Ciaoooo my friends! If you're new here, I'm glad you found my page, and if you've been here before, welcome back to my blog, where I teach you how to travel like a heartist<3 My name is Ritu, I'm a travel blogger and a multi-passionate creative from the bay area, California. You can read more about me and the story behind why I started this blog here. I spent an entire month solo traveling throughout Italy last summer; I've shared blog posts about Milan and Venice, so now it's time for a royal castle experience in the Italian countryside. To read my previous blog posts, check out the links below. Otherwise, keep reading!
Italy is famous for its pasta, gelato, wine, castles and history, and luckily I got to stay in two different castles in Italy, so this post is about my second castle stay.
(Castello di Gradara; June 2023)
Most people opt to travel to more well known cities in Italy such as Rome, Venice, Milan, Amalfi and more. I, however, love getting a taste of a country by including some time for hidden gems and lesser known areas to get the full experience.
It's also a great way to get away from all of the tourists for a bit, as the crowds during peak season can get overwhelming.
In this blog post I'll go over:
~ Some history about Castello di Gradara
~ 2 day itinerary for Gradara Castle
~ Restaurants, activities, tours & sightseeing
(Village/little town in the castle; June 2023)
Now if you're ready to go, join me on my chariot with horses while we tour this majestic castle [:
Located in central Italy in the Marche region, the medieval town of Gradara has a beautiful castle in the country. This romantic castle resides on a hill with breathtaking views of the landscape, mountains and the Adriatic Sea.
I took a train from Venice and got off at Cattolica-S. Giovanni-Gabicce station. I stayed in the castle resort for two nights, it's called La Loggia Historic Resort or Relais la Loggia.
(Views from the castle courtyard; June 2023)
According to Italy Review, Castello di Gradara was built by the De Grifo family in the 12th century. Since the castle was built during ancient times, it has a rich history including a love story about Paolo and Francesca, as well as events and battles that have taken place here.
Alongside its history, this is such a nice little town that allows you to slow down, relax and unwind, especially if you're looking to get away from the city.
(Right outside of my hotel room; June 2023)
The views and the area around the hotel were beyond dreamy. I am deeply grateful for having gotten to experience this royal castle town and am excited to share the details with you. This is definitely one of those places where Italians come to for a little holiday, instead of going to touristy sites. Buckle up for an authentic Italian tour. Day 1: Book a Massage, Explore the Castle & Museo Storico di Gradara The first thing I did was book a massage for both of my days in Gradara since it's a place to slow down. They had a variety of massages to choose from so I chose a different one for each day. The resort also has a restaurant, pool, spa, golf, and three different room/suite types to choose from.
After checking into my room, I went to my massage session then explored the castle by walking around the village, checking out the different shops/restaurants that were there, as well as what tours or events that may have been happening, then made my daily gelato stop.
(Rose & Pistachio Gelato; June 2023)
As I continued to walk around the castle, I came across Rocca d'A...mare restaurant. It looked romantic and aesthetically pleasing, like one of those restaurants out of a movie, or something you'd book for a celebration.
(Rocca d'A...mare Ristorante; June 2023)
After walking around and familiarizing myself with the area, as well as deciding on what activities I'd be doing the following day, I came across Museo Storico di Gradara, or the History Museum of Gradara.
Museo Storico di Gradara is a small museum with deep history that has a display of different artifacts, antiques, art pieces and instruments of torture. The museum also shares the tragic love story of Paolo and Francesca, a case of forbidden love.
Francesca was married to Paolo's older brother Gianciotto, but Paolo and Francesca kissed while reading a book together and fell in love with each other. When Gianciotto found out about their affair, he killed both his wife and brother with his sword, and sentenced them to hell for all of eternity.
(Museo Storico di Gradara; June 2023)
The museum tour is self-paced and about an hour and a half or so long if you read the story behind every piece. I spent a good 45 minutes looking around, skimming/reading, taking things in.
I did get a bit of a spooky vibe in the prison/tunnel area, especially since it was during the evening time and I was the only one there. It was also chilly and I felt watched LOL.
(Paolo e Francesca Tavernetta; June 2023)
If you're really intrigued by the love story of Paolo and Francesca, there's a restaurant I recommend that's dedicated to them. It's called Paolo e Francesca Tavernetta, and it's quite wonderful for either lunch or dinner.
After the history museum, I had dinner at Pizzeria Da Berto. I ordered the mangiami pizza, if you're curious to know what that is, take a look at the picture below. It's for all of my pizza and fries connoisseurs.
(Mangiami Pizza at Pizzeria Da Berto; June 2023) Day 2: Massage, Castle Tour, Photoshoot, Dinner I started the next morning with a massage at the resort. It was relaxing and much needed after the first couple of weeks of traveling throughout northern and central Italy.
I went to the dining hall for breakfast afterwards and got ready to explore more of the castle for the day.
(Massage at La Loggia Resort; June 2023)
If you enjoy taking photos, I highly recommend taking a tripod with you to ensure you get photos of your travel experiences and memories.
I had a little photoshoot in the garden area before doing the tour. I always tell people to schedule in a little photoshoot during their travels even if it's just one day out of the trip, so that some fun moments can be captured.
(A rose in a castle garden; June 2023)
After my photo session, I went to do the castle tour in the early afternoon and I remember it being around 5-10 euros for entry. Pro tip: they may ask for a small donation of a few euros for the upkeep of the castle, and if you donate, you get additional access to see the rooftop pathway of the castle.
I opted for the self-guided castle tour to go at my own pace. There are tour guides available if you prefer that option instead. Once you enter the castle, you'll be taken back to the middle ages with the interior, style, history and more.
(Castle Tour; June 2023)
The rooms were regal and luxurious. I could feel the mysterious and historic vibes in the castle, especially because of the secret passageways that were there. I loved the art pieces that were displayed. I felt like I was in a royal museum filled with several stories, legends and ghosts. The famous love story about Paolo and Francesca was also mentioned here.
Once I was done touring the castle, I had to exit the location and go through a secret path to get to the rooftop. That's another reason why castles feel romantic and enigmatic. I think of all the possible love stories that may have happened, specifically the tragic ones.
In the photo below, you can see that the views of the landscape were absolutely incredible. Something you must see in person, especially during sunset.
(Additional access to the castle rooftop; June 2023)
I envisioned myself being a princess during the medieval time period, seeing myself taking walks on the rooftop, smelling the roses, writing letters to my love and thinking of an escape plan in case there was a royal emergency LOL. Gotta romanticize life in every way you know.
This pathway on top of the castle walls used to be a patrol path for soldiers to watch the area and protect the fortress. It's amazing being in a place that has many secrets we will never know about. I can only imagine what events and quarrels took place here.
(Kiss Me; June 2023)
This is a place that's known for romance in every corner. In fact, Gradara is a hotspot for Valentine's Day. A lot of lovers visit Castello di Gradara during the day of love to experience the charm and romance of this little castle town. The castle has a romantic celebration for love day.
There are also special events throughout the year, so if you want to be there during one of their events, I recommend looking at their website and calendar before booking your stay for certain days.
Moving onto what everyone loves, food! Before I started my day, I made a dinner reservation at the resort's restaurant. I recommend reserving a table the day before or the morning of, by calling or emailing the resort by a certain time frame, otherwise they close the restaurant early if there are no dinner reservations.
(A romantic dinner for one; June 2023)
The dinner was delicious, the staff was commendable, the views were lovely. This was a perfect restaurant for a solo romantic dinner date or to have dinner with someone else.
The other thing I enjoyed was having the restaurant to myself for most of the evening. I spent some time in the courtyard afterwards to look at the landscape and just breathe.
(Being a princess in the courtyard; June 2023)
Sitting in silence felt like a luxury. It's a quiet and serene place, so you get time to reflect and rejuvenate. No wonder it's a place for lovers, whether you're single or coupled up, you'll enjoy this romantic resort for everything it has to offer.
I had my post-meal walk and made my obligatory gelato stop. Since Gradara is a smaller town, less people speak English, which gave me several opportunities to practice my Italian, and may I say I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Vorrei un gelato al pistachio, per favore (I'd like pistachio gelato please).
(Pistachio Gelato from Gelato d'A...mare; June 2023)
After dinner I got gelato from Gelato d'A...mare; can you tell pistachio gelato is my fave? LOL I had it almost everywhere I went.
I ended the night walking around for as long as I could till my legs were exhausted. I hate when a night comes to an end after such a beautiful day, but that's the thing about good days. You have plenty more of them to see [:
(Evening walk in Castello di Gradara; June 2023)
My final morning in the castle, I had breakfast, meditated in the garden, enjoyed the picturesque views from the hills one last time and journaled about my stay. I thanked the universe for allowing me to have such a beautiful travel experience in my favorite country.
I also bought some amazing souvenirs from a couple of the shops. Since it's a medieval town, there were royal items like swords, knives, masks, crowns, calligraphy pens, feathers and more. Besides being away from tourists, food and souvenirs were cheaper here versus when I was in the bigger cities.
(Breakfast in the castle resort; June 2023)
Gradara is definitely worth adding to your itinerary for Italy, especially if you'd like a budget-friendly castle experience.
You can also choose to stay somewhere nearby and visit the castle as a day trip instead of staying at the castle resort. There are many options when considering a visit to this romantic castle, so consider it for your first or next trip to Italy!
(Taking each step with love; June 2023)
If you'd like to see more photos and want to see my trips when I'm actually traveling, follow me on Instagram: @rituniverse. You can also check out the highlights of my Italy travels on my Instagram page.
If you'd like to travel but feel overwhelmed about creating an itinerary, I offer services to help you plan and curate a beautiful trip [: if you have any questions or you'd like to know more about my services, please comment (as a guest or create an account) in the comment section below or send me an email at: tjsyouniverse@gmail.com.
(Clock Tower at Castello di Gradara; June 2023)
Thank you so much for reading! Let me know if you have any questions about Gradara, what other tips you'd like to know or what you found interesting or helpful in the comment section below. Love reading your thoughts and feedback! If you enjoy reading my blog posts and want me to share more of my travels, please subscribe to my travel blog below. That way you stay updated and get notified whenever I share a new post! Next blog post will be about.... (shhhh, it's a secret). Subscribe to find out [; Thank you for visiting. Love, light and safe travels.
Arrivederci, Ritu<3