Founded by the Romans in 268 B.C., Rimini has been the scene of many disputes in its two-thousand year history. Significant traces of the city’s past remain today. Rimini is also an art city visited by 1.5 million tourists annually, praised by the international press: Forbes and the New York Times have recently given high relevance to Rimini’s beauties; the latter put Rimini among their recommended “52 places to go” in 2018. Also the Lonely Planet awarded Emilia Romagna, Rimini’s region, as “Best in Europe 2018”. Last but not least, Rimini is a flourishing centre for congresses and trade fairs, thanks to the availability of 80,000 hotel rooms in the area and prestigious venues.
City attractions
Fulgor Cinema
«I don’t make films to discuss theses or support theories. I make films in the same way I live dreams» – Federico Fellini, Oscar-awarded movie director
Fulgor Cinema is a Fellinian place. It played a leading role in Federico Fellini’s life and work: in fact, Fellini watched his first films here (including Maciste in Hell) and he used to provide promotional playbills in exchange for free viewings for him and his friends. Developed in the liberty style, the Fulgor cinema pulls together all aspects of Fellini’s poetry. Inspired by 1930’s Hollywood, the ground floor, foyer and two screening rooms ‘Giulietta’ and ‘Federico’ have been completely restored to their previous glory, according to the original project created by Italian designer Dante Ferretti. It was necessary to give back to Rimini and its inhabitants one of the landmarks of Italian urban culture, reconstructing not only the expressive designs of an era but, most of all, a rich, enchanting and evocative feeling, typical of Fellini’s timeless stories
Amintore Galli Theatre
Teatro Amintore Galli is the Municipal Theatre of Rimini. Its construction began in 1843 and it was opened in 1857 with the opera “Aroldo” by Giuseppe Verdi. The project (1841-43) was signed by Luigi Poletti, who was an architect and engineer of the Papal States.
Luigi Poletti designed the Municipal Theatre of Rimini as a temple of music. He was inspired by the solemnity and magnificence of Roman temples and proposed an innovative style; a monumental building in a classic architecture (Greek-Roman), which distinguished the theatre from others in Europe of the same period. The last performance of the theatre dates back to the carnival 1943 because afterwards much of the building was destroyed by the Second World War. The apse and the roof collapsed, and about 90 percent of the auditorium and the stage were destroyed.
The Amintore Galli Theatre, now completely restored, was officially reopened in October 2018, remaining as faithful as possible to the original project.
The Galli Theatre has been recently included by TIME magazine in the list of the World’s Greatest Places of 2019.
Malatesta Temple
Giotto decorated the Temple, which was built on the site of the 13th century church of San Francesco, and indeed one of his wooden crucifixes is still housed inside. It was conceived by Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta as a memorial tomb for his family and although building work began in 1447 it was still incomplete on his death. The temple was designed by Leon Battista Alberti and Matteo dei Pasti and Agostino di Duccio created the bas-relief decorations in the chapels, which highlight the dominant personality of the commissioner who was celebrated by Piero della Francesca in his fresco of the prince and San Sigismondo.
The temple, which was recently consecrated a basilica, has undergone restoration work financed by the Cassa di Risparmio di Rimini Foundation. Its completion, in Jubilee year, returned the marble and bright colours of the interior chapels to their former splendour.
The Surgeon’s House
This important archaeological complex, situated in the heart of the town centre, was discovered in 1989 and presented to the city of Rimini after 18 years of excavation and conservation.
The archaeological area covers over 700 sqm and includes many different building elements, among which the most interesting, the so-called Surgeon’s House (Domus). This was a residential building of the Roman period, built during the second half of the 2nd century A.D. Other findings of great archaeological interest were unearthed providing us with an exceptional example of historical and urban stratification. With a great deal of care and patience, the archaeologists of Rimini, led by Jacopo Ortalli, in charge of the excavations, brought to light a unique historical patrimony. The large number of unearthed remains and mosaics are of great interest and all well preserved. The most extraordinary discovery is the collection of 150 surgical instruments. They leave us no doubt as to the profession of the owner: a doctor.
Rimini & the Riviera
Culture
If you are interested in art, architecture or archaeology, you will be amazed at the attractions offered by larger and smaller towns alike. With an exceptional range of museums, theatres, ballet and concerts to choose from, the cultural life of the region is alive and thriving.
Crafts
Craft shops offer unusual and completely authentic products such as printing on cloth, rust-printed fabrics and pottery in traditional shapes and colours, all hand-made and cooked in wood-burning ovens.
Fashion and shopping
Shopping is of the finest quality – not only in the elegant boutiques in the old towns and along the main avenues, but also at the various clothing and footwear company outlets, open to the general public, where one can find all the major brand-names at convenient prices.
Top class cuisine with traditional atmosphere
Rimini is a land of genuine flavours and love for eating well. On the table there is always a ‘piadina’, the symbol of the local cuisine, a thin, unleavened bread to be eaten warm with ham and cured meat, or with soft cheese spread on the top.
A Romagna speciality is homemade pasta (tagliatelle, strozzapreti, ravioli, gnocchi and cappelletti), served with tasty meat or fish sauces.
Roasted and grilled meats are also a fundamental element of local gastronomy.
To accompany the meals there are excellent red and white wines, typical of the Rimini hills: Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana and Pagadebit, which have reached high-quality levels in the recent years.
Inland there are plenty of wine cellars where it is possible to taste and buy wines or visit farms where you can buy organic products, honey, delicious and very tasty cheeses and salamis.
In the area there is also a longstanding tradition of olive oil production, with numerous producers of excellent extra-virgin olive oil.
Food & Nightlife
Piazza della Vecchia Pescheria and “Piazzetta delle Poveracce”
Once upon a time, it was the Old Fish Market, the Vecchia Pescheria, with benches of Istrian stone, and the and the memory of women with headscarves selling clams, or ‘poveracce’, as they still call them in Rimini. Now it is the centre of nightlife in town, essentially a living room in the historic centre, surrounded by local and trendy wine bars, immersed in a friendly atmosphere and made up of narrow streets and small squares surrounded by its charming history. Taverns, restaurants and trendy places in this picturesque corner of the city are a meeting point for thousands of young people who get together for an aperitif, a snack, or a concert. In this corner of Rimini, the trendy place to hang out is within its history: a kind of room that is almost completely covered and filled with shops and “the places to be”. There are butchers, delicatessens, bakers, spice shops, bookshops and antique shops. You can eat, drink and chat, surrounded by walls that makes antiquity seem even more friendly.
Borgo San Giuliano
Borgo San Giuliano is a charming maze of narrow streets and small squares, with colourful fishermen’s houses. It is another area to put on the to-do list, simply for its vibrant nightlife. There is a vast choice of restaurants, wine bars, and small venues ideal for aperitifs, evening meals and places to meet up. The “piadina”, in its many forms, is often the star of the show, and the warm and welcoming atmosphere of this intimate place makes it ideal for an aperitif, evening meal, or after-dinner drink.
Marina Centro
Starting from the port area of Rimini, along the last stretch of the promenade – from the Marina Centro to the pier – there are the most popular places: restaurants, pubs, sophisticated bars and various other places which are meeting points that start and intercept the latest trends. Some overlook the promenade, others are right on the beach. The highlights: an aperitif at sunset, chill out music, drinks and feet in the water.
Find out more on Visit Rimini
Visit Rimini is the Destination Management Company of the city of Rimini, set up by Italian Exhibition Group, leading company in the organization of congress events, and Promozione Alberghiera, a cooperative with 50 years of history in the Rimini tourism industry.
Visit Rimini promotes and enhances Rimini and its local area, providing a full range of tourist services:
- hotel booking,
- transport,
- ticketing,
- experience tours,
- guided tours and excursions.
Find out even more interesting places in Rimini: https://riminiturismo.it/en