and, as it turned out, it was a castle.

It doesn’t matter how carefully you plan a journey. There are always things that suddenly appear and tempt you to abandon the predetermined route – in our case the route from Modena to Verona. And that is one of the great pleasures of travelling: allowing yourself to be distracted.
So we took the turn and went in search of the castle.
At first, the approach was through the rather nondescript little town of Montecuccolo. But then, quite suddenly, everything changed. The road ascended, the surroundings became increasingly picturesque, and we found ourselves climbing through beautiful woodland until, almost unexpectedly, we arrived at the castle itself.

The castle was built by the Montecuccolo family, and inside we discovered a fascinating history. The family produced one of the great military commanders of the seventeenth century: Raimondo Montecuccoli.
Montecuccoli became a commander in the service of the Habsburg Empire and played a significant role in the wars against the Ottoman Turks. The Ottoman armies had pushed deep into Central Europe and, most dramatically, had reached the gates of Vienna. Montecuccoli’s military skill and tactics contributed to the Habsburg victory over the Turks, helping to halt their expansion into Central Europe. The eventual defeat of the Ottoman forces allowed territories such as Hungary to be gradually recovered by the Habsburgs.

Standing in the very castle from which this remarkable family emerged, it was fascinating to discover just how important a role one of its members had played in European history.
And the castle itself is a delight. From the top there are the most extraordinary views across the surrounding countryside and mountains.

But it isn’t simply a historical monument. Inside, there iare a delightful collection of Presepi – Christmas cribs –

a surprisingly impressive collection of modern art, with works by artists who lived or worked in the area,

alongside a beautifully presented natural-history section and an archaeological collection.

We thoroughly enjoyed exploring it all.
And, naturally, no successful excursion is complete without refreshments. After our visit to the castle, we settled down in the little bar-restaurant within the complex and enjoyed coffee — iced coffee this time, which seemed particularly appropriate after our climb.
It was one of those completely unplanned diversions that makes a journey memorable.
You can plan a route from A to B down to the last detail, but sometimes the best things happen when you abandon the plan. You see something intriguing, take a turning, and simply follow the road.
In our case, that little detour to Montecuccolo and its remarkable castle was well worth it indeed.

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