01Saludecio at a glance
A Malatesta village in the Valconca hills, with two medieval gateways, the shrine of Sant'Amato Ronconi (Saint Amato Ronconi) and dozens of murals about the 19th century: just right for a slow day inland.
From Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini, it's 42.1 km, about 55 minutes by car: set off after breakfast and you'll be back by the sea in the evening for our Romagna cooking. For more ideas, see our villages to visit in the hills page.
| Where | Chiesa di San Biagio (church of St Blaise) and Museo di Saludecio e del Santo Amato Ronconi, Piazza Santo Amato Ronconi 1, 47835 Saludecio (RN) |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 42.1 km, about 55 minutes |
| When to go | all year; late April for SalusErbe, and late afternoon to see the murals in the warm light |
02History
- Saludecio stands in the Valconca hills at 343 metres above sea level, a few kilometres from the border with the Marche.
- It was a stronghold of the Malatesta of Rimini, at the centre of a ring of castles that guarded the border with the Montefeltro lands around Urbino.
- In 1462 Federico da Montefeltro took the village from Sigismondo Malatesta. Between 1504 and 1508 it was briefly ruled by Venice, then went back to the Papal States.
- In the 17th century the village went through a period of strong cultural growth, linked in part to the painter Guido Cagnacci. The museum has two of his canvases from 1627-1628.
- The church of San Biagio was built between the late 18th and early 19th centuries to a design by Giuseppe Achilli, an architect from Cesena.
- In the 19th century the local landowning families built and improved palazzi along the main street. In 1859 Garibaldi spent a night at Palazzo Albini.
03What to see
Porta Marina is the main way into the village: a 14th-century tower from the Malatesta era, with a 16th-century coat of arms at the top. On the other side of the village is the smaller Porta Montanara, which defended Saludecio on the inland side.
Piazza Santo Amato Ronconi is home to the neoclassical church of San Biagio, where the body of Sant'Amato Ronconi (1226-1292), patron saint of Saludecio, is kept. Next to the church is the Museo di Saludecio e del Santo Amato, with almost 300 works including paintings, silverware, vestments and ex votos. Among them are Guido Cagnacci's Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Pope St Sixtus in Ecstasy.
Opposite the church is the Palazzo Comunale (town hall), built from the old Malatesta fortress. Its former prison cells house an exhibition on the Risorgimento (Italian unification) dedicated to Giuseppe Garibaldi, with memorabilia collected from all over the world.
The 14th-century Torre Civica (civic tower) is the most important medieval building in the village, with the village coat of arms set into the wall. Today it hosts temporary exhibitions.
Via Roma is the street of the noble palazzi, built between the 16th and 19th centuries. The best known is Palazzo Albini, with a colonnaded courtyard in the Urbino style, where Garibaldi slept in 1859. Along the street you'll also pass Palazzo Magi, Palazzo Zandri and the houses linked to the Blessed Elisabetta Renzi.
Saludecio is known as the Città dei Muri Dipinti (Town of Painted Walls): there are 51 murals in its lanes and little squares, all telling stories of the 19th century. Hunting them down one by one is the best way to find the village's hidden corners too.
Sources: riviera.rimini.it · it.wikipedia.org · bbcc.regione.emilia-romagna.it · monasteriemiliaromagna.it Information checked in October 2026.
04Festivals and food fairs
- SalusErbe (late April, around 25 April; in 2026: 25–26 April): A spring show and market of herbal remedies, natural and organic food, plants and gardening, with music and street theatre in the village streets. Free entry.
Dates change every year, so always check before you set off. Sources: emiliaromagnaturismo.it
05Visitor information
The village, the gateways and the murals are free to explore on foot at any time. The Museo di Saludecio e del Santo Amato Ronconi (Piazza Santo Amato Ronconi 1, at the church of San Biagio) has no published opening times: visits are arranged on weekdays, and guided tours must be booked by phone on 0541 981664 (Suor Vittoria) or by email at museo.santo.amato.saludecio@gmail.com. The museum is only partly accessible to people with disabilities. We couldn't find a published entry price. For general information, call the Comune di Saludecio switchboard on 0541 869711 or email ufficio.segreteria@comune.saludecio.rn.it.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: monasteriemiliaromagna.it · bbcc.regione.emilia-romagna.it · emiliaromagnaturismo.it Information checked in October 2026.
06How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 42.1 km, about 55 minutes. At reception we'll suggest the best route and where to park, and we can make you a packed lunch if you ask.
Your space back at the hotel stays free in our private car park, which is fenced and has CCTV. You'll find other places to see on the same day below.
07Nearby
- Mondaino and Montegridolfo
- Montefiore Conca
- Gemmano and the Grotte di Onferno (Onferno Caves)
- Coriano
- Gradara
All the villages on one page: villages to visit in the hills. For more ideas, see things to do in Rimini.
08What our guests say
What our guests say about their day trips.
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»
09FAQ
How much does it cost to visit Saludecio, and when is the museum open?
The village and the murals are free and open at any time. The Museo di Saludecio e del Santo Amato has no fixed published opening times: visits are arranged on weekdays by calling 0541 981664 or emailing museo.santo.amato.saludecio@gmail.com. We couldn't find a published entry price.
How long should I allow for Saludecio?
Two or three hours is enough for a walk round the village, the square and the murals. Add the museum and lunch at an osteria and it's worth giving it half a day or a whole day, as the Riviera di Rimini tourist website also suggests.
What are the Saludecio murals?
They are 51 wall paintings dotted around the lanes and little squares, all about the 19th century. That's why Saludecio is called the Città dei Muri Dipinti (Town of Painted Walls). They look their best in the warm light of late afternoon.
Who was Sant'Amato Ronconi?
Amato Ronconi (1226-1292) is the patron saint of Saludecio. His body is kept in the church of San Biagio, and many of the works in the museum are linked to devotion to him. His feast day is 8 May.
How far is Saludecio from Hotel Viking?
42.1 km, about 55 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
Where should I stay to visit Saludecio?
Hotel Viking in Viserbella di Rimini is a 3-star hotel 150 metres from the sea, with a private car park, open all year and well placed for day trips.
