Cattolica and its surrounding countrysideAn evening stroll to the town centre to admire the Dancing Fountains… And yet… if you look away from the hypnotic lights of the boardwalk and look instead towards the hills, you will see a truly marvellous sight. The perfect border town, Cattolica’s inland area is divided in two between the Romagna and Marche regions, each with charming villages with their own stories to tell. Gradara Castle, with its crenelated towers and intact walls, is famous for having been the scene of the unfortunate love between Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Rimini as told by Dante Alighieri in the Canto V of his Inferno. Surrounding the fortress is a charming village that can be visited at the same time.
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San Giovanni in Marignano is a typical Romagna village just three kilometres from Cattolica. This is an ideal place to stop for lunch where you can find authentic local dishes in one of the many casual osterias. If you are visiting at the end of June, don’t miss the famous “Witches Festival” dedicated to the summer solstice.
Mondaino is a town which features a square and a fortress from the Malatesta era, but the town origins are probably much older based on its medieval features, perhaps Etruscan. Every summer the town hosts the historic “Palio de lo Daino” which attracts thousands of tourists. Montefiore Conca has a huge fortress surrounded by rolling green hills. From the town’s belvedere lookout there is a truly stunning view over the Riviera Adriatica on one side and the entire Conca Valley on the other, all the way to the peak of Monte di Carpegna. “Rocca di Luna” is the most important village event. Saludecio is a town with the privilege of having one of the best preserved castles near Rimini. The “Ottocento Festival” held here every summer, is a costumed re-enactment that transports visitors hundreds of years back in time, with the help of the townspeople. |
