Castrocaro Terme e Terra del Sole

Seascapes and inaccessible rocks. In the heart of Romagna, among the last summits of the Apennines, where the river Montone flows slowly and sinuously. Dominated by the ancient fortress that has laid silent on the valley for about a millennium and has been guarded by arcades, enigmas and legends.

Its richness is in the bromine and iodine of its waters and in the natural sludges that since the Etruscan times have made the town a well known spa centre.

Castrocaro's origins are very ancient. As evidenced by numerous finds, from the Neolithic times in the caves dug between the rocks that offered a safe haven to the locals. Called Salsubium by the Romans for the richness of its salt water, it took the name Castrocaro in the Middle Ages (from the Celtic name Kaster Kar, which means rocky spur.

Up to the Middle Ages an  imposing fortress was built on an accentuated rock at the mouth of the valley. Also quoted by Dante Alighieri in his DivineComedy, and the famous invention of Purgatory against the corrupt Romagna families, the history of the municipality embraces two distinct periods: the direct and almost uninterrupted domain of the Church until 1403 and that of Florence until the unity of Italy.

The medieval urban layout has been preserved intact by through time. The historic centre is dominated by the fortress, now home to the Historic-Archaeological Museum that hosts falconry exhibitions. The structure, which has been completely renovated, is considered one of the most interesting examples of fortified architecture for the presence of Medici arsenals of cannons.

The ancient nucleus of Castrocaro contains valuable buildings of different ages, a symbol of the cultural stratification of the village. Like the Romanesque baptistery of San Giovanni alla Murata, the fifteenth-century Palazzo dei Commissari, the residence of the Captains of Justice (sent by the Florentines during wartime when the town became the capital of the region), the eighteenth-century Palazzo Piancastelli and the church dedicated to the Saints Nicholas and Francis which has works by Palmezzano.

An  important Art Deco Monument is the Festival Pavilion, located in the enchanting Parco delle Terme, home to prestigious exhibitions. Designed by Diego Corsani, with Tito Chini's artistic advice, his frescoes and decorations in the liberty style and the original majolica is an expression of the artistic current that dominated Italy in so-called "roaring years."

In Castrocaro the families offer one of the best food and wine traditions in Romagna. Its inhabitants are always ready to imbibe cheerful tables with local products such as pasta, piadina and sliced ​​meat. The surrounding hills boast a renowned wine-making tradition with decisive wines.