메르카토 사라세노‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪7‬개의 산 정상

Beautiful view of the Valmarecchia

Waiting for the Tour... 😁👍

In the hinterland of Rimini, the fortress of Montebello di Torriana elegantly dominates the Marecchia and Uso valley, from a height of 436 metres: the fascinating journey through history, art and nature is made even more mysterious and magical due to the legendary presence of Azzurrina, or Guendalina, with completely white hair. The little girl was albino and for this reason, due to her appearance, she was kept hidden inside the castle to protect her from accusations of witchcraft.

The Barbotto is the toughest and most splendid challenge of the legendary Gran Fondo Nove Colli, the oldest in the world and among the most popular in Italy. The climb in total is 5.5 kilometers long and has an average gradient of 6.9%, with a height difference of 372 metres: the Barbotto is able to challenge even those with more training, for which a trained leg is needed, a trusty bike and a fair amount of determination.

Beautiful challenging but short climb, the San Colombano side is certainly much more challenging than the other.

Existing since the 1950s, the bar on the top of Colle del Barbotto has seen many editions of the Giro d'Italia pass through here, among other races. Here the piadina is excellent, the tagliatelle are exquisite and cycling memorabilia abounds. The current owner, Francesco, is a great bike enthusiast and will welcome those who ride with open arms.

One of the most famous climbs in all of Romagna, the Barbotto was decisive in the Giro Donne 2022: with over 50 kilometers to go, Annemiek Van Vleuten managed to make the difference here, winning the stage and mortgaging her third Giro. The Barbotto is also one of the hardest climbs of the Nove Colli gran Fondo. The noble side is the one that rises from Mercato Saraceno and on the top there is a plaque commemorating one who often trained here: Marco Pantani.

The Montebello Castle has been quietly and elegantly dominating the Marecchia and Uso valley for millennia.