01Santarcangelo di Romagna at a glance
A day trip into the hills from Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family's 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini: Santarcangelo is the closest hilltop town to the hotel, with caves dug into the tuff, the Malatesta fortress, the triumphal arch and osterie serving piadina and Romagna cooking.
It's 10.3 km from the hotel, about 20 minutes by car: half a day or a full day, then back to the sea in the evening for our Romagna cooking. Food festivals and fêtes at that time of year are listed on our events in Rimini page.
| Where | Piazza Ganganelli, 47822 Santarcangelo di Romagna (RN). IAT tourist office at Via C. Battisti 5 (in the restricted traffic zone); recommended car park: Area Campana, about 700–800 m from the IAT |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 10.3 km, about 20 minutes |
| When to go | all year round; food festivals and fairs in autumn |
02History
- Santarcangelo stands on the Via Emilia, about 10 km from Rimini, and is known as the "gateway to the Valmarecchia". Its origins are Roman, but the present town took shape around the year 1000 on the Colle Giove hill, around the first castle, which later became the Rocca Malatestiana.
- In 1828 Pope Leo XII granted it the title of city, and since 1984 Santarcangelo has officially been a City of Art.
- Beneath the historic centre lie more than 150 man-made caves dug into the sandstone, a true underground city whose origins are still a mystery: cellars, storerooms or places of worship. The Grotta Monumentale, owned by the town council, has at its entrance a colonnade taken from a 14th-century Franciscan church; during the Second World War the caves gave shelter to many people.
- In the central Piazza Ganganelli rises the great triumphal arch built by the townspeople in 1777 in honour of their fellow citizen Pope Clement XIV (Lorenzo Ganganelli, 1705-1774), the only pope born in Santarcangelo; the ancient Via Emilia used to pass under the arch.
- The Rocca Malatestiana owes its present appearance to the work carried out in 1447 by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, who added three polygonal towers; today it belongs to the Colonna di Paliano family, and legend sets here the tragedy of Paolo and Francesca told by Dante.
- The Campanone, the 25-metre neo-Gothic bell tower built in 1893, is, together with the Arco Ganganelli, the symbol of the town: at the top a wrought-iron weathervane depicts St Michael the Archangel, patron saint of Santarcangelo.
03What to see
In the historic workshop of the Stamperia Marchi, traditional Romagna rust-printed linens are still made and pressed with a mangle dating from 1633 that is still in use.
The town's signature product is the Cipolla dell'acqua di Santarcangelo, a Slow Food Presidium: a sweet, early onion that can weigh up to 1 kg (the locals are nicknamed "i cipolloni", the big onions). Legend has it that the name Sangiovese comes from "Sanguis Jovis", the wine made on the Colle Giove hill.
Every November brings the Fiera di San Martino, known as the "Fiera dei Becchi" (Cuckolds' Fair), with horns hung under the Arch, the national storytellers' festival (Sagra Nazionale dei Cantastorie) and a market of seasonal produce; in 2026 it runs from 7 to 11 November.
In July the town hosts the Festival Internazionale del Teatro in Piazza, held since 1971 and one of the most important theatre festivals in Italy.
Santarcangelo is the birthplace of the poet and screenwriter Tonino Guerra (who wrote the screenplay for Fellini's Amarcord), the dialect poets Raffaello Baldini and Nino Pedretti, and the 17th-century painter Guido Cagnacci.
Sources: visitsantarcangelo.it · Emilia-Romagna Turismo · iatsantarcangelo.com · Wikipedia. Information checked in October 2026.
04Visitor information
The historic centre, the squares and the medieval quarter are free to explore on foot. The public Grotta Monumentale can only be visited on a guided tour (about 50 minutes) starting from the IAT tourist office at Via C. Battisti 5; booking is recommended. Prices published in October 2026: €5 full price and €4 reduced, free for children up to 14; the temperature in the caves stays at around 13 °C. Tours from 26 October to 28 March at 10:00, 11:30, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00 (Thursdays mornings only); from 29 March to 25 October at 10:00, 11:30, 15:30, 16:30 and 17:30. The IAT is open every day (26/10 to 28/3: 8:30am–12:30pm and 2pm–6pm, closed Thursday afternoons; 29/3 to 25/10: 8:30am–12:30pm and 3pm–7pm). The office is in the restricted traffic zone, so it's best to park at Area Campana, the largest car park, which is free and about 700–800 metres away, except in the last week of August and the first half of November. By tradition, shops close on Thursday afternoons; the weekly markets are on Monday and Friday mornings in Piazza Ganganelli.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: iatsantarcangelo.com. Information checked in October 2026.
05How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: 10.3 km, about 20 minutes. At reception we'll suggest the best route and the most convenient car parks, and on request we can pack you a picnic 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
- Poggio Torriana, with Palazzo Marcosanti and the Valmarecchia watermills (about 6 km)
- Torriana and the village of Montebello, with the Rocca dei Guidi di Bagno and the legend of Azzurrina
- Verucchio, cradle of the Malatesta family
- San Marino and San Leo, heading up the Valmarecchia
- Rimini (about 10 km)
- Montebello and Torriana
- Verucchio
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
Can you visit the caves in Santarcangelo?
Yes: the public Grotta Monumentale can only be seen on a guided tour of about 50 minutes, starting from the IAT tourist office at Via C. Battisti 5. It's best to book ahead and bring clothing suited to the constant temperature of around 13 °C.
When is the Fiera di San Martino in Santarcangelo?
It takes place every year around 11 November, St Martin's Day; in 2026 it runs from 7 to 11 November, with the ritual of the horns hung under the Arch, the cantastorie (travelling storytellers) and the market of autumn produce.
How far is Santarcangelo di Romagna from Hotel Viking?
10.3 km, about 20 minutes by car from Viserbella di Rimini.
How long do you need to visit Santarcangelo di Romagna?
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 Santarcangelo di Romagna?
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.
