Rimini is an introverted city that in the summer is covered with an avalanche of chaos, fun and general excitement. The resort is famous for its beach service, which is why many do not even suspect that Rimini is much more than sea, sun and sand. The old city here is so ancient that it still remembers how Julius Caesar trampled the crossroads of ancient roads with his sandals, deciding to cross the Rubicon. And the parks are so distinctive that sitting in the cool shade of trees or on the shores of Lake Mariotti, you forget that you are in Italy, and not in the Belarusian outback.
Like any European city that accepts tourists, Rimini has its own list with the heading “The Best”. For a resort, it has a rather respectable age, by no means a small number of residents and so many hotels that no one can accurately calculate them, because two new ones immediately grow in place of one closed one. Well, the length along the Adriatic coast is also impressive.
And it is also a super Russian-tolerant resort, so if you are not strong in foreign languages, do not worry – Rimini knows its target audience: the Russian language is found here both in restaurant menus and on various signs and poles with announcements. It seems that a little more, and the city will turn into a sample of Turkey or Egypt on the Italian coast. However, Rimini adequately holds the brand of a European resort and is unlikely to lose ground in the near future.
EXAMPLE BEACHES OF RIMINI
A trip to Rimini involves a relaxing holiday in a horizontal position to the accompaniment of the Adriatic Sea. Almost the entire coastal zone is “cut” into small private beaches assigned to hotels. Due to the fact that everyone has a mercantile owner, they are very clean and comfortable: with changing rooms, toilets, sources of drinking water. In some places there are sports grounds, children’s areas, own cafes and bars. For those who came solely for the sake of the sea, all conditions are created here so that they don’t have to go out into the city at all.
The only negative that can upset our tourist is the fee for sunbeds. As soon as someone’s “Madame I’m sitting” descends on one of them, a short, smiling Italian immediately appears next to him: if you want comfort, if you please, pay. If the beach belongs to the hotel where you are staying, the price for sunbeds and umbrellas will be lower than for other vacationers (but not by much). In the high season, you can reserve a place for yourself for the entire duration of your vacation and no longer worry about having nowhere to lie down due to the influx of vacationers. The beaches smoothly flow into one another – it is easy to determine the boundaries by the colors of umbrellas and sunbeds. In total, there are more than 150 such sectors, for convenience, each beach has its own serial number.
For those who want to save money, there is an option called “free beaches and a good old towel on the sand.” The largest free beach is located in the Ferris wheel area. There is another trick: the area within 5 meters from the sea on private beaches is considered public, which means that in theory anyone can relax at the water’s edge. However, this move does not always work, because such vacationers are very unprofitable for the owners: they are like beach “hares” – they use all the benefits of a cozy beach for free, without paying a penny.
On a note. In Rimini, you will have to fork out not only on the beach: hotels charge a tourist tax for each day of stay, the cost of which varies depending on the star rating of the hotel.
WHAT TO SEE IN THE CITY?
Rimini is much more famous for its beaches than its sights, and yet it has them. It’s worth starting from the city center, exactly from Cavour Square . This is such a cultural place, where buildings from different eras are presented, including a couple of palaces, a drinking fountain-cone, which Leonardo da Vinci himself admired, and a monument to Pope Paul V. Be sure to wander along the streets of the old part: in addition to a pleasant shade, there are fashionable shops, authentic cafes and ice cream shops (in Italian, these establishments are called Gelateria).
There is another square in the center – Tre Martiri , just the one that was formed back in the 2nd century BC at the intersection of roads. This “grandmother-piazza” has seen a lot of passions in her lifetime: spontaneous markets, bloody knights’ tournaments, burning of witches, the execution of members of the Italian Resistance and, finally, the invasion of Russian-speaking tourists. In addition, there is a market here on weekends: prices are low, things are Chinese. What is called, no luck, so from antiquity.
The heritage of Ancient Rome is represented by the Arch of Augustus , the active bridge of Tiberius and the archaeological complex “House of the Surgeon” . The list of noble antiquity can also include the Castle of Malatesta and the Temple of Malatesta , named after one of the rulers of Rimini.
All of the above are close to the train station. And from there it is already a stone’s throw to the port and the Ferris wheel . Be sure to ride the ride to see how big Rimini is, and you can cross off the “See the main sights” item from your to-do list. Although no, do not be too lazy to go to the San Giuliano area to look at the colorful Italian houses, for which the famous Federico Fellini had a special love. Rimini is his hometown, the director is very much appreciated here and everyone calls him by his name.
Things to Do in Rimini
- The resort has a well-developed rental network, here you can rent everything that floats: a boat, a yacht, a catamaran.
- The concentration of nightclubs and discos per square meter of tourist area is so high that not a single party-goer will leave here disappointed.
- In the evening, a fair and concert mafia is operating on the streets. You just need to step out of the hotel and enjoy what the city has to offer: festivals, music programs, street performances.
- To please the children, it is enough to take them to the Fiabilandia theme park. Not far from the port there is a dolphinarium, and outside the city there is the Aquafan water park and the zoo with the Oltremare dolphinarium (you can buy a single ticket to both parks at once).
WHERE TO GO FOR SHOPPING?
Rimini is the uncrowned shopping capital. Fashion boutiques can be found in the old part, and mass-market items with a very pleasant price can be found in the outskirts of the city, where there are many outlets in production. If you are too lazy to leave the center, but you want budget prices, go to Queen Elena Boulevard (Viale Regina Elena), a large stretch of street that runs parallel to the beach. Also in the city there is a large shopping center Le Befane.
Information for shopaholics. Sale periods are January-February and July-August, but additional discount days occur throughout the year. So, shopping in Rimini will certainly please you. Just keep yourself in control, so that later you do not pay for excess baggage.
LOCAL KITCHEN
Pasta, pizza, lasagne – these are the associations that come to mind when thinking about Italian gastronomy. And when you are also served a glass of limoncello with these dishes, you don’t want to try anything else. And yet, for centuries, the territory of Rimini was inhabited by different peoples, and therefore the culinary tradition of the region is quite diverse. In addition to pizza and pasta, seafood dishes are in high esteem here, which is quite obvious, as well as cheeses, deli meats, rice and unleavened flatbreads.
What to try in Rimini?
- Tortellini are small dumplings that are very popular in Italy. The filling can be not only meat, but also cheese or vegetables.
- Fish grill is the most famous dish on the coast. To order, just say “grigliata mista di pesce”.
- Piada is a flatbread known since the times of the Roman Empire, and now it is a modern fast food with a variety of fillings.
- Gnocchi al Gorgonzola . Potato dumplings with famous cheese sauce.
- Ice cream . Do you know that this icy sweet was invented in Italy? She’s just perfect here.
- Tiramisu . It is necessary, in the end, to find out what this dessert really is.
- Wine . Even Omar Khayyam said: “Sadness is a poison, wine is an antidote.” Is it possible not to drink wine in Italy? Try any local.
- Aperol syringe is a sweet and bright cocktail based on the Italian Aperol liqueur. The most popular drink in Rimini during the hot months.
OUTSIDE RIMINI
One of the main attractions that the city is very proud of is the Italy in Miniature theme park . Although it belongs to Rimini, you won’t get there on foot: you’ll have to take bus number 8 and go “forest-field, field-forest” (in fact, only a field). But it’s worth it, because this is a unique opportunity to see all the architectural wonders of Italy in a reduced form in one day. Would you be able to visit Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Pisa in one vacation? And here, please: go to the right – the Colosseum, to the left – the Duomo Cathedral, straight ahead – the Florentine Cathedral, even straighter – the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Venice has completely allocated a whole zone with its canals and Piazza San Marco.
Saving lovers . When traveling around Rimini by bus, always buy and punch tickets, because the fines are impressive, and the controllers are imperturbable and enter the transport very often.
In the town next to Rimini, there is an aquarium Acquario di Cattolica . It is called an aquarium, but in fact, marine life occupies only one zone out of four. The park first of all amazes with its scale, and only then with its live exhibits. If you get tired of walking around the pavilions, you can go to the sea. You will have to go here with a transfer: by bus number 11 to the town of Riccione, and then transfer to route number 125, going to Catholica.
Do you want to add another country to your piggy bank without leaving Italy? Head to San Marino , one of the smallest states in the world with the capital of the same name. Only 1 hour by bus number 11 – and in front of you is not just a city, but a whole duty-free zone, one large alcohol duty free and a leather bag market. Although we will discard materialism: in fact, this is a very cute and cozy town, crowned with a fortress on a rock.
The views from the top are so incredible that you look at these tiny houses with red roofs and cars on round road junctions – and a white leather handbag, limoncello in a beautiful bottle and Murano glass beads immediately fade into the background. And all because the happiness of being a vacationer is an intangible thing. You think so too, don’t you?