The most attractive things do and see in Santarcangelo di Romagna!

 A warm greeting from the big family of Hotel Elios in Bellaria Igea Marina!
 
Having visited Rimini, the lively city of Romagna, which is growing very fast, today we would liketo tell you about another lovely excursion you can take from our hotel: go onthe discovery of the wonderful medieval center of Santarcangelo di Romagna.

There are several reasons why it is worth visiting this town: the enchanting atmosphere of its hamlet, the architectural beauty of its noble buildings and its strong local identity. A holiday in Romagna cannot be concluded without visiting this characteristic town! 
 

Therefore, full of enthusiasm, we reached the historic center of Santarcangelo, by car after a short ride of about 20 minutes. From the free parking of the town,we walked towards Piazza Ganganelli and the dimensions of this square and the elements that characterize it impressed us.

Among those there is the Arch and the Fontana della Pigna (Pigna Fountain). The first one was designed in 1777, when Lorenzo Ganganelli became Pope Clemente XIV. Instead, the Pigna Fountain is the primary symbol of the genius of Tonino Guerra, the famous Romagnapoet, writer and screenwriter who was born precisely here, in Santarcangelo di Romagna. From Piazza Ganganelli, where he lived, went to school and played as a kid, everywherein the town it is possible to feel his poetic spirit. 
 After having admired the beauty of this square, we reached the heart of the historic center… a medieval hamletfull of buildings and architectural monuments that allowed this town to obtain the title of “Art City” in 1984. So we walked towards the Museo dei Bottoni (Button Museum) which houses an extraordinary collection of buttons from all periods, that Signor Gallavotti started to collect since he was a child, when he used to play with the box of buttons of his mother in the family haberdasher’s.
 Among the other museums in Santarcangelo,there are the Museo degli usi e costumi della gente di Romagna (the Museum of Rural Life in Romagna), where you can discover the popular traditions, and the Antica Stamperia Marchi, wherethere are lots of beautiful hand printed fabrics. 
 
However, the main unmissable attraction of the town is the Grotte (caves) of Santarcangelo.It is a system ofabout 150 underground tunnels, which were dug by men thanks to the particular shape of the subsoil, made by clay and sandstone. In the past they were used to ensure the preservation of wine and other foods, but also as a place of worship and as a shelter from the bombing during the war. It is a real underground hidden village!
 
We continued our trip in the historic center and we visited the various shops, the perfect place in town to do abit of shopping. Here youare really spoilt for choice!
 
After this little break, we walked towards the impressive Rocca Malatestiana (Malatesta’s castle), where you can admire a fantastic panorama of the city and the surrounding countryside. There is no better way to conclude this fabulous day!

From this point we came back to the center to rest a little bit… we enjoyed an aperitif in one of the several bars that you can find in Santarcangelo.Next time we will stay here also for dinner to taste the delicious local dishes, like the famous piadina.
 
We eventually drove backto Hotel Elios tired from the long walks, but with a new exciting experience typical of Romagna!

Come back and visit our blogto discover the vast and great territory of Romagna!