Dovadola

The first traces of settlement in this medieval village date back to the Romanesque period.

The name of this town, situated in the foothills of the Tuscan-Romagna Apennines along the Montone valley, seems to derive from the Latin ‘duo vadora’ (two fords).

The historical center is characterized by the fortress built by the Counts Guidi in the 12th century (called “la Roccaccia” by the locals) as well as by a bend in the river Montone, which is crossed both to enter and leave the town.

In the nineteenth century, the village grew up outside the walls, with houses (mainly in stone) strongly influenced by the Tuscan style, around a central amphitheater-like square, where until 1965 the market for farm animals was held, so much so that in dialect it was called “piazeta dagl ovi”. The reference to the Tuscan town planning is due to the fact that Dovadola (along with other Forlì towns) only became part of Romagna in 1923, when it was annexed to the province of Forlì.

The scattered “a podere” (farmhouses) are particularly significant in this area, which is mainly hilly, including the Casa Colonica Montaguto in the hamlet of San Ruffillo, first mentioned in 1551. Here a plaque was erected in 1882 to commemorate Garibaldi’s passage (1849) and the precious coat of arms of the Blanc Tassinari family.

The local economy is mainly based on artisan agriculture, with a recent development of organic activities.

Despite its proximity to Forlì (20 km), the town maintains its rural identity, tied to its traditions: one of these is the hunting and cooking of the highly prized white truffle, whose famous festival has been held every third and fourth Sunday in October for over 50 years.

Alongside this event, a must for food and wine lovers, there is the Sanctuary of Montepaolo, built on the site of the grotto where St Anthony of Padua stayed from 1221 to 1222, and the Romanesque Abbey of Sant’Andrea, built in the 11th century on the site of an abbey founded by Cluniac monks, where the sarcophagus of the Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro is kept.

It is also possible to visit the farms and agritourisms belonging to the Forlì-Cesena Wine and Food Trail.