In the footsteps of the great poet Dante Alighieri

Day 1: Verucchio (Inferno canto XXVII), Rimini (Inferno cantos XXVII + V)
First stop of the tour VERUCCHIO, also called the “Cradle of the Malatesta” to underline the privileged bond that the city had with the Malatesta Lordship. We will start with the guided tour of the Majestic Rocca Malatestiana, also called Rocca del Sasso due to its strategic position at the top of the rock spur overlooking the town, and we will then reach the Civic Archaeological Museum, where rare and refined finds of a another civilization The Villanovans, famous for the marketing of amber. Inside the museum we will find funerary and daily life finds, male and female grave goods, and even an exceptionally preserved wooden throne! Transfer and lunch in a restaurant in the historic center of Rimini, with a menu based on poor fish from the Adriatic.
In the afternoon guided tour of RIMINI, we will walk through the wonderful historic center surrounded by ancient medieval walls to visit all the monuments from the Roman and Medieval/Renaissance periods that coexist in harmony within it! Free time available in the historic center for shopping and followed by an aperitif by the Grand Hotel in Rimini.

Day 2: Gradara and Mondaino (Inferno canto V)
Morning transfer to one of the best known and lovely ancient villages: GRADARA. Guided tour + entrance to the Rocca, we will learn about the beautiful and poignant love story of Paolo and Francesca “Love, who forgives no one loved to love, took such pleasure in me so strongly that, as you see, I still don’t like it abandon”… we will go through the history and characters of the Malatesta Lordship who have inhabited the beautiful rooms of the castle from the Middle Ages to the present day. At the end of the visit, free time available for a walk in the ancient medieval village with the possibility of accessing the patrol walkways of the ancient armigers. Lunch in a trattoria in the historic center with a typical menu and traditional dishes from Romagna.
In the afternoon transfer to MONDAINO, the last medieval village of the Malatesta
Lordship. Guided tour with an illustrious character of the historic center, the famous Piazza “A Padella”, the splendid Church of San Michele until reaching the “Porta di Sotto” of the town. During our tour we will also visit an artisan MOSAIC workshop and how the manufacturing takes place. Continuing our tour we will find the Mulino delle Fosse, an enchanting place where art, flavors and poetry meet in the magical setting of an ancient Jesuit mill; it is the place where the famous Fossa cheese is produced, as well as the Dante Study Center. We will know the techniques for digging in and extracting the cheese and of course the tasting on the Divine verses of Dante Alighieri and the game of “ZARA” invented by Dante. Before returning to the hotel, stop at a winery with tasting of local wines and typical products.

Day 3: Ravenna (Inferno canto V + Purgatory canto XIV)
Destination RAVENNA, final destination of Dante’s journey. Ravenna today is a quiet and charming town that still preserves the artistic testimonies of its glorious past intact. The visit to the early Christian and Byzantine mosaics are among the most beautiful and best preserved in the world: the Basilica of San Vitale, the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo. The monuments are all easily reachable on foot: walking along the streets of the historic center we will also visit the Piazza del Popolo and the Dante area. We recommend a visit to the Covered Market of Ravenna where it is possible to see the pasta makers at work creating fresh pasta with a rolling pin and taste typical local products at the various display stands. Alternatively, lunch in a restaurant in the center with a typical Romagna menu. Afternoon free time available for relaxation and shopping!