Understand
There has been a settlement at Rimini since pre-historic times. Founded by the Romans in 268 B.C., Rimini boasts a 2,000-year history that has left important marks testifying to its grandeur. To the Romans, Ariminum was a link between the "Italic" and the "Gallic" lands, a stronghold on the Adriatic and a gateway to the Po valley. Three major roads converged here - the Flaminian Way, the Aemilian Way and the Popilian Way.
Rimini today is a thriving, bustling resort on the Italian Riviera that boasts "over a thousand hotels". It is one of the least pretentious towns in Italy, and has a well-deserved reputation for.
This is a place where the Italians go for their sea and sun, and therefore the food is excellent as well as the people being friendly and helpful. You won't find many tour buses filled with Americans or English here! This also means, however, that few speak anything but Italian, so be sure to take your phrase book with you. The locals will work with you and are always happy to see a foreigner at least trying to communicate in their language.
Get in
By plane
As a renowned resort area, Rimini has its own airport. Rimini International Airport (IATA: RMI) Buses run the 7km from the airport to the train station in the centre of the town.
Some discount airlines go to Forli, Forli Airport (IATA: FRL) which is around 55 km from Rimini.
By train
There is a train line that runs up and down the coast from Rimini, to Ravenna in the north and Ancona in the south, via any number of smaller resort towns.
By car
The A14, a six-lane motorway known as the autostrada del mare runs away to the north. The SS 72 heads inland towards San Marino. The SS16 heads in from the North and Ravenna.
Get around
Most hotels are within walking distance of the beach and the centre, but if you want to take a trip along the coast or inland, buses run regularly from the train station and are frequent and cheap.
See
Do
Lounge on the 15km of beaches. Known as La Marina, the beachfront is by far the number one reason anybody comes to Rimini. Yes, there is an old town, but this is generally ignored by most tourists.
Over winter, the whole place becomes a ghost town with a lot of shops shutting until the warm season starts up again.
The new Rimini Fair host several important congress and fairs with a busy winter...
