It was in the Roman tradition to reward in this way the veterans of war or anyone who had been of great service to their country. In the first centuries after the Roman conquest of the Misano territory, several settlements appeared, especially in the areas of Agina, Santamonica and Belvedere, and later also on the hills lying behind (Ca’ Gallo, Misano Monte, Terrabianca, etc.).

The historical events of Misano, which date back to the 1st millennium of the vulgar age, and are dimmed by time and the absence of valid documents, are intertwined with those of Rimini, which had been a colony of Latin law since 90 b.C. However, our territory became of a certain importance when the parish church of St. Erasmus, one of the most ancient churches in the area, was built in 997. For over two centuries, precisely from 1295 to 1528, Misano was under the control of the Malatestas, who had a castle built there; unfortunately, the arch of the access doorway and part of
the tower are all that is left of it.

After the Malatesta dynasty had come to an end, the Romagna region, and Misano with it, became part of the Papal States, whose jurisdiction lasted almost uninterrupted until the unification of Italy.
A memorable fact of that period was when Misano became an independent commune in 1511, as testified by a document which can still be consulted at our municipal archives. Later on, it lost its administrative independence several times because of financial reasons, and had to rely upon the neighbouring communes. It got it definitely back only in 1827, when it detached itself from San Giovanni in Marignano. However, a little more than a century later (1935), it ran the risk of losing it again to the advantage of the nearby commune of Cattolica, which demanded the annexation of the territory of Misano for its tourist development, as it was already eager for beaches.

In 1938, as a result of a measure taken by the President of the Cabinet Mussolini, the town lost the name of “Villa Vittoria”, whose origin dated back to the previous century (1862), and assumed the one of “Misano Adriatico”, which it still maintains. “Misano is and will remain and independent commune, so long as it remains an agrarian commune”; with this declaration Mussolini, besides
guaranteeing the administrative autonomy of the town, established its rural vocation. However, those germs which would radically change our economical system were already ripening in the souls of the inhabitants of Misano.

The long war followed, and, after that, the difficult rebirth. From that moment onwards, the history of Misano is intertwined with that of its tourist development, which, after the first tentative dawnings in the Thirties, found full realization after the transfer of the municipal seat (1949) from the Misano Monte of the present day to the coast area. That fundamental, and, to a certain extent, deeply-felt decision has had positive effects: today Misano has a meaningful place in the panorama of the growing international tourism.

Misano Adriatico today Misano Adriatico can be considered a tourist resort which suits the tastes of everybody; the young, the elderly, and children, they all find what they need: entertainment and culture, sport and relaxation. It is the ideal place for a family holiday, thanks to the numerous attractions for young people and children, but it is also a favourite among sport lovers because of the several events it periodically organizes. With its Marina of Portoverde, moreover, Misano is conspicuous in the field of nautical tourism, whereas the Santamonica circuit is famous for its thrilling motor-cycle and motor competitions. Pedestrian areas coloured by night markets, a golden and quiet beach, and green areas in the centre of the town, complete the picture of Misano.

Marina of Portoverde

It is a tourist marina which was created in the 70s to meet the needs of nautical tourism. Today nothing is missing: it is at the same time a port and a tourist village with apartments, villas and little detached houses, a nautical club, spacious green areas and sports facilities, shops, boutiques, restaurants, bars, campsites, a riding-ground and a wet dock fully equipped for yachting, for a total amount of 360 boats from 4,5 to 20 metres long.