Verucchio

Verucchio, in Emilia Romagna, but very close to the border with the Marche region and Pesaro-Urbino, has an ancient and romantic soul: popular tradition has it that Paolo and Francesca, among the most famous lovers in history, appearing in Dante's Divine Comedy, took refuge in its fortress.

Several castles in the area claim to be the place where the tragic love story took place, primarily the one of Gradara.
We may never know exactly how things unfolded, but the romantic atmosphere of Verucchio, one of Italy's Most Beautiful Villages, is surely undeniable.

The beautiful ancient village is perched on a hill in the lower Marecchia Valley, bordering Montefeltro and the Republic of San Marino.
On the two peaks you can still find the Malatesta fortresses: the fortress of Passerello and the fortress of Sasso, built by the founder of the dynasty, Malatesta da Verucchio known as “Mastin Vecchio,” mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy.

The walls, towers, dungeons and the viewpoint overlooking the Marecchia Valley and the rooftops of Verucchio are now the backdrop for events such as the Verucchio Music Festival, which attracts fans from every region of Italy every year in July.