Cesena in Italy - library and other attractions worth seeing

Name: Cesena in Italy
Rating: 5

Cesena is a charming and elegant city in Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region, about 15 km from the Adriatic coast, where the city has built a port channel known as Cesenatico. This is a great destination for an Italian city break, and the Malatestiana Library is the temple of knowledge. The city is so well connected that it is easy to combine it with visiting Ravenna or Bologna. Check out our guide to Cesena!

Cesena – location and access as well as parking

Cesena is located in the north-east of Italy, in the region of Emilia-Romagna, in the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is located in the Savio Valley and about 15 km from the Adriatic and Cesenatico, so it can be a good base for combining sightseeing with a trip to the sea. The A14 motorway and the SS3bis and SS726 expressways run through the area, which facilitates access by car and bus. The most important monuments of Cesena lie relatively close to each other, so you can explore this city on foot. We left the car in the parking lot of Parcheggio Mattarella (ATR) at Via Piersanti Mattarella, near Piazza Aldo Moro. It cost 3 euros for the whole day, you paid with a card in the parking meter.

Attractions in Cesena - what to see - a map of attractions!

Cesena is an ideal place for a walk, almost all attractions are in sight and at your fingertips. Of course, the Biblioteca Malatestiana is a hit and the most important magnet, but it is also worth visiting the Rocca Malatestiana fortress and the climatic Piazza del Popolo. The city also hides a few less obvious places that are also worth weaving in for sightseeing. Here are Cesena's top attractions!

Biblioteca Malatestiana - library in Cesena - Museo archeologico

The greatest pearl of Cesena is the Biblioteca Malatestiana - an amazing attraction that you definitely want to see! It is considered one of the oldest, and probably the oldest, public library in Europe. As a true uniqueness, the library in Cesena has been inscribed on the UNESCO List. It was founded and opened in 1454 by Domenico Malatesta Novello, ruler of Cesena, who wanted to create a "temple of knowledge" accessible to everyone, not only clergy. This makes it one of the important symbols of the Renaissance thinking about knowledge as a common good. The building preserved the original character of the 15th-century humanistic library and remains unique because it survived in its original place. It is a kind of transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

The library was designed by Matteo Nuti, a student of the famous architect Leon Battista Alberti. The building was built in 1447–54. Domenico Malatesta took to heart the slogan of the temple of knowledge, because in fact the library has the form of a three-nave temple with columns, cross vaults and arched windows. You enter it like a church, through a door opened by 2 large keys. Above them is the Latin motto of the Malatesta family: "Elephas Indus culices non timet", meaning "The Indian elephant is not afraid of mosquitoes". It has become one of the most recognizable symbols of this family. Interestingly, in this library, books were chained to desktops so that they could not be taken out. This original security has been preserved to this day and this detail makes a visit to the library really impressive. It was here that the modern culture of knowledge was born, and the library itself is truly groundbreaking on the scale of the era.

It is the only renaissance library from the 15th century preserved in the original. The manuscripts during the Napoleonic Wars and other tragic events were bricked up in the walls, even with whole benches, which helped them survive without loss. Today, the library is an element of the Museo archeologico di Cesena museum, which I highly recommend to you! An interesting fact here is the smallest book in the world that can be read with the naked eye. It is less than 2 cm high and the exact dimensions are 1.7 x 1.2 cm. Lovely baby. Dating back to 1897.
Address: Piazza Maurizio Bufalini 1

Rocca Malatestiana - Malatesta Fortress in Cesena

The second extremely interesting point of Cesena is Rocca Malatestiana, a powerful fortress associated with the Malatesta family, which ruled Romagna for centuries. Interestingly, already in the 15th century, in the times of Domenico Malatesta, the fortress took its current shape, and its walls, bastions "Mastio" and "Torre Femmina" and location on the hill made it an important defensive element and symbol of power in the region. Cesena then became one of the most fortified cities in Italy. Today, the walls of the Malatesta Fortress are a living monument to the power of the family. A museum was established here (open on weekends), but the place is also used as a setting for cultural events such as concerts, festivals and performances. We strolled through the secret, underground tunnels of the stronghold, but we also climbed its walls to admire the beautiful view of the city.

An interesting historical fact is that Leonardo da Vinci stayed in the fortress of Rocca Malatestiana in Cesena in 1502. He came here at the invitation of Caesar Borgia, who appointed him his "general architect and engineer". Leonardo at that time modernized the fortifications, adapting them to the standards of the time and the development of artillery. In addition, he made very precise maps and sketches of the city and defensive walls. As in the case of the port canal in Cesenatico, the visit to Cesena was part of a larger, four-month journey throughout Romagna, during which he improved defense and water systems.
Address: Via Cia degli Ordelaffi 8

Piazza del Popolo and Masini Fountain - People's Square

Piazza del Popolo is the heart of Cesena. People's Square is surrounded by historic buildings and hidden cafes and restaurants. In the central point, the Fontana Masini from the 16th century, designed by Masini in 1583, impresses. It is considered one of the most beautiful fountains in Romagna, as Pope Pius VI himself described it. Her sculptures depict allegories of rivers and the sea. It is a perfect place for a moment of rest, in the morning you can go to the market here, in the afternoon the game of lights makes it very atmospheric. There are also other smaller monuments on the square, such as a girl on a swing or a centaur. Visiting Cesena often begins here, as there is a well-stocked Tourist Information Point (IAT - Ufficio Turistico Cesena, Piazza del Popolo 9), and the square itself connects the entire walking route around Cesena well. In one direction, an impressive stone staircase leads to the fortress, in the other direction, the Via Zeffirino Re street leads to the Library. We like cities that are ideal for exploring at a leisurely pace, without the need for a car in the center.
Address: Piazza del Popolo

Basilica Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista - Basilica of St. John the Baptist

Basilica Cattedrale di San Giovanni Battista in Cesena is a beautiful cathedral of St. John the Baptist, built in its current form in the Romanesque-Gothic style in 1378. The powerful brick block in the interior with three naves hides valuable paintings and sculptures by famous artists such as Corrado Giaquinto, Lorenzo Bregno and Antonio di Duccio. The main altar and a large baptistery are noteworthy. Stained-glass windows illuminated by the sun also look impressive during the day. A valuable element is the crypt in which the bishops of Cesena are buried, including Saint Mauro (Saint Maurus, disciple of Saint Benedict from the 6th century).
Address: Via Vescovado 7

Chiesa Santuario di Santa Maria del Suffragio - Sanctuary of Our Lady of Help of the Faithful

In the centre of Cesena, between the library and People's Square, stands the small church of Santuario di Santa Maria del Suffragio. This shrine of Our Lady of Help of Christians has an almost anonymous elevation, but it is worth taking a look inside, which, in contrast, has a rich baroque decor.
Address: Via Zeffirino Re 48

Abbazia di Santa Maria del Monte - Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Mount

Abbazia di Santa Maria del Monte, or the abbey on the hill, gives a completely different mood than the city square or fortress. It is one of the quietest places in the city, eagerly visited for the panorama of Cesena and views reaching all the way to the Apennines. In good weather, you will also see the Adriatic Sea from here. The abbey has a very long history related to the Benedictines and the development of the religious and cultural importance of the city. The roots of the monastery date back to the year 1000, and this noble history and spirituality will make you feel calm and relaxed here.
Address: Via del Monte 999

What else is worth visiting in Cesena and the surrounding area?

In addition to the big four, Cesena has a few additional places that are worth adding to the list, also in the area:

Museo dell'Ecologia di Cesena, Via Pietro Zangheri 6
Chiesa di Sant'Anna, Piazza del Popolo - St. Anne's Church
Grande Centauro, Piazza del Popolo - Centaurus Monument
Palazzo del Ridotto, Piazza Almerici 12
Porta Fiume, Via Aurelio Saffi 2 - city gate
Teatro Verdi, Via Luigi Sostegni 13
Busto di Giuseppe Garibaldi, Via Zeffirino Re 3 - bust of Giuseppe Garibaldi in arcades near People's Square
Historic Spatial Layout of the Historic Centre
Museo Musicalia, Via Lizzano 1241 - The Museum of Music in Villa Silvia, takes you to a different era
Ponte Vecchio - a historic bridge in the south-west of the city
Cesenatico port canal
Mosaics in Ravenna
Mirabilandia
Comacchio or "Little Venice" - an intimate town with canals and bridges, a good alternative to the crowded Venice

Accommodations in Cesena

We visited Cesena and the region of Romania at the beginning of June. We slept in Cesenatico Camping Village located in a charming village by the sea. Every day we enjoyed the charms of the place — we cooled in the pool, walked on sandy beaches full of shells and discovered other corners of this unique part of Italy. The Cesenatico Camping Village has a swimming pool with slides and a bar, a gym, a playground, a restaurant and a shop, as well as cottages of various standards. Our cottage had 3 bedrooms, including 1 with a double bed, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen, a large terrace and a private parking space. As part of our stay, we also had the so-called half board, i.e. breakfast and dinner. The beach is only a few hundred meters away. It is an ideal place for both families and people looking for a comfortable holiday close to nature.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

What and where to eat?

As the Italians themselves say, gelato must be there, there is no day without ice cream, and of course we recommend the Babbi Café ice cream shop at Corso Giuseppe Mazzini, on Piazza Almerici by the Library. Here they also have delicious coffee, although I rarely drink espresso at home, rather americano, in Italy I was happy to taste this tiny coffee getting back on its feet. Interestingly, it is not profitable to take 1 knob at all here, usually 2 cost only half a euro more than one knob. In Babbi, 3 knobs (tastes) pay off best at all. The price for 2 scoops is 3 euros, and for 3 scoops - 3.5 euros. In addition, traditional piadina romagnola sandwiches are famous in the region. You will find tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella, buffalo cheese or salami, according to taste and desire.

Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

Cesenatico in Italy, distance: 14 km
Comacchio in Italy, distance: 62.2 km