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Stemma di Cesenatico

Emilia-Romagna · Forlì-Cesena

Cesenatico

An Adriatic fishing port whose canal was redrawn by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502, with ten historic sailboats moored as a floating museum.

Known for

  • LEONARDO'S CANAL

    The Porto Canale was redrawn by Leonardo in 1502 on commission from Cesare Borgia, with his sketch preserved in the Codex L of the Institut de France.

  • MARCO PANTANI

    Pantani was born and is buried in Cesenatico; the annual Nove Colli ride in May covers nine of his training climbs in the Apennine foothills.

  • MARINERIA

    The Museo della Marineria moors ten historic Adriatic sailboats in the canal, hoisting their patched coloured sails through the summer.

When to visit

Best · May–Sep

  • J
  • F
  • M
  • A
  • M
  • J
  • J
  • A
  • S
  • O
  • N
  • D
  • Best
  • Hot or crowded
  • Quiet
  • Mostly closed

The festa: Giacomo il Maggiore, 25 July

Why come

Cesenatico sits at three meters on the Adriatic, fifteen kilometers east of Cesena. The town grew around a canal port begun in 1302 by the Malatesta of Cesena to give the inland city its outlet to the sea. Leonardo da Vinci arrived in 1502 at the request of Cesare Borgia to survey and redraw the port; his sketch of the canal, preserved in the Codex L, still corresponds to the harbor layout today.

Garibaldi embarked from this port in August 1849, fleeing the failed Roman Republic on commandeered fishing boats with about two hundred followers. The Porto Canale runs through the centro storico, lined with the pastel facades of fishermen's houses; the Museo della Marineria moors ten historic Adriatic sailboats in its floating section, with sails hoisted daily through the summer. Cesenatico is also the home town of Marco Pantani, the cyclist whose 1998 Giro-Tour double is commemorated at the Spazio Pantani near the railway station and at the annual Nove Colli cycling event in May. The beach carries Bandiera Blu.

The Sunday letter

We haven’t written Cesenatico’s letter yet.

One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.

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Cesenatico — photo 1
Cesenatico — photo 2

What to see

  • Porto Canale Leonardesco

    Canal port begun in 1302 by the Malatesta and redrawn by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502, with his sketch preserved in the Codex L and corresponding to the present layout.

  • Museo della Marineria

    Maritime museum with a floating section of ten historic Adriatic sailboats moored in the Porto Canale, sails hoisted daily in summer.

  • Spazio Pantani

    Museum near the railway station dedicated to Marco Pantani, the Cesenatico-born cyclist who won the Giro and Tour in 1998.

  • Spiaggia di Cesenatico

    Bandiera Blu beach running seven kilometers from Valverde to Zadina, with the Porto Canale opening at the centre.

  • Chiesa di San Giacomo

    Eighteenth-century parish church on the canal port, with the bell tower visible from the moored sailboats.

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We recommend

Where to eat and stay

Not our picks, but places the guides put their name to — a Michelin star, a Gambero Rosso fork, a Slow Food snail, a Michelin Key for the hotels. Worth a table, a counter, or a night when you pass through.

  • La BucaRistorante

    One Michelin star for La Buca, along with two Gambero Rosso forks (83/100) and a place in L'Espresso's Top 300.

  • AncòraRistorante

    Ancòra has one Michelin star and two Gambero Rosso forks (82/100).

  • MaréRistorante

    Maré has two Gambero Rosso forks (80/100) and a spot in the Michelin Guide.

  • VerandaRistorante

    Veranda carries two Gambero Rosso forks (80/100), plus a spot in the Michelin Guide.

  • MagnoliaRistorante

    Magnolia holds a La Liste score of 87.5.

  • Osteria BartoliniRistorante

    A Michelin Bib Gourmand, at Osteria Bartolini.

  • Osteria ErbaluceRistorante

    Osteria Erbaluce has a spot in the Michelin Guide to its name.

  • TracinaRistorante

    Tracina holds one Gambero Rosso fork (78/100).

Living here

  • Population 25,921
  • Commuter belti
  • Pharmacy in town
  • High school within a 30-minute drive
  • Train station in the comune
  • Nearest airport Rimini, 52 min drive
  • Regional capital Bologna, 1 h 20 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources

Recognised as

The numbers

  • Elevation: 3 m
  • Population: 25,921
  • Surface area: 45.16 km²

These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.

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🟦 Bandiera Blu

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