01Formaggio di fossa
Formaggio di fossa (literally “pit cheese”) is aged underground, in pits dug into the sandstone, which are cleaned and lined before each ageing. Tradition has it that the cheese is sealed in the pits in mid-August and taken out on 25 November, for Santa Caterina; the production rules require 80-100 days of ageing. The result is a cheese with an intense aroma and a flavour ranging from mild to sharp.
It has been PDO since 2009 under the name “Formaggio di fossa di Sogliano” and can also be made throughout the province of Rimini. It is made with sheep’s, cow’s or mixed milk.
02Talamello and its Ambra
In Talamello, in the Valmarecchia, there are more than twenty cheese pits. The poet Tonino Guerra named their cheese “Ambra di Talamello” (Talamello amber) because of its colour.
Every November the village holds the Fiera del formaggio di fossa (formaggio di fossa fair): in 2026 it is scheduled for Sundays 15 and 22 November in piazza Garibaldi, with free entry and cheese sold by the producers. Talamello is about 37 km from the hotel, 45 minutes by car, and just a stone’s throw from San Leo.
03The cheese pits of Sogliano and Mondaino
- Sogliano al Rubicone (about 27 km): the town that gives the PDO its name. In autumn several pits open to visitors; the Fossa Pellegrini also houses the Museo del formaggio di fossa (formaggio di fossa museum), open by appointment (formaggiodifossa.it).
- Mondaino (about 45 km): at the Mulino della Porta di Sotto there are three pits that are filled every August, with visits and tastings (portadisotto.it). You’ll find the village on our Mondaino and Montegridolfo page.
04Squacquerone
Squacquerone di Romagna, PDO since 2012, is a fresh cheese made from whole cow’s milk: white, very soft and rindless, with a delicate, slightly tangy flavour. It is spread on warm piadina, with rocket, prosciutto crudo or sausage.
You’ll find it at every piadina kiosk on the Riviera, and we serve it at Hotel Viking too, with home-made piadina: take a look at our kitchen.
05The affineurs
In Romagna some people do more than just age cheese: the affinatori (affineurs) select the wheels and mature them in different ways, to give each cheese its own character.
| Renato Brancaleoni | Roncofreddo, in the Rubicone valley (about 24 km). From a family of affineurs with more than 200 years of history: cheeses matured in the “Fossa dell’Abbondanza”, in Albana grape pomace, in a crust of beeswax and saffron, and among walnut leaves. fossadellabbondanza.it |
|---|---|
| Romagna Terre | Gambettola (about 20 km). More than 50 cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s and buffalo milk cheeses, matured by hand under herbs and flowers, in caves, in pits and in barrels; 13 awards at the World Cheese Awards 2023. romagnaterre.it |
06Where to buy them in the Valmarecchia
As well as at the Talamello fair, you can buy formaggio di fossa at the Spaccio della Miniera in Perticara (Novafeltria), via Crispi 36/E: it is the shop of the Altavalmarecchia e Montefeltro Latte cooperative, which ages its cheese in the pits of Talamello and Perticara and also sells milk and fresh cheeses (spacciodellaminiera.it). Check the opening times before you set off.
More flavours of the hinterland: wineries and wine · olive mills and oil · formaggio di fossa and squacquerone · cured meats and meat. The villages to visit are on our Rimini hinterland page.
Sources: Reg. CE 1183/2009 · ONAF fossa · Riviera di Rimini · Emilia-Romagna Turismo · lavalmarecchia.it · ONAF squacquerone · Spaccio della Miniera · ALMA – Brancaleoni · Il Golosario – Romagna Terre. Information checked in October 2026: opening hours, dates and visits may change, so always phone ahead.
07FAQ
What is formaggio di fossa?
A sheep’s, cow’s or mixed-milk cheese that is aged underground, in pits dug into the sandstone: it has been PDO since 2009 as “Formaggio di fossa di Sogliano”.
When is the cheese taken out of the pits?
Traditionally it is sealed in the pits in mid-August and taken out on 25 November, the feast of Santa Caterina (St Catherine).
When is the Talamello formaggio di fossa fair?
In November: in 2026 on Sundays 15 and 22 November in piazza Garibaldi, with free entry.
Why is it called Ambra di Talamello?
The name, meaning “Talamello amber”, was given by the poet Tonino Guerra, after the cheese’s amber colour.
What is squacquerone?
A very soft fresh cow’s milk cheese, PDO since 2012, for spreading on warm piadina: we serve it at Hotel Viking too.
Who are the cheese affineurs in Romagna?
For example Renato Brancaleoni in Roncofreddo, with the Fossa dell’Abbondanza, and Romagna Terre in Gambettola, which matures more than 50 cheeses under herbs, flowers and leaves.
