Property for Sale in Forlì-Cesena, Emilia-Romagna
The Province of Forlì-Cesena lies in Romagna, the eastern part of Emilia-Romagna. It runs from a short stretch of Adriatic coast around Cesenatico, across the flat farmland along the Via Emilia, and up through hills and river valleys to the Tuscan-Romagnol Apennines on the border with Tuscany.
The homes for sale on this site are few and mostly in the hills: villas and country houses with land and views, mostly priced from several hundred thousand euros to over €1 million. This is a quieter, less international market than neighbouring Tuscany, with a strong local character.
Bertinoro and the Hills Above Forlì
Bertinoro stands on a hill between Forlì and Cesena and is known as the balcony of Romagna for its wide views across the plain to the sea. The town is famous for its tradition of hospitality, symbolised by a column in the main square, and for its wines, especially Albana and Sangiovese di Romagna. The surrounding hills offer villas and country houses among vineyards and olive groves, close to both cities.
Cesena and Roncofreddo
Cesena is a historic town with a Malatesta fortress and the Biblioteca Malatestiana, a Renaissance library still housed in its original building. It has shops, hospitals and services, and a mix of apartments, townhouses and villas on its edges.
South-east of Cesena, Roncofreddo sits in the gentle hills between the Rubicon and Uso valleys, with farmland, small villages and views towards the coast. Country homes here combine a rural setting with easy access to Cesena and the beaches.
Mercato Saraceno and the Savio Valley
Mercato Saraceno lies in the Savio valley, which leads from Cesena up into the Apennines. The valley is greener and more mountainous than the hills near the coast, with woods, rivers and small villages, and the spa town of Bagno di Romagna further up. Country houses and villas here offer more land and privacy, with the E45 road running along the valley.
Property and Lifestyle in Forlì-Cesena Province
Forlì and Cesena provide hospitals, universities, shops and year-round services, and the coast around Cesenatico has beaches, seafood restaurants and a canal port attributed to a design by Leonardo da Vinci. The Foreste Casentinesi National Park, shared with Tuscany, protects extensive beech and fir forests along the Apennine ridge.
Romagna is known for its food: piadina flatbread, fresh pasta, Sangiovese and Albana wines, and a strong cycling culture on its hill roads.
Airports and Transport Connections
Bologna airport is the main international airport for the province, and Rimini airport is close to the coast. The A14 motorway runs along the Via Emilia past Forlì and Cesena, and the E45 heads south through the Savio valley towards Umbria and Rome. Forlì and Cesena are on the Bologna–Rimini railway. A car is needed for the hills.
Buying and Renovating Property in Forlì-Cesena Province
Have a local surveyor (geometra) check that every building matches its cadastral and planning records, and confirm the permitted use of any annex or barn.
The hills of Romagna are largely clay, and landslides are a known risk, so check slope stability, drainage and access roads. Parts of the plain and the valleys were badly affected by floods in 2023, so flood risk should also be checked carefully. The area has a seismic history, so a structural assessment is advisable for older buildings.
From villas in the hills of Bertinoro and Roncofreddo to country homes in the Savio valley, the Province of Forlì-Cesena offers spacious property in Romagna, between the Adriatic coast and the Apennines.