Day trips by car / Rimini and the Riviera

Half day Villages History Legends

Gradara and Montefiore Conca, the castles of Paolo and Francesca

The Rocca and walls of Gradara, where tradition places the love story sung by Dante, and the Rocca Malatestiana of Montefiore.

Two Malatesta castles on the hills between Romagna and the Marche, just minutes from the coast at Riccione and Cattolica. Gradara is one of the best-preserved fortified villages in Italy, with the rocca where, according to tradition, Paolo and Francesca were killed by Gianciotto Malatesta. Montefiore Conca has an imposing rocca with views over the Valconca valley to the sea.

Rocca di Gradara — Photo: Enrico90p, pubblico dominio, Wikimedia Commons

Length from Faenza5 h 50 Half day
Driving3 h 05 · 214 km there and back
Visits and stops2 h 45
When to goAll year round

The plan from Faenza

09:00
Leave Faenza for Gradara1 h 10 driving, 92 km
10:10
Gradara1 h 45 of visits: Rocca di Gradara, The village and the wall walk
11:55
Drive on to Montefiore Conca35 min driving, 22 km
12:30
Montefiore Conca1 h 00 of visits: Rocca Malatestiana di Montefiore
13:30
Drive back to Faenza1 h 20 driving, 101 km
14:50
Back in Faenza

Times are a guide: driving times are worked out without traffic, then come the visits and ten minutes at every stop to park. In summer towards the coast and at rush hour allow extra time.

What you will see

1Gradara

Rocca di Gradara 50 min

A rocca from the 13th and 14th centuries, long held by the Malatesta and later by the Sforza and Della Rovere families. You visit the furnished rooms, the chamber of Lucrezia Borgia, who lived here as the bride of Giovanni Sforza, and above all Francesca's chamber: tradition has it that here Gianciotto surprised his wife Francesca da Polenta with his brother Paolo and killed them both, the story told by Dante in the fifth canto of the Inferno.

State museum, separate ticket; on Sundays and in summer there are queues.

The village and the wall walk 30 min

A double ring of walls encloses the village with its climbing streets, shops and taverns. You walk above the walls on the wall walk, with views over the hills and the sea: the two rings, the rocca and the village are intact as they were in the 15th century.

Wall walk with separate ticket.

2Montefiore Conca

Rocca Malatestiana di Montefiore 40 min

One of the most massive of the Malatesta rocche, built in the 14th century as a residence as well as a fortress: it hosted lords and illustrious figures of the time. Inside are great halls with remains of 14th-century frescoes; from the top, views over the Valconca valley, the coast and San Marino. The village is among the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy.

Seasonal opening times, open mainly at weekends out of season: check beforehand.

Tips

In summer Gradara is crowded during the day: late afternoon is cooler and lovelier.
For those staying in Cattolica and Riccione it's the nearest castle: the tour works well in three hours even without Montefiore.

The same trip from other towns

How long it takes from each town, the drive back included. Tap a town to see the plan from there.

Ravenna, Faenza and Cervia

Rimini and the Riviera

Forlì and Cesena

Bologna and its province

Comacchio and its beaches

Pesaro and Fano

With your own car

Almost every old town has a limited traffic zone (ZTL) with cameras: park outside and walk in. The fine reaches your home, abroad too. ZTL and car parks town by town

This trip with a driver

Romagna Transfer picks you up at your hotel, drops you in front of every stop and brings you back: no parking, no ZTL, and the wine is yours to enjoy.

Ask Romagna Transfer

More trips in the Rimini and the Riviera area

All the trips

Trips written by our editors from the facts of our monument pages and the official sites. Opening days and hours change: the note under every place tells you what to check before you leave. No prices: you find them on the museums' sites.