The city of Rimini on the Adriatic coast with its Roman history

Rimini is considered one of the most visited coastal cities in central Italy. It is the perfect place for anyone looking to relax on the beach along with good food and seaside resorts, as well as for lovers of history and culture. The charming historic center takes you through ancient Roman monuments, Renaissance squares, architecture, and churches filled with treasures and works of art, allowing you to discover the long history of this city. Just a stone's throw away, there are more than 15 kilometres of beaches, 250 seaside resorts, bike paths and beach volleyball courts to keep you busy from dawn to dusk. The area also boasts some of Italy's most popular nightlife venues, with bars from the port area to Marina Centro and round-the-clock restaurants ready to welcome visitors all year round.

The history and magic of Rimini

Rimini dates back to 268 BC as the Roman Ariminome, thanks to the foresight of the emperors Augustus, Tiberius and Hadrian, who saw in Rimini the ideal meeting point between the Via Flaminia and the Via Emilia. Rimini soon became a major economic and cultural center, and remained so even during the Middle Ages. This splendor continued to grow during the Renaissance, when, thanks to the Malatesta family, Rimini became a major center of this Italian and European artistic, scientific and literary renaissance. Rimini's history has been marked by this period of creativity, with the Cismundo Castle in Piazza Malatesta and the Malatesta Temple still being excellent examples of the Malatesta family's love for their city.

Places to visit in Rimini: places not to miss

The traces left by more than two centuries of history and culture do not make it easy to choose places to visit in Rimini, so we have selected some of the city's most iconic sites and places not to be missed, including monuments, artworks and entertainment venues. Miniature Italy, on the outskirts of Rimini, is one of Italy's most famous and unique tourist parks, with more than 270 replicas of Italian monuments, churches and buildings. The emblematic temple of Malatesta in Rimini is a Renaissance masterpiece featuring works by Piero della Francesca and Matteo di Basti. The city also boasts the oldest preserved arch in northern Italy, the Augustus Arch, which was erected in 27 BC. A few steps away, you can visit the Roman Amphitheatre, built in the second century by order of Emperor Hadrian. Located across from the Old Town and a 15-minute walk away, Cismondo Castle is a fortress in Malatesta Square. The castle still retains the essence of the original building today with its large square towers and majestic sloping walls.

What to do in Rimini

Rimini brings together everyone, culture lovers and fun lovers alike. If you're wondering what to do in Rimini, we recommend starting with a journey on foot or bike, starting from the Augustus Arch and continuing along the Corso d'Agosto to the Church of St. Augustine, full of art treasures. From there, in Piazza Malatesta, you can visit the Cismundo Castle, the Galle Theater, the Palazzo del Arengo y del Podesta with the Fountain of Fontana della Bijna, which amazed even Leonardo da Vinci. There is near the multimedia exhibition route in Rimini Cabot Viarome, after which we recommend walking to the Tiberio Bridge for a stroll along the water's edge. Families can treat themselves to a relaxing day at Villablandia, one of Italy's oldest theme parks, full of medieval, Eastern and Western attractions.

What you can eat in Rimini

Cinema and literature have always celebrated dishes from this region, which are no less authentic and magnificent. It would be a shame for anyone who wants to say that they saw Rimini not to try at least the main disciplines that local gastronomy offers.

Roman pasta is perfect as a snack or quick lunch. They are simple and delicious, and can have different fillings, but a local favorite filling is Squacquirone or Salami Mura.

Pasta is another staple, from tagliatelle al rago to strasosaprite pasta served with sausages and peas.

There's no shortage of fish in Rimini, but if you want to stay true to tradition, you should try Prodito, a fish soup served with toast.

If you're a sweet lover, you should try braccello, a traditional baked dessert accompanied by custard, and pastringo, a dense, moist cake containing dried fruit, honey and raisins.

Unique places in Rimini

Rimini is also a city full of unique places that you can discover away from the usual tourist routes. The Jampalonga Library, in the historic centre just 100 metres from Domus Algarrah, is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. Founded in 1619 on the order of Alessandro Jambalunga, it is located in the Jambalunga Palace, which features an eighteenth-century well made of Istrian stone in its courtyard. Just a two-minute walk away is the Palazzo Riba, a nineteenth-century building that was the first residence in Rimini by the great Italian director Federico Fellini. Towards the coast, a stone's throw from the garden dedicated to Fellini, is the church of San Girolamo. Completed in 1971, it contains magnificent works of art, such as the Way of the Cross by Gian Battista Costa, a cross dating from the seventeenth century, and the statue of the Virgin and Child dating from 1800.