A holiday with more flavour.

Places of noble historyThe countryside of theprovince of Rimini stretchesalong the southern tip ofthe Romagna coastline asfar as the point where theApennine Mountains almosttouch the sea. This is wherethe well-known seasideresorts of Rimini, Riccione,Cattolica, Misano, Bellariaand Igea Marina are located,with their wonderful sandybeaches, attractions tosuit the tastes of even themost discerning holidaymakerand a hinterlandfull of real surprises. Thelandscape consists of thevalleys of the rivers Marecchiaand Conca. The former,where the Villanoviancivilisation saw the lightand prospered, is rough androcky country, while thelatter has a more gentlelook, with the first ravinesonly appearing alongthe border between theEmilia-Romagna and Marcheregions. The Conca Valleyis border land; for yearsthe site of battles betweenthe Malatesta, lords ofRimini, and the Montefeltro,dukes of Urbino. Betweenthe middle-ages and theRenaissance period, theMalatesta family was one ofthe most important in Italy,and had its most powerful,famous and warlike heartin the Rimini area, whereremains of that splendidage can still be seen practicallyeverywhere and wherefortresses, castles andthe fortified towns of theancient Signory continue tooverlook the Adriatic Sea.Riminioil and wine fromthe hills, among thepleasures of the SignoryGastronomy and craftsdelight the palateTop of seafood specialities isbrodetto (fish stew) cooked theRimini way, with plenty of tomatoand black pepper, stewedcuttlefish and grilled fish; maindishes include meat, sucklingpig, tripe and mixed grilles.All of them are best enjoyedwith a good glass of local wine,the carefully selected Doc Collidi Rimini. Deserving of specialmention is piadina to beeaten with pecorino, ricotta orsquacquerone cheeses anddressed pork products.Among the typical breads is thehome-made Bizulà.Country produce includes thepotato of Montescudo, trufflesand chestnuts, and the deliciousextra-virgin Dop oliveoil from the hills of Romagna,while traditional varieties of localhome-made include passatelli,tagliatelle, gnocchi, cappellettiand strozzapreti.One last thing, never leave thetable without tasting a piece oflocal cake: Miacetto of Cattolica,Ciambella, Bustrengo,Sanguinaccio, Saba, Savor,Piada dei Morti (in autumn)and sipping a glass of nocinoliqueur.Visiting the province: a short guidePeople go to Rimini for theseaside, people go to Rimini todream. The city has many facets- fantastic, in the steps ofthe great film director FedericoFellini, along the streets of BorgoSan Giuliano to the GrandHotel, on the promenade; Romanwith the Arch of Augustusand the Tiberius Bridge; Renaissance,when Rimini was thechief town of the Signory, withbeautiful buildings such as theTempio Malatestiano and theCastello di Sismondo.Behind Rimini lie the lands of1 2the Signory, places of noblehistory, where life is easy-goingand there is a sacred respectfor food. The countryside isgreen and luscious, with fieldsof wheat dotted here and therewith vineyards and olive groves.Visiting the Marecchia andConca Valleys means journeyingback in history to the timesof the Malatestas. In the MarecchiaValley, the castles and towersall have something in common.They stand on rugged outcropsof rock high above the valleydelight the eyeTypical local products are rustprinted fabrics. Vine shoots,ears of wheat, bunches ofgrapes, cocks and doves are alltraditional designs on the tableclothsof Romagna.The oldest colour is rust, joinedover the centuries by cobaltblue and green.To discover the secrets of thisart, a number of workshopscan be visited that have takenon the air of museums,like the Stamperia Marchi ofSantarcangelo which houses a17th-cent. mangle.Art and craft items can alsobe found at Montefiore, Montescudoand Montecolombo,where traditional terracottaware is made, while Mondainoand Montegridolfo are betterknown for wrought-iron objects.1. Santarcangelo, Rocca2. Verucchio, Rocca del Sassoand offer a panoramic viewof the coast and mountains.The route passes first throughSantarcangelo, with its beautifulold-town centre on thehill top, Poggio Berni, whichboasts a unique concentrationof stately homes and mills, andcontinues to the fortress of Torriana,a great barrage acrossthe valley, and Montebello, aquaint hill town dominated bya castle filled with mystery. Onthe opposite side of the valley,the last bulwark is the castle ofVerucchio, one of the largest ofMontianoLongianoRoncofreddoSoglianosul Rubicone615Gambettola8BorghiS. Giovanniin Galilea5MontebelloS. Leo330Torriana98Usothem all, where Mastin VecchioMalatesta was born.The Conca Valley is less harsh,the sea is always present andthe hills move slowly up to theApennine Mountains; just beforethe foothills lie the Malatestatowns of the plains - Coriano,San Clemente, Morciano,San Giovanni in Marignano.On the borders of the Montefeltroregion, along the line ofdefence of the Signory are thecastles of Saludecio, Montegridolfo,Mondaino with their oldtowncentres enclosed by walls.Among the preferred placesof residence of the Malatestawas the fortress of Montefiore,almost a palace, decoratedwith frescos. At Gemmano,a major role is played by thepristine countryside and in particularthe Onferno Caves. Thejourney along the Conca Valleyends with the castles of Montescudoand Montecolombo,strategically placed to controlthe surrounding area.PoggioBerniSan MauroPascoliSavignanosulRubicone651111MarecchiaVerucchioMontegrimanoSantarcangelodi RomagnaCorpolò24S. MarinoMonteTitano739 mBellaria Igea MarinaSerravalleTravitiMaranoMontescudo610Itineraries along the Wineand Dine RouteOne hundred and fifty kilometres given over to food andwine culture that wind their way through the hills of theRimini hinterland, amid the Conca and Marecchia Valleys,as far as the Montefeltro region of the Marches.A route to be trodden slowly to discover all the wealth of theland and its historical germs. Protagonists along this roadamid the Hills of Rimini are wine and oil, closely followedby other delicacies: cheese, meat, dressed pork products,honey, fruit and traditional soups.To find out more: www.stradadeivinidirimini.itViserbellaViserbaRivabellaSan Giuliano MareMonteColomboOnfernoRiminiS. Patrignano 9Ospedaletto76GemmanoBellarivaMarebelloRivazzurra10MiramareA 14MontefioreConcaCoriano4RiccioneS. Giovanniin MarignanoS. ClementeMorcianodi Romagna8Saludecio9MisanoAdriaticoPortoverdeCattolica9GabicceMareGradara24MondainoMontegridolfo5