Cesena

Cesena, surrounded by green hills and with the sea not far away, is a lively and surprising town, quiet and never chaotic, and above all rich in historical monuments, places of interest and fascinating views. The "city of the three Popes", so called because three Popes of the Catholic Church were born here, holds priceless artistic treasures, such as the Malatesta Library, the Malatesta Fortress, the beautiful Piazza del Popolo (People's Square), the Palazzo Pretorio and the Bonci Theater, which tell the story of a city with a past of great splendor.

The historic center of Cesena is a gem suitable for a stroll through its suggestive streets dotted with characteristic restaurants, bars and pubs that make it one of the liveliest cities in this piece of Romagna.

The diamond of the city is the historic Malatesta Library, the first civic library built in Italy in the 15th century and included in the Unesco World Memory Register. Designed by Matteo Nuti, the Library was born inside a Franciscan Convent in 1454 and is now perfectly preserved. Inside it there are about 250,000 volumes, including precious incunabulum, scrolls and ancient manuscripts, thanks to which it is possible to admire the work of the scribes.

The Malatesta Library

Gem of the city, the historic Malatesta Library is the first civic library built in Italy and it’s included in the Register of the Memory of the World by UNESCO. Designed by Matteo Nuti, the Library was created in a Franciscan Convent in 1454 and it’s perfectly preserved to this day. Inside it there are about 250 thousand volumes, including precious incunabula, scrolls and ancient manuscripts, thanks to which you can admire the work of the scribes.

The Malatesta Fortress

The Malatesta Fortress, reachable through a path in the green of the Parco della Rimembranza (Memory’s Park), stands out in all its magnificence over the city. The fortress was built between the fourteenth and the fifteenth centuries at the behest of Galeotto I Malatesta and today houses several medieval themed installations and the Museum of the History of Agriculture. The view that you can enjoy from the walkways on the walls is spectacular and allows you to see up to the sea.

Piazza del Popolo and the Masini's Fountain

Heart of the city life, Piazza del Popolo (People’s Square) is the perfect starting point to easily reach all the main attractions of Cesena on foot. At the center of the Square is the Masini’s Fountain, designed at the end of the ‘500 by the sculptor from which it takes its name. On the large Square there are many historical and local shops that in summer set up their tables outdoors, making the Square even more alive.

The Bonci Theatre

Along Corso Mazzini, still within the walls, past the Cathedral of Saint Giovanni Battista, there is the Bonci Theatre, an elegant neoclassical building, inaugurated in 1846 and dedicated to the famous tenor Alessandro Bonci, who is born in Cesena. Its impeccable acoustics and rich schedule, characterized by the performances of the best opera and dramatic productions, set the Bonci Theatre among the most renowned theaters in Europe.

The Silvia - Carducci's Villa

In the small village of Lizzano, at 7 kilometers from the center of Cesena, there is an unmissable place rich in history and culture: The Silvia – Carducci’s Villa, an eighteenth-century estate immersed in the nature of the hills that became a landmark of Romagna’s culture frequented by famous artists, among which Giosuè Carducci. Here, the poet spent the last years of his life and you can visit the room where he stayed, remained perfectly intact and preserved with the furnishings of the time and some memorabilia.

The Musicalia's Museum

Inside the Silvia – Carducci’s Villa is hosted the Musicalia Museum, the first and only museum that traces the history of mechanical music in Italy. The museum is home of countless and fascinating musical instruments such as miniature organs, musical boxes and mechanical pianos, and finally a reconstruction of the mechanical war drum designed by Leonardo Da Vinci. The garden of the villa is also the setting for concerts and special events.

Here’s what you can do in Cesena!

These are just some of the experiences you can find in Cesena.