THE  "FUN MACHINE"  -  Europe's N.1 Seaside Resort
 

Sun,  sea, sand,  and sports. These are just some of the basic features of the Rimini coast: 40 km of beaches, which in some points are even two hundred metres wide. 

The province shoreline embraces the towns of  Bellaria-Igea Marina, Rimini itself, Riccione,  Misano Adriatico and Cattolica. Beaches, made-to-measure for young people and families, are known to be to the safest ones in Europe, thanks to shallow waters, to the fact motor boats are not allowed in the deep water 500 m. from the shoreline,  and to the constant supervision of hundreds of lifeguards.

The safest sea goes with the best-equipped beach: an endless number of recreational and sports facilites and very fine sand  which children really love, just ideal for building sand castles. 

There are 8 seaside sailing clubs between Bellaria and Cattolica and Rimini's new marina is one of the top in the entire Mediterranean Sea. 

The Rimini Province coast area offers a wide range of accommodation possibilities, with 2.800 hotels fully equipped to satisfy all kinds of  requirements. They  range from exclusive 5-star hotels to ones that are much less expensive, but nevertheless adequately comfortable. All are run in the name of professionalism and a warm welcome.

See page bottom for  RIMINI LINKS!

Here are some pictures taken in Rimini, its Province and places nearby:

 

Rimini and its Province

The beach is Rimini's gold-mine. It stretches from Torre Pedrera to Miramare, its core being "Marina Centro".
One of the landmarks that should be seen is definitely the Grand Hotel, a meeting point for elite tourists, that was made famous worldwide by Federico Fellini. 

Rimini is the capital of optimism. 
In fact, fun is everywhere and there is plenty to choose. It's easy to pass from Rimini's exciting attractions to its magic hinterland and go sightseeing around castles and villages, which display all their historical wealth. 

For example, along the Marecchia Valley, one can stop in Santarcangelo , Verucchio , Torriana-Montebello and Poggio Berni. Each hamlet has something to offer, each village reveals a piazza, a church, a castle or a museum. 

To those who wish to stay by the seaside and enjoy the benefits of a SPA at the same time, Rimini and Riccione offer their very modern  
                                        

Rimini's coast is always feastful, with hundreds of events taking place all year round, from film festivals to music and theatre performances , from important seminars to prestigious exhibitions and international conferences. 

Not far from the coast there are various lovely little towns worth a visit: such as Coriano, San Clemente, San Giovanni and many others we shall mention further on.

      San Marino, the world's smallest and oldest republic, rich in history and traditions, is located  only 20 km from Rimini. 

 

 

Culture & Tourism

 

Rimini, the Province capital, combines a modern tourist organization with monuments dating back to glorius times. There are several extraordinary landmarks that visitors should not miss, such as the important remains of the Roman Amphitheatre  (2nd century A.D.), Augustus' Arch, 

           
   
         

 
          Tiberius' Bridge    ,    

         

          and Rimini's Cathedral, the famous "Malatesta Temple"  or Church of
          St. Francesco (1447).

               

          The "Tempio" is one of the masterpieces by architect Leon Battista
          Alberti.
          It's   an extraordinary construction, considered one of the " jewels of the
          Renaissance", embellished inside with bas-reliefs and sculptures. 

 

 

 

 

          Special  mention deserve the rich decorations by Matteo de' Pasti, among
          which the "Tomb of Isotta degli Atti", 

 

 

 

 

          and Agostino di Duccio, who sculptured the "Bas-reliefs" (1456.

         

          Another masterpiece is  Giotto's "Crucifix". 

         

 

          The splendid fresco by Piero della Francesca, bearing the title
          "Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta praying before St. Sigismondo" (1451),
          is an absolute must. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Malatestas were the lords of Rimini from the 13th to the 17th century,  when the last descendants of the family abandoned the town.

Among other places of worship worth a visit: the Churches of St. Agostino

and St. Maria dei Servi (1317), the Sanctuary of Madonna delle Grazie 

and the Abbey of St. Giuliano.

Sismondo or Sigismondo Castle, an imposing Malatesta Fortress, should also be visited.

Noble buildings dating from different periods give onto Piazza Cavour, the city's administration centre for over seven centuries: they are the City Hall dating from 1562, Palazzo del Podestà (1334), the 13th-century Palazzo dell'Arengo (1204-07).

The Fontana della Pigna (Pine-cone fountain - 1543) faces the 18th-century arches of the "Pescheria Vecchia" (Old Fish Market - 1747).

Piazza Tre Martiri is characterised by a 16th-century Clock Tower, the Small Temple of St. Antonio (1518) and the 16th-century memorial stone, a column from which Julius Caesar is said to have addressed his troops after leading them across the Rubicon River towards Rome.

      The College of Jesuits, a sort of coffer preserving the artistic and cultural beauties of Rimini's ancient  history, now houses the Roman Tombstone Museum, the Museum of the City and the Picture Gallery.

Among the masterpieces displayed there, visitors can admire Guido Cagnacci's " Vocation of St. Matteo" (17th century), Giovanni Bellini's "Pietà" (1460), Domenico Ghirlandaio's "Ancon of St. Vincenzo Ferreri" (15th century),

as well as works by Guido Reni, Guercino, Giovanni da Rimini and other artists of the 14th-century "Rimini Painting School".

Palazzo Gambalunga (1610) houses a prestigious Civic Library. Excavations in Piazza Ferrari have revealed the "Roman Domus" said "del Chirurgo" (of the surgeon), with splendid mosaics.

Villa Mattioli (19th century) and Villa Des Vergers (1879), prestigious event and conference venues, are the most important among the wonderful villas scattered on the hills around Rimini.

 

Fairs, Conferences and Events

Website Photos

Website

Rimini is THE exhibition and congress city. 
Confident of its extremely modern facilities, Europe's newest and most advanced Exhibtion Center sets the rules in the conference trade. 

Congress tourism has found its capital in Rimini. The "Convention Bureau della Riviera di Romagna" is one of Europe's leading organizations in the conference business.

It is not by chance that meetings of international calibre, such as the "Days of the Pio Manzù International Research Centre"  and the "Meeting for friendship among peoples", are hosted in Rimini.
In the spring, autumn and winter a large number of exhibitions and congresses of all kinds attract many Italian and foreign visitors to Rimini and its coast. 

The Rimini Trade Fair organizes dozens of exhibitions and events, many of which play a leading role in their fields at a national as well as an international level. The fair complex covers a really huge area and over a quarter of its exhibitors are foreign.

Shopping and Night-Life

The beach areas and town centers feature stores, boutiques and street markets of all kinds. Hundreds of bars and ice-cream shops are scattered along the entire Rimini coast, offering a wide choice of  flavours.  But going shopping, or taking a slice of water-melon or a "granita" are not the only possible ways of spending time. 

  The coast has Italy's highest concentration of water and theme parks and delphinariums. It's really impossible to get bored here.

As night comes, fun is everywhere. There are 40 pubs spread along the Rimini coast, and a steadily increasing number of disco- bars, which have become the most popular meeting points before going to discos or dance halls. After the pub or a pizza, it's time to go to the disco. The "temples of the night" are really many. They can be reached by car, by bus, with the Blue Line, a double-decker bus connecting the discos in the summer, or by train, with a special train of the night, which shuttles all night long.

Sports

Spending part of the holidays doing some exercise and sports activities has become a necessity rather than an alternative. It is the best way to make new friends, to enjoy nature and the sea, by plunging in a new dimension. 

Well-equipped marinas are located in and around Rimini. 
The environment and facilities offer a wide range of possibilities to practice sports and, at the same time, discover areas of great historical and environmental interest. 

By renting a bicycle or a mountain-bike, from one of the several rental shops scattered everywhere along the coast, or a horse through one of the fully equipped riding schools and stables in the area, it is possible to go for excursions, either alone or with a group. Many excursions often go from the seaside towards the inland to visit the beautiful green spots along the rivers Conca and Marecchia. 

Golf can be played at the Rimini Golf Club, in Villa Verucchio. It is also possible to enjoy all kinds of shooting, from clay-pigeon and target shooting to archery.

The Food is Unique!

Good cuisine, either with friends, on feast-days, at opening ceremonies or romantic rendezvous, is one of the deepest Romagna traditions. 
At the table it is possible to talk, joke or make plans, and food, well-cooked and well served, and eaten in a friendly atmosphere, makes one's day better. 

  The typical dishes of Rimini, among which excellent meats, are always simple, natural, but tasty, as they are prepared with genuine ingredients, which are not adulterated by overcooking or exotic additions. 

  Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica have a great fish tradition. 
The gastronomy of the coast, together with the cuisine of the Romagna hinterland, is one of the strongest elements of the kindness and hospitality, history and culture of the inhabitants of Romagna. It originates from the simple home-made cooking of farmers and fishermen, a cuisine prepared on fireplaces and stoves, and which has known how to keep the simple taste of vegetables and fresh fish, enriched with the typical fantasy of those who like spending their time cooking. 

Among the specialities, many kinds of pasta and traditional local dishes, "piadina" flat bread and incredible wines!

Two Itineraries

Here are two proposals for those wishing to know more about what the Rimini area offers its guests:

 The Marecchia Valley

From the coast, reach Santarcangelo (on the Via Emilia towards Bologna), the first stop of our itinerary. After leaving Santarcangelo, go on towards Ponte Verucchio, following the course of the Marecchia River. 
You will pass by charming little Poggio Berni, after which, to your right, you will see the castle of Torriana and then the castle of Montebello, both of which are worth a visit. 

Reaching the trunk-road n. 258, go towards Verucchio, the native land of the Malatesta family, where a wonderful view can be enjoyed. The Collegiata of St. Martino and Francesco d'Assisi houses valuable paintings. 

When going towards Villa Verucchio, do not forget to admire the impressive 750-year-old cypress tree located in the cloister of the Franciscan Friary. Going further on along the trunk-road n. 258 towards the hinterland, you will leave the province of Rimini and enter the Montefeltro area. 

After passing Pietracuta, there is an intersection to the left which leads to San Leo. Its Fortress, (where Count Cagliostro was held prisoner) standing on top of an overhanging rock, was practically impossible to conquer. 
In this medieval village you should visit the ninth-century Pieve church and the twelfth-century Cathedral. If you have time, go further along the trunk-road n. 258 towards Pennabilli.

From there a short detour will take you to the charming town of Sant'Agata Feltria, dominated by its imposing Fregoso Fortress. 
Then you can reach Tuscany and visit Sansepolcro, the birthplace of the great painter Piero della Francesca. In the Town Hall picture gallery you can admire some of the artist's most important masterpieces.

 Fortresses and Panoramas

The starting point of this itinerary is Morciano di Romagna: from here you should go on and stop at Saludecio  , a typical medieval village where you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view. 

There are ruins of the city walls including two fourteenth-century gates, Palazzo Albini and the late 18th-century neo-classical Parish Church of St. Biagio, housing beautiful paintings.

After leaving Saludecio, reach Mondaino, a town also lying on top of a hill. What remains of the old city are the walls and the Castle. 

Passing through a well-preserved gate you will reach a small square called Piazza Maggiore with a typical semicircular colonnade, which is the access point to go inside the Fortress. 

At this point, you can enrich our charming itinerary with a visit to Montegridolfo, a beautiful and well-preserved village with an impressive fortress. 

Its Parish Church of St. Rocco houses valuable masterpieces among which the fresco "Madonna with Child and Saints" by Guido Cagnacci.

Otherwise, you can follow the original plan, and go to Tavoleto, in the Marches, where it is possible to visit the ruins of a Fortress that was built in the fifteenth century by Federico da Montefeltro, the lord of that land.

Going back into Romagna, the last stop of our trip is Montefiore Conca, a picturesque town built around a fourteenth-century Malatesta Fortress, which overlooks the Conca valley, offering a wonderful view over the Adriatic coast. The local Parish Church displays a Crucifix on panel dating back to the fourteenth-century.
Other charming little towns worth a visit are Gemmano, Monte Colombo and Montescudo.

     
   
          Here are some Excellent Links presenting  facts and info on Rimini
          and its surroundings:

              

       

           

        

        

        

        

        

        

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        These are LINKS to the Websites of Rimini Province and its Towns:

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

 

 

 

See more great  photos!




 

 

Rimini is a Province of 

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