Gradara: amor ch'a nullo amato amar perdona

What it is and where it is

A medieval village, a majestic castle and mighty walls: this is Gradara, the village that chronicles and poetry have linked to love. In the greenery surrounding the walls, the Lovers' Walk offers a "romantic itinerary" to be taken hand in hand amidst the sounds of nature and splendid views. And along with the walk, with Elio Fiorucci's Stairway of Love and a visit to the fortress, you can breathe in a unique atmosphere: every stone, every palace allows you to relive the glorious past of the Malatesta, the Sforza, Lucrezia Borgia, the Della Rovere and, indeed, the lovers Paolo and Francesca.

Why it is special

The consecration of Gradara to love is the work of Dante, who sublimated history into poetry. Canto V of the Inferno is dedicated to the two lovers, Paolo and Francesca. The triptych of tercets begun by the anaphoric Amor remains centuries later one of the highest peaks of poetry. Dante condemns the adultery of the two, but even in the infernal storm he portrays them as inseparably united. And just as the torments of the underworld do not separate the lovers, so the Rocca and all of Gradara do not forget them, and remain immersed in the echoes of those verses.