shadow
E ‘l mastin vecchio e ‘l nuovo da Verrucchio, che fecer di Montagna il mal governo, là dove soglion fan d’i denti succhio.” Well, probably lots of you will not be able to understand this italian line taken from Dante’s Divina Commedia, but I think it was the best way to start this tale, today.
 

Verucchio in Dante’s writing Divina Commedia

It is not the first time I’m going to this little town, just nestled on a rockspike that looks the see and the valley underneath, and everytime I found new views, new atmospheres, colours and sounds. Yesterday was a real special visit: the Italian Touring Club has organized a day dedicated to towns with “Bandiera Arancione”. It is a sort of award for those who are excellent examples of loving and caring their places, culture, habits, history.

 

  verucchio emilia romagna

 

But this is not the main reason you should go there. This place has a very important history, well told in the Archeologic Museum, which is not boring as you may think. Before going, ask for a personal guided visit with one of the young archaeologists who will engage you in a history flashback. Ask here prolocoverucchio.it.

Villanovian Civilization, etruscan, romans: different habits, relationships, religions, cultures that mixed one another (not always peacefully) and now are telling us their history through objects of their daily life.

medieval, verucchio,

In the village some century ago!

 

Yesterday I had the chance to see Verucchio as it was in the mediaval age, thanks to Monsjovis Company. Here you can find some suggestions, by the way animals are well treated:) Sorry for the picture but it was not allowed to use flash.

 

verucchio, medieval

Weapons as the used to be, very heavy!

The Malatesta family in Verucchio

The  Malatesta family here was very important, and not only because it was controlling the Valmarecchia Valley, a part of the see , and most of Romagna: it was a very cruel family and left a trail of blood behind and also a lot of castles, guard towers and fortresses around the land. But Malatesta lands were also very rich one: wine, oil, wheat, which gave origins to some particular products still existing, that you can taste in some of the enogastronomic shops of the village. I advise you to taste the Malatesta bread with oil and two particular jams to eat with Malatesta cheese (seasoned in a bed of hay): one made with pumpkins and ginger and the other one made with “Saba” a product made form the must, once used as sugar (see more details here).

malatesta verucchio emilia romagna

verucchio emilia romagna

Saba is a syrup made from freshly squeezed grape juice, also known as must. Grape must contains many of the sugars naturally present in the grape, and when it is slowly cooked into a syrup, it develops into a very rich, concentrated foodstuff which can be used in a wide assortment of ways. This food has been made since Roman times, when it was known as defrutum or sapa. Cooks made sapa by cooking huge batches of must over an extended period of time in large cauldrons, allowing the mixture to slowly develop into a syrup and controlling the cooking process so that the sugars did not burn.

Walking from the central square to the castle you will find some interesting views: people who are living here are really very lucky!

The fortress

 

Tips and info

Verucchio close to Rimini. There is no railway station so you have to hire a car. Get the A14 from Bologna Southbound and exit at Rimini Nord, following the indications Verucchio. You will arrive in the center town, turn left and park your park. You do not have to walk a lot.

In the main square you will find a couple of interesting shops to buy typical products, mainly oil, wine, bread, saffron and other things. Meet Maria Rosa of Il Bello e il Buono, and Maria Pia of Tipicità Italiane.

The Tourist Information Office is also in the main square, just in corner of the street thant takes you to the old original borough of Verucchio and to the Archeological Museum.

If you really want to live as a local, stay at Le Case Antiche, a Albergo Diffuso, with lovely and elegant private house in the center town. Silvia, the owner, will welcome you and shows you all the possible itineraries in the Valmarecchia.

Author

Alessandra

Writer and Travel Blogger. Strolls around Romagna with her little sheep. Curious about life and history!

Comments

  1. Pat Camperlife    

    Ma ho capito bene? Il saba sarebbe il mosto? è un vostro modo di chiamarlo o è una cosa proprio diversa?

  2. Alessandra    

    Ciao Pat, no in realtà è una cosa diversa, è una preparazione che si fa lasciando cuocere in modo molto lento il mosto. Ho scoperto che da questa cosa ha poi avuto origine l’aceto balsamico:)

  3. ilbelloeilbuono    

    Grazie per aver colto, nel poco tempo in cui ci siamo conosciute, l’essenza dei prodotti che abbiamo proposto e che portano con sè tutta la storia del nostro piccolo borgo medievale….

  4. mariapia    

    Ciao Ale, sei splendida come sempre e non per ultimo molto professionale. Fantastiche le foto così come tutte le spiegazioni. La saba è uno dei prodotti rappresentativi del nostro territorio, noi ne abbiamo una biologica di un produttore che da tre generazioni la produce secondo antica ricetta!!! Proposta sui formaggi, o meglio sulla ricotta è a dir poco sublime…. poi ci sono altre varianti,tipo diluita in acqua fredda con una fettina di limone come dissetante o in inverno messa nella neve ;))). Del precursore dell’aceto balsamico, come citi tu giustamente, ho il nettare dei malatesta, denso e molto simile al balsamico, ottimo sulle verdure, frutta e.. formaggi!! quando torni l’assaggio è obbligatorio! Grazie ancora, e………. tienici d’occhio perchè abbiamo in serbo bellissime iniziative! baci

  5. Pat Camperlife    

    ma dai….non la sapevo proprio questa! molto interessante!!!

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