01San Leo at a glance
A day trip into the 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, and one of the most striking sights in the Valmarecchia.
It's 37.1 km from the hotel, about 55 minutes by car. Make it a half-day or full-day trip and be back by the sea in the evening for our Romagna cooking. For food festivals and local fêtes during your stay, see 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; food festivals and fairs in autumn |
02History
- San Leo sits on a huge rocky outcrop with sheer sides, reached by a single road cut into the rock. Its ancient name, Mons Feretrius, from a temple to Jupiter Feretrius, gave its name to the whole historic region of Montefeltro.
- Tradition has it that at the end of the 3rd century the stonecutter Leo came from Dalmatia 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 Otto I of Saxony besieged Berengar II here, and for those few years San Leo was in effect the capital of the Kingdom of Italy.
- In 1441 the young Federico da Montefeltro took the fortress after a daring climb and had the Sienese architect Francesco di Giorgio Martini rebuild it to withstand firearms. The result was the Renaissance fortress with its great round towers, which Bembo called a "fortissimo propugnacolo e mirabile arnese di guerra" (a mighty bulwark and wondrous engine of war).
- From 1631, under the Papal States, the fortress was used as a prison, and it stayed one until 1906. Risorgimento patriots such as Felice Orsini were held here.
- Its most famous prisoner was Giuseppe Balsamo, Count Cagliostro, an alchemist and freemason condemned by the Inquisition. He was locked in the Pozzetto cell, about 3 metres by 3 and once reachable only through a trapdoor in the ceiling, and died there on 26 August 1795.
03What to see
The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta is the oldest religious building in Montefeltro. Its six columns and Corinthian capitals were taken from Roman or late-antique buildings.
Next to the Pieve stands the Cattedrale di San Leone (Cathedral of St Leo), Lombard Romanesque, reconsecrated in 1173 and built entirely of sandstone. You go in from the side, and the crypt holds the lid of St Leo's sarcophagus. The nearby Romanesque bell tower is usually closed and only opens for festivals and events.
St Francis of Assisi stayed at the Palazzo dei conti Nardini on 8 May 1213 and was given Mount La Verna there. 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 was part of the Marche (province of Pesaro and Urbino); it moved to Emilia-Romagna after the 2006 referendum.
At table you'll find the flavours of the hills: Mora Romagnola cured meats, 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 wander round. 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 vary with the season. 2026 tickets: full price €11 from age 26, €2 for ages 18 to 25, free up to age 17; groups must book. 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 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 handiest car parks, and we'll 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 villages to see on the same day 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: villages to visit in the hills. For more ideas, see 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 Fortress tour.
How much does it cost to visit the Fortress of San Leo?
In 2026 a full-price ticket costs €11 (age 26 and over), young people aged 18 to 25 pay €2, 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 covers the village and the castle. Add lunch at an osteria and another village nearby and you have a good full day out.
Where should I stay to visit the villages of the Valmarecchia and Valconca?
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 trips inland.
Is San Leo worth visiting in autumn?
Yes. Autumn brings food festivals, chestnuts and the colours of the changing hills. Check the dates on the town council's website.
