Dante between History and Nature

Guided tour of Ravenna, the quiet and peaceful city where Dante completed the Divine Comedy. In this place, the figure of the Supreme Poet became an object of great devotion and, on his death in September 1321, a real cult.

The guide will tell you about Dante’s life, describing his stay in the city and the circumstances of his death, the construction of the tomb and the story of the theft of the bones, as well as the numerous interventions to enhance the cultural heritage related to his work.

A municipality in the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines, a nationally renowned destination for its prodigious thermal waters and two historical treasures: the medieval village built around the ancient Fortress of Castrocaro and the wonderful Renaissance “ideal city” of Terra del Sole.

In the morning we’ll meet at the starting point for a hike to Acquacheta, the famous waterfall mentioned by Dante in the Divine Comedy. The waterfall can be reached with one and a half / two hours walk from the village of San Benedetto in Alpe. Dante’s path winds along the Acquacheta stream and leads to the waterfall, which has a drop of about 70 meters, a grandiose and unique attraction. Dante was exiled from Florence in 1302; on the road towards Ravenna, he spent the winter of 1302-1303 in the town of San Benedetto in Alpe and in the Benedictine Abbey that had stood there since the fourth century. In exile, he begins to write the Divine Comedy and, in the narration of the itinerary through Hell and Purgatory, describes the Waterfall in Canto XVI (94-105).

Afternoon: visit to Terra del Sole, a unique and surprising example of a Renaissance “ideal city”. This fortress-city was founded on 8 December 1564 by the will of Cosimo I de ‘Medici, as the new capital of the Tuscan Romagna. Terra del Sole is an extraordinary example of the new urban planning model that imposed itself in Italy in the 1500s, influenced by the theories of military engineers. It boasts a perfectly preserved city wall, 13 meters high, surmounted by 2 castles. Among the points of greatest interest: the Church of Santa Reparata and the Palazzo Pretorio, which houses the helical staircase by Leonardo da Vinci in the dungeons.

Guided tour of the imposing Fortress of Castrocaro Terme (11th-14th century), one of the most interesting examples of medieval fortified architecture: proudly erected on a rocky spur, it stands as evidence of considerable architectural, historical and cultural value. We visit the Palazzo del Castellano, where the historical-archaeological museum of the city is set up, the Medici Arsenals, the internal courtyard with a panoramic terrace on the surrounding area.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

2-night lodging in a 3-star hotel; 1 guided tour in Ravenna; 1 entrance to the Fortress of Castrocaro; 1 visit to Terra del Sole; 1 dinner with medieval menu in the tavern (4 courses, drinks not included).

NOT INCLUDED:

Tour leader; City tax; Transportation and transfers; Meals; Visits and entrances not included within the itinerary; Tips and any personal extras; Anything not expressly listed in ”what’s included”.

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

2-night lodging in a 4-star hotel; 1 guided tour in Ravenna; 1 entrance to the Fortress of Castrocaro; 1 visit to Terra del Sole; 1 dinner with medieval menu in the tavern (4 courses, drinks not included).

NOT INCLUDED:

A companion; City tax; Transportation and transfers; Meals; Visits and entrances not included within the itinerary; Tips and any personal extras; Anything not expressly listed in ”what’s included”.