01Mondaino and Montegridolfo at a glance
A day trip inland from Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini: Mondaino and Montegridolfo are two neighbouring villages in the hills of the Valconca – Mondaino with its semicircular square and the Palio de lo Daino, Montegridolfo with its intact walls and its museum of the Gothic Line.
It is 44.6 km from the hotel, about 55 minutes by car: a half or full day out, and in the evening you are back by the sea for our Romagna cooking. Food festivals and local celebrations are listed on the events in Rimini page.
| Where | Piazza Maggiore, 47836 Mondaino (RN) and Montegridolfo, 47837 Montegridolfo (RN) |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 44.6 km, about 55 minutes |
| When to go | all year round; food festivals and fairs in autumn |
02History
- Mondaino was a stronghold of the Malatesta family of Rimini, already present in 1289, on the border with the rival territory of the Montefeltro of Urbino; peace treaties were signed in its fortress in 1393 and 1459.
- You enter Mondaino through Porta Marina, which dates from the Malatesta period, and come out in Piazza Maggiore, a 19th-century semicircular square enclosed by a neoclassical portico that locals call "la Padella" (the frying pan).
- Mondaino's Rocca Malatestiana houses the Palaeontology Section of the Musei di Mondaino, with Miocene fossils from around 5 million years ago, including 21 species of fish and rare bird remains.
- Also in the fortress are the Mondaino majolica exhibition, the display of Galanti accordions and, in the gate tower, a reconstruction of a mid-15th-century guardroom; from the castle terrace the view stretches from the sea to the hills.
- The Palio de lo Daino, held in August, re-enacts the 1459 meeting between Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta and Federico da Montefeltro: four districts (Borgo, Castello, Contado and Montebello) compete in Piazza Maggiore amid Renaissance-style craftspeople, musicians and taverns.
- Formaggio di fossa (pit-aged cheese) matures in the three cylindrical pits of the Mulino della Porta di Sotto; in November the "Fossa, Tartufo e Venere" festival celebrates the opening of the pits together with the white truffle of the Rimini hills.
03What to see
Montegridolfo is one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia (Most Beautiful Villages in Italy): a small hilltop castle entirely enclosed by high walls with a single entrance.
After the damage of the 1336 siege, the Malatesta rebuilt Montegridolfo on a regular plan, with higher walls and four towers; you enter through a 16th-century gate tower reached by a raised walkway, and the houses line three parallel streets.
Inside the walls of Montegridolfo, the town hall and Palazzo Viviani look onto the square, while the church of San Rocco (1427) holds a canvas by Cagnacci and frescoes from the 15th and 17th centuries.
Montegridolfo's Museo della Linea dei Goti (Gothic Line Museum) tells the story of the front line passing through in 1944 along the German defensive line, with war relics, propaganda material and some of the shelters dug by civilians.
From the walls of Montegridolfo the view reaches the coast at Pesaro, Rimini and the lower Foglia valley.
Sources: Riviera di Rimini · Emilia-Romagna Turismo · cultura.gov.it. Information checked in October 2026.
04Visitor information
Walking around the old centres of Mondaino and Montegridolfo is free. The museums in the Rocca di Mondaino are covered by a single ticket that also includes the Torre Portaia (gate tower) and the majolica exhibition; for up-to-date opening times and prices, contact the Musei di Mondaino (tel. 366 2078470) or the tourist office at Piazza Maggiore 1 (tel. 0541 982060). The Museo della Linea dei Goti is in Via Borgo in Montegridolfo, and it is best to contact it before your visit (tel. 0541 1613093). There is an admission charge for the Palio de lo Daino.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: Riviera di Rimini · Emilia-Romagna Turismo · cultura.gov.it. Information checked in October 2026.
05How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 44.6 km, about 55 minutes. At reception we can suggest the best route and the most convenient car parks, and on request we will make you a packed lunch.
Your space at the hotel stays reserved in our private car park, which is fenced and covered by CCTV. Other villages to combine on the same day are listed below.
06Nearby
- Saludecio
- San Giovanni in Marignano
- Montefiore Conca
- Gradara
- Cattolica and Riccione (about 15 km from Mondaino)
- Montefiore Conca
- Gradara
All the villages on one page: the hinterland and hilltop villages to visit. More ideas in things to do in Rimini.
07What our guests say
What our guests say about their trips into the hills.
Day trips
«You can book trips inland with the help of the reception staff»
Sea and hills
«great view from the balcony, towards the sea on one side and the hinterland on the other»
08FAQ
When is the Palio de lo Daino held in Mondaino?
It takes place every year in August over four days; in 2026 it was held from 20 to 23 August in Piazza Maggiore.
What can you see at the Museo della Linea dei Goti in Montegridolfo?
Second World War finds, mostly donated by local people, weapons and equipment from the opposing armies, models of military vehicles, newspapers and propaganda leaflets from 1943-44, and some of the shelters dug by civilians in 1944.
How far are Mondaino and Montegridolfo from Hotel Viking?
44.6 km, about 55 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
How long do you need to visit Mondaino and Montegridolfo?
Half a day is enough for the village centre and the main monument; add lunch at an osteria and another nearby village and it becomes a lovely full day out.
Where to stay to visit the hilltop villages of the Valmarecchia and Valconca?
At Hotel Viking in Viserbella di Rimini: a 3-star hotel 100 metres from the sea, with a private car park, open all year round and handy for day trips into the inland hills.
Is autumn a good time to visit Mondaino and Montegridolfo?
Yes: in autumn the hinterland has its food festivals, chestnuts and the colours of the hills; check the dates on the town council's website.
