Rimini is busiest during the summer months and, as far as most tourists are concerned, this is not because of the city’s top 10 attractions. The very biggest attractions are, of course, the beach and the associated nightlife. However, the city has a historic centre that is much more beautiful and interesting than what one might expect.
Top 10 tourist attractions Rimini
01. Piazza Cavour
Piazza Cavour has been Rimini’s central square since the Middle Ages. It was originally called Piazza del Comune or Piazza della Fontana. The Fountain of the Pine Apple standing in the square also dates back to the Middle Ages. Apart from the many cafés and shops, the main attractions of the square are the Palazzo Garampi, the Palazzo dell’Arengo, the Palazzo del Podestà e the Teatro Galli, inaugurated by Giuseppe Verdi in 1857.
02. Malatesta Temple
The Malatesta Temple is Rimini’s marble-clad cathedral. The interior is graced by a painting by Giotto and a mural by Piero della Francesca, among others.
03. Piazza dei Tre Martiri
Piazza dei Tre Martiri (“Square of the Three Martyrs”) is located where the Roman Forum used to stand. The square features the Tempietto di Sant’Antonio, a 16th-century bell tower and a column dedicated to Julius Caesar.
04. Arch of Augustus
The Arch of Augustus on the Largo Giulio Cesare is probably the oldest surviving Roman arch in the world. The monument, which marks the end of the Via Flaminia in Rome, was consecrated in 27 BC. On either side the arch is flanked by statues of two gods.
05. Castel Sismondo
The Castel Sismondo is named after Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta. This man was feudal lord of Rimini itself and the slightly more southerly coastal town of Fano from 1432 to 1468. The castle was built in the mid-15th century and included the prince’s private residence. It is also known by the name Rocca Malatestiana.
06. City Museum
The City Museum of Rimini consists of an archaeological section focusing on the city’s Roman period and a pinocotheque with mostly Italian paintings.
07. Italia in Miniatura
A little way outside Rimini, you can see the whole of Italy. It is called Italia in Miniatura and has scale models of famous structures from all over the country.
08. Church of Sant’Agostino
The Sant’Agostino church dates from the 13th century and has the tallest bell tower in Rimini.
09. Bridge of Tiberius
The 62-metre-long Ponte di Tiberio (“Bridge of Tiberius”) was built in AD 21.
10. The beach
The beach, and all that accompanies beach lief, is of course the main reason many people flock to Rimini in the summer. The entire coast line of the city is lined with stabilimenti and every pub, club, discotheque or pizzeria is full of people.