TRADITIONS AND CURIOSITIES
Traditions are passed on to the new generations and local legends and curiosities are still being told by the old fishermen and the ladies gossiping from their windows.
We have selected the ones which best give an idea of this region and which can be experienced by anyone coming to Romagna, a mix of past and present, a journey to the borders of reality.
Azzurrina’s Castle – Montebello
The castle of Montebello stands on a rise just behind Rimini and offers a commanding view of both Emilia Romagna and the Marches. It owes its fame to the mistery of Azzurrina, a little girl who disappeared from a corridor of the fortress in the second half of the 14th century. However the tourist guides admit that the story of Azzurrina is used as a bait to attract visitors and move them to tears, whereas the castle is haunted by many other presences revealing themselves without any embarassment!
Conducted tours are the only way to visit the castle: they depart from the palace where the lords used to live, then move to the fortress which housed approximately a hundred permanent soldiers … go to the website
Garibaldi’s Festival - Cesenaticoo
Every year during the month of August Cesenatico celebrates the time when Giuseppe Garibaldi, known as ‘the Hero of the Two Worlds’, passed through its ancient villages. One of the most important events in the history of Italy took place in this corner of Romagna washed by the Adriatic Sea: on 2nd August 1849 Garibaldi and his wife Anita escaped from the French and Bourbon forces. The ‘Hero of the Two Worlds’ wanted to reach Venice, which was still being besieged by the Austrians, to support the patriots. At the time Cesenatico was one of the main ports on the Adriatic Sea and Garibaldi knew he would find sufficient ships for his mission. And that is exactly what happened. He left with twelve traditional fishing boats (bragozzos) and a tartan, but was intercepted by the Austrian navy and forced to land near Magnavacca, which has now been renamed Porto Garibaldi…. Garibaldi’s Festival in Cesenatico recalls that important event and takes you back in time....
The Collection of Salt - Cervia
In ancient times, when it still represented the only way to preserve food, salt had an enormous commercial importance and value. The city flourished in good years, and barely survived in poor ones. For this reason Cervia became the object of numerous fights for the possession of its famous Salt Pans. Being proud of its own traditions, every year at the end of August Cervia still collects the salt with a special machine which moves on metal rollers on the salt crust of a salt field. The salt is carried to the large square in the middle of the plant on a small train made up of several wagons with a capacity of approximately 20 quintals each. The salt is then stored until it is washed and finally packed.
