Bertinoro Hospitality Festival

The Rite of Hospitality at the Foot of the Column of Rings

In the heart of Bertinoro, a village perched at 247 meters above sea level and known as the "Balcony of Romagna," one of the most original and iconic festivals in Emilia-Romagna is celebrated every year: the Festa dell'Ospitalità. Promoted by the Municipality of Bertinoro, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, the event stages a ritual that has no equal in Italy and has been renewed unchanged since its first edition in 1926.

A Tradition Dating Back to the Middle Ages

The festival originates around the Colonna degli Anelli (Column of Rings), a symbolic monument standing in Piazza della Libertà. According to medieval tradition, any traveler arriving on the hill would tie their horse to one of the rings on the column: each ring corresponded to one of the twelve noble families of the town, and the owning family had the honor and duty to welcome the guest. Thus, hospitality was not left to chance or interest but became a gesture shared by the entire community. The column was rebuilt in 1922, and the first Rito dell'Ospitalità (Rite of Hospitality) in modern times took place on Sunday, September 6, 1926.

How the Ceremony Unfolds

The climax is the ceremony on the first Sunday of September in Piazza della Libertà. The square comes alive with the arrival of the historical procession in costume and the performances of the flag wavers; then, guests of honor are called one by one to the Column of Rings to draw an envelope and discover which Bertinoro family will host them for lunch. It is a simple and moving gesture, which each year revolves around a different theme and welcomes figures from the world of culture, civil engagement, and solidarity.

The 2026 Centennial: "Ospitalità Sempre" (Hospitality Forever)

In 2026, the festival reaches its 100th edition, celebrated with the title "Ospitalità Sempre." For this occasion, the village has prepared a calendar spanning an entire summer, with over thirty events including music, theater, dance, and literary encounters, hosted mainly in the evocative Giardini della Rocca (Gardens of the Fortress) and the historic center. The program features prominent names from the Italian cultural scene, culminating in the final weekend at the beginning of September with the hundredth Rite of Hospitality.

Wine, Hills, and Romagna Hospitality

The Festa dell'Ospitalità is also an opportunity to discover the food and wine excellence of the Bertinoro hills, land of Sangiovese and Albana di Romagna, the first Italian white wine to achieve DOCG status. Among wineries, taverns, and stalls of typical products, visitors experience hospitality not just as a spectacle but as a concrete, everyday experience, to be savored while strolling through the village alleys, which in 2025 joined the circuit of "The Most Beautiful Villages in Italy."