Romagna is dotted with castles, fortresses and villas that tell the story of the territory of the provinces of Ferrara, Ravenna, Rimini and Forlì-Cesena. Many of these fortresses and castles are Pet Friendly, magical places to visit in the company of your four-legged friend. Rocks, stones, boulders, thick walls that have crossed time and that exude history and stories from long ago.
A unique and special opportunity to discover the cities, hills, ancient villages of Romagna in the company of your four-legged friend.
There are 90 of them in this small strip of land in Romagna, a veritable historical and cultural heritage to see, touch, get to know with your four-legged friends.
All dogs accompanied on a leash by their owners are welcome inside. From the top of this splendid Malatesta fortress of the fourteenth century you can enjoy a unique panorama; on clear days you can clearly see the entire Romagna Riviera from Cattolica to the Lidos of Ravenna and the hill of the Republic of San Marino. To welcome you on arrival, trained staff and the legendary Trilly, a dwarf Pinscher belonging to Nadia, the head of the staff of the Castellani della Rocca. Inside there are museum rooms, ceramics, panoramic terraces and staircases from other times, all easily walkable with your furry friend.
Dogs of all sizes can enter. Located in Romagna in the territory of the ancient Malatesta Lordship of Rimini, it is truly a perfect place to spend a special day in the company of our four-legged friends. Dogs, large or small, day and night, when they arrive always find a nice bowl of fresh water to welcome them. Located at an altitude of 436 meters, the Castle of Montebello dominates the Marecchia and Uso valleys with a wonderful panorama. The castle is also the guardian of the legendary history of Azzurrina.
The Castle of the Captain of the Artillery is located near the thermal baths of Castrocaro, in the hinterland of the Adriatic Riviera. Built at the behest of Cosimo I de’ Medici in 1564 by Baldassarre Lanci, it is an integral part of the fortress city of Terra del Sole. Recently transformed into a B&B, it welcomes dogs of all sizes and cats. Dogs can move around the castle freely if accompanied on a leash by their owner. A large garden of 10,000 square metres is available for our four-legged friends.
The Rocca Malatesta of Cesena fortress is located in the city centre in the Parco della Rimembranza and is one of the largest in Romagna. For enthusiasts of fortresses and castles it is possible to visit the fortress with your dog and enjoy the panorama whose view leads the gaze to the Adriatic Sea. Internal walkways, towers (one of these houses the Museum of Peasant Civilization), the large internal courtyard, are perfect spaces to enjoy yourself in the company of your four-legged friend. The management indicates that in the paths with stairs sometimes dogs must be held in their owners’ arms.
The ancient Rocca Vescovile of Bertinoro is a museum (and therefore regularly open to the public) exclusively as regards the Interreligious Museum of Bertinoro, located in parts of the ground floor and basement of the same. Dogs can enter it as long as they are held or if owners keep them on a short leash; these rules apply to the interior of the museum (15 rooms) and the exterior. Built in the mid-tenth century, it is located a few kilometres from Forlimpopoli. The Rocca of Bertinoro maintains its original medieval structure with an originally defensive function.
La Delizia Estense del Verginese is a small country castle in the Ferrara area where dogs of all sizes and breeds are welcome. La Delizia, given by Alfonso I d’Este to Laura Dianti, is an ancient leisure residence adorned with battlements and surrounded by a productive Renaissance garden, with fruit trees, flowers and paths where four-legged friends can take walks on a leash with their owners. The large central hall is the heart of the residence, testimony to the greatness of the d’Este Lords of Ferrara.
Villa Mensa is a monumental complex located in Sabbioncello San Vittore in the province of Ferrara, included in the circuit of the Delizie Estensi and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villa offers its visitors a walk through the centuries that can be done in the company of your four-legged friend. Rooms with unique spaces, frescoed halls, the small chapel dedicated to Sant’Agata, the dovecote tower, the sixteenth-century ceilings: these are the spaces and contexts in which you can move in the company of your dog. Dogs of all sizes are accepted at Villa Mensa and pets can enter all areas of the Villa. A journey through the history of Romagna accompanied by your fur baby, what a spectacle!
The Rocca of Brisighella welcomes four-legged friends of any size. Also known as Rocca Manfrediana, it is a fortification located on the second of the three rocky pinnacles of selenite in Brisighella, in the province of Ravenna, within the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Regional Park. The management reports that as far as large dogs are concerned, there may be difficulties in accessing some parts, such as spiral staircases and narrow spaces in the fortress. We are not talking about a castle but a fortification focused on defence equipped with an open panoramic part (patrol walkways). Inside the Rocca there is a fountain with drinking water perfect for quenching the thirst of our four-legged friends. From the fortress you can reach the nineteenth-century Clock Tower with a walk of about 15 minutes, open on Saturdays and Sundays all day at no cost; from the Tower along the staircase you return to the historic centre. The Rocca of Brisighella has a single entrance ticket with the “G. Ugonia” Civic Museum in the historic centre. Dogs are not allowed inside the Museum, except if they are small and held in the owners’ arms or in a pouch.
Dogs of all sizes are welcomed inside and four-legged friends can access all areas of the fortress without limitations. The Rocca of Riolo fortress is open all year round; built in its first nucleus in 1388, it was modified in 1400 and adapted to new military strategies. The fortress with moat and drawbridge is located in the historic centre: underground paths, tunnels, walkways, boundary walls make it a perfect place to spend an unforgettable day with your dog.
