The intricate character of this Italian area is unmistakeable, just think of the many variations of its dialect. According to Massimo D’Azeglio “the fabric of the Romagna stock is among the best known.” Courage and personality, merged into a disposition in which an apparent roughness and hidden tenderness meet, reserved feelings and liberated expressions.
The devotion to hospitality
"A little bit of shade and a glass of wine is denied to no one"
So goes the saying from Romagna. And the famous poet, writer and screenwriter Tonino Guerra, born in Santarcangelo di Romagna, said: "If tourists come to Romagna, they certainly don't come for Romagna’s unforgettable beaches, they come here because there is the right family atmosphere, because the Romagnolo says good morning even if he looks at you sideways. And that's very nice." The sense of hospitality is captured far from mass tourism, going inland along the Via Aemilia, where at every corner in Romagna there is an inviting call; from villas and fortresses, markets and fairs, and from hills speckled with vineyards and their unforgettable flavours.
Historical, cultural and artistic heritage
Ravenna, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Theodoric the Great, and the Byzantine Empire in the West, boasts 8 Paleo-Christian and Byzantine monuments, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the most famous mosaics in the world.
Cesena has invaluable cultural and artistic treasures thanks to the Malatesta Lordship which reigned in this land, while Forlì preserves traces of the Romanesque and Renaissance periods and stands out for its numerous museums, as well as its proximity to the medieval villages of Bertinoro and Predappio.
Worth visiting in the province of Forlì/Cesena, is the municipality of San Mauro Pascoli, home of the famous poet Giovanni Pascoli, the cantor of Romagna. While the city of Faenza is world famous for its ceramics, splendid productions that mix the new with the old.
And Rimini, synonymous with fun as well as culture, has numerous art treasures and historical monuments: the Arch of Augustus, the Tiberius Bridge, and the Malatesta Temple. Nevertheless, it is also remembered as the place chosen by Federico Fellini for his movies, always brought back to mind by the murals of the beautiful San Giuliano borough. Other attractions in the province of Rimini are the Montebello Castle overlooking the Marecchia valley, the Fortress of San Leo and the Montetiffi Oasis.
Synonymous with good food
Romagna is synonymous with good food. Starting with two of its most famous specialties, the Piadina Romagnola and the Crescione, along with hand made egg pasta such as cappelletti in brodo, tagliatelle with ragù and lasagna, not to mention the wide range of cold cuts and locally produced cheeses, the Squacquerone di Romagna DOP and the Fossa di Sogliano DOP cheese, and finishing off with the traditional deserts such as the Ciambella, regularly complimented by DOC wines such as Sangiovese, Albana or Cagnina.
For these people, hospitality is not a feeling of simple politeness, but of ancient authenticity that finds its expression in food and wine.
The homeland of Pellegrino Artusi
Recognized as the father of Italian cuisine, the writer and gastronome Pellegrino Artusi was born in Forlimpopoli on 4th August 1820 and lived there until 1851 managing the family's grocery store. His most famous publication "Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well", is a cooking manual and collection of 790 recipes, including broths, liqueurs, appetizers, soups, and everything from main courses to desserts.
The Artusiana Festivity is dedicated to him and his specialties. It is held in the second half of June in the streets and squares of the city with an extensive program involving cultural and gastronomic attractions.
