The story of Paolo and Francesca is more than just a legend; their tragic love story still fascinates many people and has been the subject of many compositions by poets, musicians and writers; even Dante puts them in his “Divine Comedy”.
To briefly summarize their story, towards the end of 1200, Francesca da Polenta was a noble girl forced into a marriage with Giovanni Malatesta, an important politician and leader of a rival family. Giovanni was ugly and crippled and, to prevent a possible rejection from her, she was married off by proxy, and under false pretenses, to the young and handsome brother of Giovanni, Paolo.
When Francesca found out that she had been tricked (meaning she married Giovanni and not Paolo), despite the protests, she was already married and the two settled in Gradara. Despite their marriage, Paolo often organized secret meetings with the sister-in-law whom he had fallen in love with. Unfortunately, one of these encounters ended in tragedy as Giovanni discovered the two lovers while they were reading a book (about the love between Lancelot and Geneva) and, blinded by jealousy, he killed them both.
Because of their sin, Dante put them in the “Inferno” together but their story is still today the symbol of love and unquenchable passion that drives many couples to visit the fortress of Gradara and its castle, where the two consumed their love.Gradara, moreover, is one of the most appreciated hamlets in all of Italy, so much so that it earned the title of “Borgo dei Borghi 2018” (Hamlet of Hamlets 2018).
Strolling through its narrow streets with the view of the sea on one side and the red roofs of the houses on the other, sitting on a bench among the colorful flowers, and discovering some hidden corners make this village feel like time has truly stopped. With a piadina to enjoy sitting on the typical straw chairs or an ice cream to cool off after the walk, Gradara seems a great idea for a day trip.
