Romagna Coast
The Romagna Region attracts the curious traveller for its lifestyle, history, art, gastronomy, romantic atmosphere, and nightlife.
The Romagna territory lies between the flat lands, the Adriatic Sea and the mountains: it is the imaginary division between continental Italy and peninsular and insular territories. A land inhabited by prehistoric communities as testified by the Villanovan and pre-Roman archaeological sites in Verucchio and other localities as well as the original street plans, still utilized, of the ancient Roman consular roads: the Via Emilia to Bologna, the Via Popilia, the Via Romea to Ravenna and Venice and the Via Flaminia to Rome. With these roads the Roman civilization conditioned for centuries the culture and economy of the Mediterranean and European areas. Still today, these roads bring us back to our roots.
There is something special in this region, something that only a few places can offer. It may be the poetry of the hills with their small fortress, pievi (parish churches) in the middle of the countryside that lead you into the past, the landscape at intervals hard and savage, the endless azure horizon of the sea, the warmth and the velvet of the sand.
The Romagna is a "treasure chest" of surprises: Ravenna, with its spectacular bizantine mosaics, Faenza, with its famous ceramics and San Marino – the "Republic of Liberty". All of Romagna is to be seen. The trip will be both intensive and profound and will leave the visitor with timeless memories and emotions.
Local craftsmanship, a cult of wine and food, year-round events, a series of festivals and spectacular celebrations, such as: the Palio of Ferrara (the oldest in the world, dating back to 1279) held on the last Sunday in May; the Palio del Daino, held in Mondaino at the end of August; the re-enactment of the nuptial banquet of Roberto Malatesta and Elisabetta of Montefeltro, held in Rimini in July; the "Notte Rosa", the celebration which opens the summer season and sees the participation of the entire Riviera region, all the way from Marina di Ravenna to Cattolica and Gabicce. These are just a few of the attractions which contribute to the fascinating atmosphere of Romagna and render it unforgettable.
Food and eating are an art full of tradition and wine helps bring people together. Romagna, with its strong flavours and fragrances, as well as the poetry of its territory, conquers even the most epicurean traveller.
Beginning in Ferrara and the Po River Delta, we find "tortellini" with squash filling, Ferrara "timballo" (a dish dating back to the Renaissance period), "salama da sugo" (a typical sausage from Ferrara), eel, Ferrara "coppia" bread, and very special wines (DOC Bosco Eliceo), from vineyards dipping their roots into the sands of the coast.
With the magnificent and mysterious Byzantine city of Ravenna, midway between Eastern and Western cultures, one enters into the "land of the piada (famous local flatbread) and Sangiovese wine country. The next excursion is to Faenza, with its "passatelli in brodo" (broth), and the hills around the cities of Cesena and Forlì which are famous for a local cheese "formaggio di fossa", seasoned in pits dug into the "tufa" rock (medieval origins). This cheese is particularly delicious with honey. The area is also known for its "squacquerone" a soft fresh cheese ideal in the middle of a hot piada with rocket salad, or with "savor" (a marmalade of sweet dried fruits) and "saba" (a thick wine must) excellent with vegetables.
Arrival in Rimini where land and sea meet. Here we find culinary seafood fantasies enriching our menu. Original hors d’oeuvres; such as: fried "uomini nudi" (tiny new-born fish), hot piada with rocket salad, marinated sardines, various types of shellfish, sautéed mussels and clams, fish soup "alla Romagnola", thin hand-made noodles with clam sauce, the "rustida" (a triumphant platter of succulent mixed grilled fish including: sardines, mackerel, sole, monkfish, scallops, etc. etc.) The menu is completed by local wines from the Rimini hillside; namely, Trebbiano, Albana, Rebola and Pagadebit, and the traditional "ciambella" cake or a "zuppa inglese" (the Italian version of an English pudding).
The new archeological discovery "Domus Rimini" (The Residence of the Surgeon) has already become world famous.
Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica, Cesenatico, and Milano Marittima are just a few of the larger resort beaches along the Romagna Riviera. Vacations full of fun, relaxation, sun, nightlife, sports or pure leisure – the Riviera offers it all, thanks to the wide choice of pensions and hotels along the coast. Hotel Rimini offers over a thousand possibilities of accommodation – an offer hard to find in other parts of Europe.
A visit through the Romagna region offers pleasant surprises also thanks to its artisan activities: the discovery of small shops and workshops from the bakery and fresh pasta shop to the small workshops for the production of hand-made pans for cooking piada (typical the production in Montetiffi, a small village just above the town of Sogliano). None the less interesting are the rust-printed linens, still produced with antique methods. Upon entering the laboratories the visitor is struck by a strong smell of vinegar which is necessary for the preparation of the color (iron rust). The tablecloths and other kitchen accessories are decorated with the symbols of the agricultural origins of the Romagna region.