fortress of san leo

After a steep but short climb and then a slightly higher ticket price than I expected (€8), I was prepared to be disappointed but was instead delighted.You can visit a great deal of the castle, climbing in and out of prison cells and living areas, and the views from all over the fortress are really breathtaking. Don't miss it, nor the town of San Leo at its feet!

Breathtaking place to visit, better before 18-00, as the castle closes at this time, and be prepared for climbing the hill :)

Amazing castle perched on the edge of a cliff with breathtaking views in all directions. Lots to see with info plaques in Italian and English.

San Leo former capital of the Italian kingdom (from 961-963) is consistently listed as one of the 'most beautiful villages in Italy.' It possesses two valuable Romanesque churches: the Romanesque Parish Church (Pieve) of Santa Maria Assunta and the Duomo, Cathedral of San Leone. The Convent of S. Igne, which was founded by S. Francesco in 1213 is also worth seeing.But the gem of the region is the Fortress of San Leo perched on top of the ancient Mons Feretrius mountain, a former capital of the Italian kingdom (from 961-963). Back in the 18th century it was used as the papal’s top security prison.There is a small admission fee, but spend an hour or two, take the self-guided tour of the castle and enjoy the spectacular views of the country side from the many windows, bulwarks and machicolations. There is also an impressive display of armor and weapons from crossbows to WW I vantage rifles and a small well presented torture museum.Also, take a stroll throughout the village where you will get a glimpse of common everyday life including an occasional death, funeral and anniversary of deaths notices posted on a public billboard as is common in small Italian villages.

A castle that was almost impossible to conquer since it sits on sheer cliffs. It is quite big, with lots of rooms, and two amazing towers.The views from all sides are really incredible, since the cliffs are very high. Inside are small exhibits of torture devices - creepy.Warning: there is a lot of climbing involved.

Travelled on the Bonelli Bus excursion. Booked at Rimini tourist information office at the railway station the day before. Excursion is once a week on a Wednesday afternoon. Leaves from San Marino bus stop near Burger King at Rimini station at 14.35. Journey time approx 50 mins. Returns at 18:30.Return bus fare 10 euros per person. On arrival at San Leo, transferred to mini bus for a ride up to the village and castle, extra fare to be paid. Castle dates from 1400s. Was used a papal prison for many years until 1916. Younger children are free at castle, small entrance fee for adults. Great views of surrounding countryside and San Marino in the distance. Walk down to village square after. Village is very much a "film set". Just enough time to see everything. Kids enjoyed exploring the castle.

Superb castle architecture, good displays of artefacts, nice village to get picnic supplies to eat in the castle ground with great views of the Marche.On the other hand the management don't go out of their way to provide any interesting guidebooks or material in languages other than Italian and there was not much in Italian either. Poor facilities and disinterested staff

This trip was well worth doing. The views are stunning however the highlight is the self guided tour through the rooms, cells and dungeon. There are great displays of suits of armour, canons, crossbows, and guns of every description, from 1500's to near modern. The display of torture equipment is unusual, unnerving, hard to express how it makes you feel, knowing these tools were actually used on human beings.

The ancient castle, lovely old church, attractive town with so much history, and commanding views of surrounding area.

The hills and mountains of Marche and Emilia-Romagna are all quite scenic, so the drive to get to San Leo (43.89683, 12.34629) is certainly entertaining in itself (we drove up from the south).The you see the fortress perched atop its mountain. I'm not certain the movie industry could devise a better location!We parked in an area just past the turnoff into the town of San Leo proper, then walked back to see how things worked. We determined then that we could drive on up to the fortress itself where we found plenty of parking.After paying the entrance fee, we spent about an hour and a half walking in and around the fortress. We actually did find quite a bit inside - arms and armor, as well as the collection of torture instruments. And, of course, from the ramparts the view is outstanding.San Leo is definitely a place to visit if you have an interest in fortifications.

The tiny town of San Leo, perched up on a hill, with the castle towering over it and the country for miles around, is well worth the effort to visit. There isn't exactly a huge amount to see in the town, but it is pretty, and there are plenty of watering/eating holes. Once you're refreshed, climb (or drive) the hill up to the castle. Not too much to see inside, but the thing here is the view - from the castle, and of the castle from below. Makes a nice day out from Urbino- a fairly long drive, but scenic every inch of the way.

Dramatic setting with a medieval fortress hanging off a sheer cliff. Driving access and parking are good for a small medieval hill town. Nice town square with good restaurants, helpful town visitors center, and two unbelievable early medieval churches -- two of the best in Italy.

San Leo is a cosy town on a mountain in the province of Rimini. Historically it was part of the duchy of Montefeltro. It has two perfectly preserved romanesque churches. By a short and pleasant walk you can reach in 20 minutes the wonderful fortress. Inside there is a very interesting and accurate exposition on the mysterious Cagliostro, alchemy, the Italian inquisition.

A castle modelled on top of a huge rocky crag, a masterpiece of Renaissance military architecture by Francesco di Giorgio Martini. Under it, a small walled village, perfectly preserved. Two of the most beautiful early Romanesque churches in Italy - local stone with simple sculptural ornaments. One hour from the equally fantastic Urbino.

Without a car, it took me three buses and a train to get to San Leo from my base in Urbino but it was worth it.The fortress is obviously the highlight given its spectacular setting and also its interesting history. But the Romanesque churches are charming, there are all those little streets to explore, a lovely main square to sit and have a drink,some interesting artisinal shops and of course the wonderful views from almost any angle in the town and on the way up.