This week, in preparation for the spooky season that is swiftly descending upon us, and as people consider planning last-minute mid-term break, half-term, or Hallowe’en getaways, we have been looking at some of the spookiest places, attractions, and destinations in Italy. If you wanted to pay a visit to Bologna, after you have found a vacation rental in Emilia Romagna, then you’re in luck as it is home to the Villa Malvasia, often known as the Villa Clara, which is said to be one of the most haunted places in Italy. Come take in the history, culture, and heritage of Bologna, and her creepier aspects on a once-in-a-lifetime spooky and seasonal trip to Italy!
Located on via Zanardi 449 the Villa Malvasia immediately stands out as a creepy and dilapidated shell of an abandoned and formerly beautiful mansion. Like a lot of castles and old mansions in Italy, it is steeped in local legends and, in this case, a rather disturbing one.
The villa is also known as Villa Clara due to one of the supposed former residents of the building, who is said to stay on as a ghost. Clara was said to have been the daughter or stepdaughter of an owner of the villa who was born with an especially strong gift of clairvoyance. Any dream or vision she had was more than sure to come true. Her father feared her gift and is said, in local mythology, to have locked her away and allowed her to die.
Located on via Zanardi 449 the Villa Malvasia immediately stands out as a creepy and dilapidated shell of an abandoned and formerly beautiful mansion. Like a lot of castles and old mansions in Italy, it is steeped in local legends and, in this case, a rather disturbing one.
The villa is also known as Villa Clara due to one of the supposed former residents of the building, who is said to stay on as a ghost. Clara was said to have been the daughter or stepdaughter of an owner of the villa who was born with an especially strong gift of clairvoyance. Any dream or vision she had was more than sure to come true. Her father feared her gift and is said, in local mythology, to have locked her away and allowed her to die.
Another version of the tale says that she was not a psychic but, rather, a young teen who happened to make the mistake of falling for a boy from the peasant classes. That dastardly father of hers, in this version, is said to have put her to the same fate, for her crime of falling in love, rather than for having special supernatural powers.
Locals say, no matter which version that they believe to be true, that the ghost of a little girl can be seen in the garden of the villa and that, sometimes, you can even hear her crying and singing. Between the ghost stories, spooky and dilapidated appearance, and poorly lit street in front, many people in the area are said to avoid passing by the villa, if they can help it.
Of course, as with many such tales, there is no actual historical documentation or information that can verify any of these hypotheses but stories abound of sightings of the ghost girl, blood coming from the water fixtures, strange noises coming from the building that can’t be explained, and much more besides.
If you’re interested in ghosts and creepy tales and you are spending time in Bologna, you should definitely go for a walk past at night and have a good peek through the gates. The villa is not open to the public and is privately owned but the mansion is pretty visible from the path outside, so you can get a good sense of it without having to go inside. Plus, if the reports from locals are anything to go by, you just have to get within a short distance of the building to hear the creepy and ghostly sounds and happenings.
Think you’re brave enough? Just find a vacation rental in Emilia Romagna and pay a visit over the next few weeks, or on the night of Hallowe’en itself, when ghosts are said to be most active, and try and experience a sighting of your own. If you do, you’ll have to let us know. We’ll just continue to enjoy scary stories from the safety of our own homes, thank you very much!
