01San Leo at a glance
A day trip into the inland hills from Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini: San Leo is the village with the fortress on the cliff where Count Cagliostro was imprisoned – one of the most striking sights in the Valmarecchia.
It is 37.1 km from the hotel, about 55 minutes by car: half a day or a full day out, and in the evening you are back by the sea for our Romagna cooking. Food festivals and local fêtes at the time of your stay are on the events in Rimini page.
| Where | Piazza Dante Alighieri, 47865 San Leo (RN). Fortress: via Giacomo Leopardi; car park about 200 m from the Fortress |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 37.1 km, about 55 minutes |
| When to go | all year round; food festivals and fairs in autumn |
02History
- San Leo stands on a huge rocky outcrop with sheer walls, reached by a single road cut into the rock; its ancient name, Mons Feretrius, linked to a temple dedicated to Jupiter Feretrius, gave its name to the whole historic region of Montefeltro.
- According to tradition, at the end of the 3rd century the stonecutter Leo arrived from Dalmatia together with Marinus, the founder of San Marino, and spread Christianity in the area; Leo is regarded as the first bishop of Montefeltro.
- Between 961 and 963 Berengar II was besieged here by Otto I of Saxony: in those years San Leo was effectively the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
- In 1441 the young Federico da Montefeltro captured the fortress with a daring climb and commissioned the Sienese architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini to redesign it to withstand firearms: the result was the Renaissance fortress with its great round towers, described by Bembo as a "fortissimo propugnacolo e mirabile arnese di guerra" (a mighty bulwark and wondrous engine of war).
- From 1631, under the Papal States, the fortress became a prison and remained one until 1906; Risorgimento patriots such as Felice Orsini were held here.
- The most famous prisoner was Giuseppe Balsamo, Count Cagliostro, an alchemist and freemason condemned by the Inquisition: locked in the Pozzetto cell, about 3 metres by 3, once reachable only through a trapdoor in the ceiling, he died there on 26 August 1795.
03What to see
The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta is the oldest religious monument in Montefeltro: inside, the six columns and the Corinthian capitals were reused from Roman or late-antique buildings.
Next to the Pieve stands the Cattedrale di San Leone (Cathedral of St Leo), in Lombard Romanesque style, reconsecrated in 1173 and built entirely of sandstone; the entrance is on the side, and the crypt holds the lid of St Leo's sarcophagus. The nearby Romanesque bell tower is usually closed and opens for festivals and events.
St Francis of Assisi stayed in the Palazzo dei conti Nardini on 8 May 1213 and was given Mount La Verna as a gift; the main square is named after Dante, who mentions San Leo in the Divine Comedy.
San Leo is one of the Borghi più belli d'Italia (Most Beautiful Villages in Italy) and holds the Touring Club Italiano's Orange Flag. Until 15 August 2009 it belonged to the Marche (province of Pesaro and Urbino), then moved to Emilia-Romagna following the 2006 referendum.
At the table you will find the flavours of the hinterland: Mora Romagnola pork cold cuts, truffles, thin piadina, hand-rolled fresh pasta, passatelli, strozzapreti and cappelletti.
Sources: Emilia-Romagna Turismo · san-leo.it · Riviera di Rimini · Wikipedia. Information checked in October 2026.
04Visitor information
The old town, with the Pieve and the Cathedral, is free to explore on foot. From 14 September to 31 October 2026 the Fortress (via Giacomo Leopardi) is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 18:45 (last entry 18:00) and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 19:45 (last entry 19:00); opening times change with the season. 2026 tickets: full price €11 from age 26, €2 for ages 18 to 25, free up to age 17; booking is compulsory for groups. There is also a combined Verucchio + San Leo ticket for €16 (Rocca Malatestiana and Archaeological Museum in Verucchio plus the Fortress of San Leo). The IAT tourist office is at Piazza Dante Alighieri 14 (Mon–Fri 10:30–12:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–12:30). The car park is about 200 metres from the Fortress. Without a car: from Rimini railway station take Start Romagna bus no. 160 to Pietracuta, then the connecting bus to San Leo (weekdays only).
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: san-leo.it · Riviera di Rimini · museoarcheologicoverucchio.it. Information checked in October 2026.
05How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 37.1 km, about 55 minutes. At reception we can suggest the best route and the most convenient car parks, and on request we will prepare 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
- Verucchio, the Rocca Malatestiana and the Villanovan Museum (about 16 km)
- San Marino (about 22 km)
- Talamello, famous for its chestnuts and its Ambra formaggio di fossa (pit-aged cheese)
- Pennabilli and Tonino Guerra's "Places of the Soul"
- Sant'Agata Feltria, its fortress and white truffles
- Torriana and Montebello in the middle Valmarecchia
- San Marino
- Pennabilli
- Sant’Agata Feltria
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
Where was Count Cagliostro imprisoned?
In the Fortress of San Leo: condemned by the Inquisition, he had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment and was locked in the Pozzetto cell, where he died on 26 August 1795. The cell is part of the tour of the Fortress.
How much does it cost to visit the Fortress of San Leo?
In 2026 a full-price ticket costs €11 (aged 26 and over), a reduced ticket is €2 for young people aged 18 to 25, and entry is free up to the age of 17.
How far is San Leo from Hotel Viking?
37.1 km, about 55 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
How long do you need to visit San Leo?
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 San Leo worth visiting in autumn?
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.
