Cesenatico:Canal Port designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

Experience the sunny and historical side of Italy

From: Province of forli cesena

The history of Cesenatico is closely linked to the sea. The sea divides the town in two: the West, which is dedicated to maritime life, and the East, which is dedicated to business and trade.
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The Canal Port designed by Leonardo da Vinci

The Canal Port was designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502 by order of Cesare Borgia (the original drawings are kept in the National Library in Paris) to solve the problems caused by sea storms and sand banks. Here, the incoming sea gently flows around houses and fishing boats.

A brief history

Historically, Cesenatico was the coastal outlet of the nearby town of Cesena. Over the years it developed as fishing port and became a town in its own right. Today Cesenatico is an important tourist resort. Cesenatico has a great hospitality tradition which dates back to 22 May 1878 when the first bathing establishment was opened. A high tower stands at the centre of the 7 kilometre coastline of fine sand dividing with an imaginary line the Eastern beach up to Valverde and Villamarina from the Western beach surrounded by the intense green of the Zadina pine forest.

The birth house of Marino Moretti

"The house knows I'm a writer/it knows how I write, it knows my style:/as a reader the house is far too kind,/ I would almost say tender-hearted" wrote Marino Moretti, writer and poet (1885-1979) who lived in this house on the left bank of the canal port. The house has been transformed into a permanent museum and is the home of the Centre for the study of twentieth century literature. The Centre promotes important cultural activities.

The Floating Maritime Museum

This museum is unique in its type and is housed in the oldest and most internal part of the canal port. Typical examples of boats used for fishing and maritime trade in the upper Adriatic can be found here.
Coloured sails and maritime symbols take the visitor on a journey through maritime history. The museum is free of charge and is open during the day and at night. The Antiquarium comunale (archaeological museum) is also located here.

Vocation for tourism

Cesenatico has maintained its maritime and historical traditions, enhancing and highlighting the cheerful and creative spirit of its people. It offers holidays for tourists of all ages. Cesenatico offers constantly improving hotels facilities and places of entertainment.

Tradition

This town is full of traditions linked to the hinterland and to the history of Romagna and Italy: on 2 August 1849 Giuseppe Garibaldi and Anita, Ugo Bassi and other patriots fleeing from Rome towards Venice were hunted down in this town by their pursuers. One of the first statues in Italy dedicated to the patriot was erected in Piazza Pisacane to commemorate this episode. The statue represents one of the many stories that Cesenatico has in store for land and sea travellers.