Wildlife parks boasting untainted beauty offer an ideal setting for those who decide to spend their vacations in contact with nature, discovering Italy’s flora and fauna, visiting its sunny islands and surrounded by the typical Mediterranean landscape. Tourists can enjoy an unforgettable experience exploring Italy's rough and wild environment. There are many national parks well worth exploring : the Gran Paradiso, Circeo, Stelvio, Dolomiti Bellunesi, Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, Cilento and Vallo di Diano, and Gargano National Parks, the parks of Calabria and Aspromonte, not to mention the Maddalena and Tuscan Archipelagos, the Vesuvius, the Cinque Terre National Parks, and many other protected areas, nature reserves, and marine parks.
Read more
Ischia is an island of fire and water and, of course, sun. In its spa parks - the most famous of which are Negombo and Poseidon - nature offers...
Read more
A small island with a watchtower gave the name to the seaside village of Isola delle Femmine, now almost a suburb of Palermo, to which it is linked...
Read more
Home » Discover » Emilia Romagna » Forlì - Cesena
Forli - San Mercuriale
From the sea to the hills, from the mountains to the thermal treatment centres to art: in the green heart of Romagna visitors will discover exceptional treasures and unusual corners.
Located in the east side of the Emilia Romagna region, the province of Forlì-Cesena extends eastwards to the Adriatic coast.
This area presents a very changing landscape, ranging from broad hills to mountains with the Forlì and Cesena Apennine and to the sea of the Adriatic coast.
The very central position of the city on the Via Emilia, and the fact that it is surrounded by such varied landscapes, has over the years made this Province a centre of trade and a place to conquer, open in its communication.
The province offers a continuous discovery of villages and fortresses, springs and waterfalls, places in which it is possible to live surrounded by nature or have an entertaining and active holiday.
In other words, it is a varied land where even the most attentive visitor will not be disappointed.
The urban architecture of Forlì speaks of its history which left clear signs in the city.
The centre of the city's life is Aurelio Saffi Square with a monument dedicated to him. Here one notices the mark of modernity left by the heavy intervention of the Fascist period. The City Hall has instead medieval origins, while the Palace of the Potestà dates back to the 15th century.
The monument which most distinguishes the city is the Basilica of San Mercuriale, an old abbey with an impressive bell tower in Romanesque style, and various works of art inside. Not so far from here is the Cathedral which was subjected to several repairs around 1970.
One should not miss to take a stroll along Corso Diaz, Corso Garibaldi, Corso della Repubblica and Corso Mazzini, which all cross the city, each one with its peculiarities but all finely united by a formal balance.
Forlì is also a foremost place of culture with many museums, such as the A. Santarelli Archaeological Civic Museum, the Civic Picture Gallery, the Pergoli Romagna Ethnographic Museum, Villa Saffi, the Aurelio Saffi Museum of the Risorgimento and the Romagna Theatre Museum.
Moving toward the countryside one should visit the ancient Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, also called of Fornò, rebuilt during the 1500s. Its church is considered one of the most particular circular churches of Italy.
In Cesena it is important to see Piazza del Popolo, the city civil centre in which one can admire Francesco Masini's sixteenth-century fountain, and the City Hall dating back to the 14th century.
In the vicinity is the Malatestian Fortress, surrounded by a superb park. It houses the Museum of Agriculture, one of the most important of the region. The Cathedral is said to be built on a Roman temple and is the central point of the city, whilst the Malatestian Library is a precious trove of humanistic culture.
Moving on from Cesena, one may choose to visit Longiano, a medieval village surrounded by two boundary walls with three gateways. There is also a fortress and Venetian basin at its entrance in memory of the Serenissima's short domination.
Halfway between Forlì and Cesena is the town of Forlimpopoli. Its imposing fortress is also the site of the Civic Archaeological Museum. The name of the town is tied to Pellegrino Artusi, author of the first book which codified Italian cuisine. His “Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well” was first published more than one hundred years ago.
In Montepoggiolo, near the Terra del Sole, there is one of the richest prehistoric sites in northern Italy with thousand of stone finds of the first men. It was discovered in 1983, in the Cà Belvedere locality.
Strictly connected to the sea, in a mixture of gaiety and hospitality, is Cesenatico. See the fishing boats and houses of Porto Canale, whose structure was designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502 on behalf of Cesare Borgia. Not to be missed are also Savignano sul Rubicone, Gatteo and San Mauro Pascoli.
The possibility of practising sport activities such as trekking, horse-back tourism, mountain biking and cycle tourism complete the beauty of the land of Forlì and Cesena.
Bird-watching in Four Towns Coastal Oasis is a fast growing tourist attraction.
Downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and hiking are practised on the Monte Fumaiolo, one of the highest of the Tosco-Romagnolo Apennine. An occasion to spend unforgettable days in the hospitality of the mountain people.
The most important thermal centres, pearls of the Province of Forlì and Cesena, are without any doubt Castrocaro Terme,Terra del Sole, Bagno di Romagna and Bertinoro. Their modern and well-equipped spas and the green of the surrounding lands give a delightful boost to personal care and wellness.
For sea lovers, between Rimini and Ravenna is to be found the important seaside resort of Cesenatico.
The Wine and Dine Route through the Forlì and Cesena Hills is an itinerary around different towns. The flavours and colours of the typical wine and food are accompanied by displays of local craftsmanship, festivals, folk traditions and sport activities in a land dedicated to tourist reception.
There are several carnivals and folk festivals.
The 'Suoni del Tempo' is an internationally renowned festival of concerts which takes place during the summer time in Cesena.
In Cesenatico, the International Sail Regatta during the Easter time welcomes in the spring while the Garibaldi Carnival recalls the passage of the Hero of the Two Worlds in these lands.
Forlì is where the Festival of the Madonna sul Fuoco takes place. It features music and gastronomical stands and the typical aniseed Piadina.
Forlimpopoli with the Festival of the Segavecchia introduces the arrival of spring through a show of many colours.
In Castrocaro Terme takes place an event called 'From the Middle Ages to the Renaissance', based on historical recollections. Terra del Sole hosts instead the Palio of S. Reparata, where two districts of the town compete in a tug-of-war and with crossbows.
In the province of Forlì and Cesena it is possible to taste all the typical specialities of Romagna, such as stuffed cappelletti, passatelli, pasticcio alla romagnola and tagliatelle.
Furthermore, sardoncini, anchovies, paganelli, mackerels, mazzola or canocchie represent a wide variety of fish dishes the Cesenatico area offers in large quantity and high quality.
Pizzas come in thousands of varieties, also excellent with the seafood. The famous Piadina is served with squacquerone cheese, progenitor of the stracchino, and salami, another duo nobody has to miss.
Among the typical wines are: Albana, Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Pagadebit and the Cagnina.
Liguria is in north-western Italy, bordering with France . The region features impressive mountains and lovely rolling hills , colored by the green Mediterranean turf and overlooking the Ligurian Sea. The two are divided ...
A land extending up to the Po Delta, this is a territory where nature offers scenarios of rare charm. Lagoon settlements and valleys, pine woods and seaside resorts along the coast, towns with artistic treasures, form in this province itineraries of great interest. This is the area ...
The P rovince of Ogliastra is located in east-central Sardinia , facing eastward on the Tyrrhenian Sea, and bordering in the northwest with the Province of
Torna la fiera dell’enogastronomia “Sapeur”, giunta alla sua 7° edizione, che ogni anno richiama un numero sempre maggiore di visitatori curiosi di conoscere le nuove tendenze nei settori dell’enologia, della gastronomia e dei prodotti dell’artigianato italiano. La manifestazione rappresenta un importante ...
An intriguing and mysterious trip to the medieval Romagna: from the fortress of Castrocaro to the stronghold of Dozza, with many rites and ancient traditions. It is a perfectly restored medieval fortress in the province of Forlì bringing to life ancient characters and costumes. The fortress is one ...
This large square is the centre of Forlì and is characterised by an interesting combination of architectural styles. Amongst the various buildings we can see the Romanesque church of San Mercuriale with its fine marble portal. Beside the imposing belltower there is a fifteenth century cloister.
Bologna is known as 'the wise' and 'the fat', adjectives that recall two characteristics of the city and the territory. 'The wise' refers to the university, founded more than nine centuries ago; 'the fat' reminds us of the richness of the agriculture and the flavoursome cooking. The medieval ...
Porto Canale di Bellaria is located on the mouth of the River Uso and divides the bathing resort from the nearby Igea Marina. The canal separates the wide beaches with their fine, light-coloured sand and the safe shallow seabed, ideal for families. The bathing establishments are extremely well ...
The imposing Rocca di Ravaldino was built during the fourteenth century and extended in the fifteenth. It has a square plan and cylindrical towers. It was the theatre of a siege by Cesare Borgia who took it in 1500. In the late nineteenth century it was transformed into a prison.
