Gradara
Situated on the top of the rolling hills commanding Cattolica and Gabicce, Gradara is a charming village which still retains medieval fascination; its city centre is dominated by the impressive local Fortress, an imposing building which was once used as a defensive bulwark. Sheltered by impressive walls, it offered inhabitants protection and the possibility to keep an eye on the surrounding area. During the Middle Ages, the castle was the residence of the Malatesta family from Rimini. Legend has it that Gradara's Fortress was the backdrop to the tragic love story of Paolo and Francesca, celebrated by Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.