How to get there and what to see in Portico di Romagna, where it is said that the poet Dante Alighieri met Beatrice during his exile from Florence.
There is a place, in the heart of Romagna, where time seems to have stopped on the day whenDante Alighieri, exiled from his Florentine homeland, met his Beatrice and fell in love with her. This place is calledPortico of Romagnaand rises in the Montone valley, along the road that connectsForlìin Florence.
Recognized asOrange Flag, the village of Portico di Romagna is part of the Acquacheta mountain community (together with those of San Benedetto in Alpe and Bocconi) and is distinguished by a center characterized by cobbled streets, narrow alleys and well-kept green spaces.
The history of Portico di Romagna and the meeting of Dante and Beatrice
The origins of the village of Portico di Romagna are very ancient and date back to the time when the Romans freed these territories from the domination of the Gauls. The name "Portico" derives in fact from the Latinporticumi.e. market place.
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During theMiddle Agesit was the families of the Counts Guidi, Visconti and the Florentine republic who determined the events of the village until, in 1386, it passed into the hands of Florence, becoming the capital of Tuscan Romagna.
It is in this context that the narration has it that the poet Dante Alighieri, exiled from his land, found shelter in the abbey of San Benedetto in Alpe and metBeatrice Portinari, daughter of Fosco who owned a building in the center of Portico.
What to see in Portico di Romagna
For the story that the poet Dante Alighieri intertwines with Beatrice, Portico di Romagna is one of the places that are part of the circuit "The ways of Dante”. The medieval village is structured on three distinct and connected floors. At the highest point stands the "Girone" to which thecastle(today only one tower remains), the Pieve di Santa Maria in Girone, the Palazzo dei Podestà and theGarden of Dante and Beatrice.
The noble palaces are located on the middle level. Among them stand outPalazzo Portinari(belonged to Fosco Portinari, father of Beatrice) and Palazzo Traversari.
Finally, in the lower part, the ancient village rises with the picturesque and evocativeMajesty Bridge.
Curiosity! In the surroundings of Portico di Romagna is locatedMonte Busca, the smallest active volcano in the world, one of the things you absolutely must see if you are in the area.
How to get to Portico di Romagna
Portico di Romagna stands on the border between theEmilia Romagna and the Tuscany, along the state road 67 which connects Florence to Forlì. The quickest and most practical way to reach the town is by car (bus line 127 connects from Forlì):
- From Forlì: about 41 km passing through the SS67;
- From Florence: about 68 km via the SS67;
- From Bologna: about 115 km via the E45 and SS67.
The closest airports to Portico di Romagna are Florence and Bologna.
Verónica Crocitti
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