73 – (ITA Stage 25) – Forli’ – Cusercoli
| Place of Departure | FORLI’ |
| Place of Arrive | CUSERCOLI |
|
Length – KM
|
28,2 |
| Nation of the route | Italy |
| Region | Emilia Romagna |
| Uphill Gap |
318 m
|
| Downhill Gap |
220 m
|
| CAI (Diff. Escurs.) | E |
| Praticability |   |
Stage 25 – Forlì- Cusercoli – With this stage we resume the historical and main route. The route progressively leads first to the hills, then to the mountains, until it crosses the Apennines and enters Tuscany. You walk along paths, dirt roads, dirt roads. The route partly follows the ridge, partly the valley floor: in front of you the majesty of the Apennines in the distance. From the SS 9 (the historic Via Emilia) you can choose between two beautiful and evocative routes: one more naturalistic, the other more historic, but both lead us to Meldola. From Piazza Saffi, taking Corso della Repubblica, after crossing Piazzale della Vittoria, and following Via Roma or Via Emilia, you reach the Church of Ronco; those who had already arrived at the Ronco hamlet leave from here.
TO VISIT: near Ronco, after a few kilometers towards the sea, there is the town of Forlimpopoli, with its restored castle and town hall. It is the homeland of Pellegrino Artusi, singer of true Romagna cuisine. There is also an excellent Hospitality Institute.
At the roundabout in Ronco, before the church, go down to “Ronco Lido” and climb up the embankment of the Ronco river, with its meanders immersed in luxuriant vegetation, typical of the humid Mediterranean maquis, with lots of game and varied fauna. Ford the Rio Sanguinario, a canal that collects the waters of the airport located nearby. Then you come across some lakes, old sand quarries, now used for sport fishing and environmentally recovered. There is also an excellent golf facility. After the third lake there is a construction site for processing aggregates which can be avoided by crossing the river on an iron footbridge. Then you take a cart track and then the embankment again up to the crossroads with the SP 37. On secondary asphalted roads you then reach the Terme di Fratta.
TO VISIT: from here you can also visit Bertinoro, a town rich in history, famous for its gastronomy and enology. Thus we arrive in Piazza della Libertà, where there is the Town Hall and the Hospitality Column. The square is a terrace on the plain and you can see the entire Adriatic coast. In Bertinoro, the Rocca, the Interreligious Museum and the University are important. The route is 3.5 km long.
From Fratta you pass near the parish centre, now the seat of the Civil Protection of Bertinoro, an information and emergency point also for walkers. Then climb the ridge on the right ridge of the Bidente Valley. It is a gravel road, very panoramic on the plain and on the coast, which can be seen in the distance. You walk among vineyards and villas. There is also an educational farm where you can admire the equipment and ancient technologies for breeding silkworms and the silk industry. Then you descend on the road to Teodorano and arrive in Meldola, crossing the Ponte dei Veneziani. After the bridge, if you want to visit the center of the town, take Via Giordano Bruno.
SAN MARTINO VARIANT: (recommended for cyclists). From Piazza Saffi you pass the ancient gate and Rocca di Ravaldino and use the Via dell’Appennino cycle path up to San Martino in Strada, a locality mentioned by the Monk Albert in his Annales. Going further, take Via delle Caminate, go under the ring road. Then you go up the hills taking the Strada di Scardavilla (Monastery and Bosco di Scardavilla) You then go down towards the Ronco valley and, having passed the ring road under the road, you enter the center of Meldola, in the beautiful Piazza Orsini. Going south, towards the Apennines and leaving Meldola, you meet again the stretch of the Via Romea Germanica that comes from Fratta Terme. This variant section (from Forlì to Meldola) is 15 km long. From Forlì to Ronco it is 4.3 km. The Ronco-Meldola section is 16.2 km long.
From Meldola, take the Strada Rimbocca/Cà Baccagli (Davide Drudi institution), up to Strada del Mezzo. Continuing we reach the center of San Colombano. Cross it and then descend again on the Bidente river (note: it is the same Ronco river that takes the name of Bidente upstream of Meldola).
ENVIRONMENTAL VARIANT ON THE RIVER: (note: to be avoided in case of flooding of the river). Very naturalistic variant that runs along the river. After Strada Ca’ Baccagli, do not take the Strada del Mezzo but go down to the river which you follow up to Via Montescovo. Not suitable for cyclists. We then reach Gualdo, on the SP4 where we have to pay attention to the traffic. After a while you return to the river bank, on a gravel road that leads to Cusercoli.
Note for cyclists: In Borgo Sisa it is better to take the SAN MARTINO VARIANT: Borgo Sisa, Via Cavedalone, Forlì centre, Corso Diaz, Via dell’Appennino, Scardavilla, Meldola centre, Strada del Mezzo, San Colombano, Via Montevescovo, Gualdo centre, continue on SP 4 up to Cusercoli and then Cusercoli center. Or the main route from Borgo Sisa to Ronco and then towards the center of Forlì, to then take the VARIANTE SAN MARTINO towards Meldola.
25 – Points of Interest
Fratta Terme – The spa has 13 hectares of parkland, and seven springs rich in precious mineral salts, that can be found on walks through the greenery and along the fitness trails. Then there are the mud baths and thermal baths, with thermal waters that make Fratta an ideal place to enjoy a peaceful holiday. Surrounding the area are numerous wineries that are open to the public for visits and tasting sessions with excellent local wines such as Albana, Trebbiano, Cagnina, Pagadebit and Sangiovese. For some years now, the spa has been home to IndianaPark, the largest outdoor adventure park in Italy, with aerial routes, acrobatic adventure trails and attractions for young and old alike.
Meldola – This was the first town where the ancient pilgrims stopped on their way to Rome along the Bidente Valley. It is overlooked by an imposing Fortress built by the Archbishops of Ravenna. It was also the epicentre of important economic phenomena – silkworm production, spinning mills, important quarries and agri-food markets – which brought the town to the attention of national and even international businesses. In this regard, a visit to the Silkworm Museum, located in the old town centre, is certainly interesting. In the hills between Forlì and Meldola, there is the Scardavilla Woods Oriented Nature Reserve, which covers an area of about 30 hectares. Visits to the reserve must be booked at the Museum of Ecology and Visitor Centre, which is located in the former Church of the Madonna del Sasso, in the historical centre of Meldola.
Ronco – On the ancient Via Emilia, and very close to Forlì, until the First World War it was the lido of Forlì: on the banks of the river there were bathing facilities where holidaymakers could bathe. The riverbanks, made accessible as part of the Via Romea, are now also visited by local walkers and cyclists. Nearby, the large gravel excavations, now restored, have become an exceptional habitat for fish and birdlife. It was the seat of a Hospitaller commandery. Immediately after the bridge over the Ronco River, there is a long straight road (Viale Roma) that leads to the centre of Forlì.
Cusercoli – It is a small, ancient village, located on the Bidente River, on a spur of limestone and conglomerate rock. Its name derives from “clauserculum”, meaning narrowing of the valley. At the top of the town is the medieval castle of the Conti Guidi, already well-known in the 11th century, with its church and bell tower, few remaining frescoes, very small Italian garden, rectory, sundials, and parish clock, with its ancient mechanism recently restored. In the castle, thanks to the Municipality and the local Pro Loco organisation, a wellequipped “Hospitale” for Romea Pilgrims has been opened. In the castle there are also 14 valuable glazed terracotta tiles from the school of Luca della Robbia, depicting the Stations of the Cross. Cusercoli offers several gastronomic events, such as the famous St. George’s Mushroom Fair and the Bidente Valley Truffle Festival. Its production of chaplets and rosaries is typical of the area.
Further Exploration:
Pagadebit di Romagna – This is a DOC white wine produced in these areas. The curious name means “pay debts” in Romagna dialect. The vine has the unusual characteristic of being resistant to adverse climatic conditions: thus, even in the worst years, farmers were able to produce wine that could be used to pay the debts contracted in the previous year. For this reason, another nickname given to this variety is “Straccia Cambiale” (“promissory note ripper”).
ATTENTION! CHANGES DUE TO THE LANDSLIDES OF MAY 2023
The rains of May 2023 created some inconvenience in Romagna.
The route of the Via Romea also suffered damage; with some cleaning interventions the closure of the main sections was avoided or at least the possibility of some variations such as not to interrupt the continuity of the stages. We are looking for help from the Municipalities and the Region to ensure that the situation becomes safe again over time, bearing in mind that the autumn season could accentuate the inconvenience. Along the Ronco/Bidente river, the Region is restoring the riverbeds (and with them the adjacent roads). Likewise the Municipalities and the Provincial Administration for the main and secondary paved roads.
STAGE 25 – Forlì-Meldola-Cusercoli
1)The Ronco riverbed is accessible, but only in part: the last part, for which the variant was defined, is missing. The completely accessible itinerary is that of Borgo-Sisa, Forlì, S.Martino in Strada, Meldola.
2) After Meldola the itinerary on the river is interrupted (yellow line in the Guide, located between points 10-12. Then follow the main itinerary
please, see the Official Guide of the Via Romea Germanica (www.guidaromea.eu)
LINK CAMMINI REGIONE EMILIA-ROMAGNA
WARNING! in the wetlands of the plains provide yourself with products against mosquitoes
Bold type for structures we already used
Red type for structures we have an arrangement (with Credential*)
(*) Prices might change for special situations: please book early and ask for confirmation
How to arrive
| Bologna Marconi airport (www.bologna-airport.it) > shuttle Bologna FS Railway Station = (www.tper.it); tel. +39-051-290290 | TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Bologna FS Railway Station – Forlì FS Railway Station | |
| Verona-Catullo airport (www.aeroportoverona.it) > shuttle Verona FS Railway Station = (www.atv.verona.it); tel. +39-045-8057811 | TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Verona FS Railway Station- Bologna – Forlì FS Railway Station | |
| Milano-Orio al Serio airport (www.orioaeroporto.it) > shuttle Bergamo FS Railway Station = (www.atb.bergamo.it); tel. +39-035-236026 | TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Bergamo -FS Railway Station Bologna – Forlì FS Railway Station | |
| Venezia-MarcoPolo airport (www.veniceairport.it) > shuttle Mestre FS Railway Station = (www.atvo.it); tel. +39-0421-594672 – Airport Shuttle Service: www.airservicepadova.it Shuttle Service booking : padova.booking-on-line.com“ |
TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Venezia-Mestre FS Railway Station- Bologna – Forlì FS Railway Station |
Where to eat
 |
Typical Dishes = Il Cucchiaio | Typical Dishes = Dissapore | Typical Dishes = Gambero Rosso | Typical Dishes = Buonissimo |
| A&O | Via Seganti,2 – 47100 RONCO – FORLI’ | 0543-782710 | ||
| Conad | Via Giannetto Vassura,38 – 47100 RONCO FORLI’ | |||
| La Mandragola-Ristorante-Pizzeria | Via C.Pisacane,111 – 47014 MELDOLA-FC | 0543-338-8381126 | lamandragola.meldola@gmail.com | www.pizzerialamandragola.it arrangement |
| Il Bidentino – Ristorante Pizzeria | Via Mazzini,34 -47014 MELDOLA-FC | 0543-493796 | ||
| La Meridiana -Ristorante-Pizzeria | Via G.Bruno,76 – 47014 MELDOLA | 054433-492145 / 347-5343941 | ||
| La Coccinella – chiosco | Via Della Repubblica,39 – 47014 MELDOLA | 346-7729504 | ||
| Agriturismo Le Vigne | Via S.Colombano,34 – Castelnuovo -47014 MELDOLA | 338-8521665 / 0543-494900 | ||
| Ristorante Gualdo | Via Nucleo,12 – Gualdo – 47014 MELDOLA | 0543-494526 | gualdoristorante@gmail.com | www.gualdoristorante.com |
| Ristorante La Buga | Via Gualdo interno,10 -47014 MELDOLA | 0543-494743 | labuga09@gmail.com | |
| Quelli della Notte – Pizzeria | Via Carini,2 – 47012 CUSERCOLI FC | 0543-989799 / 339-7524162 |
Where to sleep
Bike Service
| Spacco Store | Via Meldola,120 – 47030 FRATTA TERME FC | 0543-460596/461105 | ||
| N.N.Cicli di Neri Nicola | Via Indipendenza,1E – 47014 MELDOLA FC | 366-4779854 |
Pilgrim Service
| VISIT – EMILIA-ROMAGNA |  |
www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/it/vie-di-pellegrinaggio/via-romea-germanica | ||
| Associazione Il Molino – Protezione Civile | via Fratta – 47030 BERTINORO | 338-7468510 zanelli gilberto – 340-8149125 | associazione.ilmolino@gmail.com | |
| Meldola-Ufficio-Cultura | Piazza Orsini,29 – 47014 MELDOLA | 0543-499452 | fabbri.mo@comune.meldola.fc.it | |
| Morelli Marta – Guida Turistica | 47122 FORLI’ | 347-5573996 | morelli-marta@libero.it |
Bertinoro
