Mondaino - Montegridolfo - Morciano - San Giovanni in M.
by car: Statale Adriatica no. 16 in the direction of Ancona. After passing the locality of Riccione turn off onto the road for Morciano di Romagna, centre of the Valconca area. From Morciano to Saludecio 8km, to Montefiore 6km, Mondaino is 3km away from Saludecio. Montegrimano is 16km from Morciano.
by bus: START line bus n.124 from Rimini to Morciano, line n. 134 and 175 to San Giovanni in Marignano and line n. 125 from Riccione to Cattolica.
by bike: Rimini - Misano, then the road for San Giovanni in Marignano. The first locality is Saludecio followed by Mondaino. At this point one may opt for Montegridolfo, or else continue along the route toward Tavoleto and then Montefiore, Morciano and finally descend once more to the valley.
The itinerary has some very difficult points and generally consists of several demanding tracts. It lasts about 3 hours.
A much easier alternative is the route which goes through Riccione and then Sant'Andrea in Casale - Morciano - San Giovanni in Marignano.
The urban plan of the village centre dates to the Malatesta period with the town-walls and the fortified towers, and the grottoes for storing wheat. The 19th century Massari Theatre is a small jewel.
By going up into the undulating hills that flank the River Conca one reaches Saludecio, a village enclosed by its surrounding walls and accessible through two 14th century gateways. The town is famous for the Ottocento Festival held there every year in July.
In Mondaino the beautiful Piazza Maggiore, with its arcades, is the pride of the village together with the Paleontologic Museum which has a wealth of fossils found in the Conca Valley area. Every year in the month of August the "Palio del daino" takes place evoking medieval and renaissance local traditions.
Montefiore is dominated by the imposing fortress which looks out over the Riviera. Following a Via Crucis through the trees one reaches the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Bonora. Because of graces granted to the faithful, this is an important destination for pilgrims and the devoted who contribute to the interesting collection of votive offerings.
Cuisine: The cuisine offers dishes typical of the area, with a preference for substantial first courses such as tagliatelle with a sauce made of meat or sausage and mushrooms, and second courses of roast meat, including mutton. Side dishes normally consist of vegetables au gratin and oven-roasted potatoes. Desserts are of the simple, home-made kind and can even be found in village bakeries.
Wines: all the wines of Romagna, from Sangiovese to Trebbiano to Pagadebit to Albana, all find fertile terrain in the Conca Valley, which insures high quality production.
Purchases and souvenirs: The knowlegable hands of the area's craftsmen produce beautiful objects from wood, clay and iron. We recommend the ceramics in Montefiore and Saludecio, the wrought iron in Mondaino and many antique shops.