Among the woods and castles: Mesola
The Castle of Mesola, built for Alfonso II d′Este around 1578,during the final years of splendor of the Este court, was conceived as a commercial port. It was then transformed into summer residence 
to host the Este family who liked to go hunting and fishing in the forests and lakes nearby. Today the castle is given over to exhibitions and cultural events and is also home to a museum dedicated to the Mesola wood and its deer. It is also an educational center recognized by the region of EmiliaRomagna.
Leaving the castle the tour continues by coach to the Mesola woods. Of this ancient forest, mentioned by Dante, little remains today, just over one thousand acres, covered mostly by holm oak trees ,ash, elm, white poplars and a wealth of different bushes in the undergrowth. Of extreme interest is the presence of a rare breed of deer. The wood today is a nature reserve, here it is possible to admire the same flora and fauna which characterized this area hundreds of years ago, despite the many changes that have taken place over the centuries.