On the hills which surround Marano sul Panaro, there are two settlements completely surrounded by nature.

Denzano

Only 7 km from the village, on a broom covered hillside, you will find Denzano. In former times, it was home to a castle of which only a square plan tower remains, that dating back to the year 1000. The tower is around 15 metres tall and is made of mixed materials from the surrounding area which is rich in clay deposits.The area conceals surprises for mineralology enthusiasts. On two sides of the hill, gypsum crystals can be found which are of near perfect conformity.

Until medieval times, there was a parish church dedicated to the Assumption inside the castle. Only the apse of the original building remains, dating back the 12th Century and built in the image of the famous design of Modena Cathedral, a precious testimony to the Romanesque style in the Appennines. It is also believed that a student of the school of Lanfranco, (who was the architect of Modena Cathedral) worked on the church in Denzano.

The interior of the church was refurbished at the beginning of the 1600s. There is still an exquisite baptismal font in sandstone dating back to the 1500s and a precious organ from the 1700s and altar antependia made of scagliola.

Villabianca

Villabianca lies close to Denzano and can be reached by foot on path 412. The town is found in records dating from the 10th Century and boasts a splendid view over Valle del Panaro and the ravines. Points of interest include Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Geminiano, which houses a copy of a painting by Guercino and Casa Bernabei, a courtly estate where an ancient Roman well and furnace were found.