Rimini, Italy

Rimini, "the city of hospitality", "the beach of Europe", "the bathers' Riviera", the "Ostend of Italy": these are some of the names by which this sunny summer town of longstanding holiday traditions is known. It was on July 30, 1843 that two young Rimini aristocrats, Tintori and Baldini, opened the first "Stabilimento dei Bagni". When describing the origins of "taking the waters", Carlo Tonino wrote in 1895 in his Historical Compendium, "Seaside bathing had already become very fashionable and Rimini, because of its location and its fine, high quality sand, was frequented during the summer months by a large number of visitors from nearby and distant cities".

Since then, the Riviera has changed greatly and there are now more than 5,000 hotels, 1,000 restaurants, 150 discotheques, 1,200 bars, 50 museums and 300 sports centers along its 40 kilometers. In addition there are 16 amusement parks – the jewel in the Rivera's crown – which in all gives the highest density of places of entertainment in Italy. Of the theme parks, those deserving of a visit are Italy in Miniature, the original Italian theme park, and the splash park Acquafan in Riccione, a favorite holiday destination for the young.

These figures clearly make Rimini the capital of sunny beach holidays and all-night raving but they also tend to present the city with a stereotype image whereas, in reality, Rimini is much more complex and a city for all seasons. The Riviera has far more to offer than its beaches and night clubs and can be appreciated for its history that began over 2,000 years ago in 268 BCE when it was founded by the Romans and continued under the Byzantines, the Ostrogoths and the Lombards. But it is the medieval and Renaissance heritage of the Malatesta family that is most visible.

A superficial exploration of the city center (closed to private traffic during the day) is not enough to discover the Ariminum of the Romans, the city of the Malatesta's or the 19th-century Rimini of the patriots and first social conflicts but one is able to get a rapid idea of the site's long history by visiting Roman structures like Tiberius' Bridge, Augustus' Arch and the Roman Amphitheatre; or the hidden historical corners such as the Giardino degli Aromi, the House of the Surgeon or the open spaces like Piazza Tre Martiri or the Portico of the Poveracce in Piazza Cavour, and in the narrow alleys of Borgo San Giuliano. These places have been left on one side by time and the rebuilding frenzy, and some have not even been touched since the devastating 396 bombing raids Rimini suffered during World War Two that destroyed 82% of the city. This was the greatest damage suffered by an Italian city of over 50,000 inhabitants. Postwar reconstruction and continuous restoration have produced today's Rimini–partly a rough copy of the destroyed city and partly an accumulation of new districts – a city of 150,000 inhabitants. It is contradictory, ambiguous, ephemeral, neither old nor new, neither ancient nor modern, with a transient image that has still not been clearly defined. We might say it is a cosmopolitan city founded on an eclectic set of individual components: a place of fishermen, farmers, craftsmen as well as of the tourist industry and the entertainment business.

It is a city famous for its industrial and commercial trade fairs and for prestigious international conferences organized throughout the year, such as the Meeting and the Giornate Internazionali di Studio Pio Manzù. Rimini has its newspapers, cultural magazines, antique and rare book shops in addition, of course, to its large shopping centers. A short trip inland to Covignano Hill will show you that as well as a view of the huge stretch of the coast from the western end of the city to Gabicce promontory, and even the last hills of Romagna and the border with the Marche.

Inland there are medieval suburbs of great splendor with forts, castles, parish churches, rural monasteries and tiny unspoiled country villages that attest a traditional culture still rich with memories of the past, traditional crafts, cooking, folklore and summer festivals where the smells of piadine and red Sangiovese wine are in the air. Visit, for example, Montebello, a tiny but graceful and romantic village, Palio del Daino di Mondaino or the charming Ottocento Festival di Saludecio.

If you would really like an unequaled panorama, you can climb the 739 meters above sea level in the Republic of San Marino. From the heights of its three castles and the steep drops to the valleys below, you can admire the whole of the Marecchia valley, which forms the course of the ancient river Ariminus that gave the city its name. The view from the heights on clear summer evenings highlights the continual development of the built up area that faces the sea and the heavy road and air traffic that passes through. Here and there you will see fireworks from one of the innumerable Riviera festivals and you will get the impression you are looking down on a huge entertainment park in full swing, or an Italian version of Las Vegas. Indeed, Rimini has also been called the "Las Vegas of Europe". Nicknames of this sort always have a basis of truth and are a good indication of how this ancient city is likely to develop in the future.