Weekend in Rimini that you don’t expect

NoIt’s no longer just umbrellas and discos: Rimini today proudly displays its marine beauty and its cultured soul. If you are looking for a destination for a weekend, the bord de mer walk awaits you here, the enchantment of the Roman remains and, of course, an outdoor table in the many authentic trattorias

When they are finished (and it’s very close now), they will be 16 kilometers of bord de mer walk. A beautiful route, designed by the Miralles-Tagliabue studio of Barcelona, ​​which from the port of Rimini with the Ferris wheel caresses the beach with the bathrooms and swings, touches the dehors of the hotels and restaurants, zigzags between the flowerbeds, the dunes covered with vegetation, fountains, fitness islands and corners dedicated to yoga, all already usable. «It took a few years before the construction sites closed, but now what a spectacle» says a fisherman as he admires that waterfront capable of giving smiles and amazement to tourists.

Rimini and the viewpoint of Piazzale Kennedy

In May it is still early for swimming in the sea, but you can walk along the paths interspersed with benches in the shape of sardines (the poor fish of the Adriatic), stop at the Wellness Tree dedicated to calisthenics training and go up to the two corten viewpoints in Piazzale Kennedy, 9 and 12 meters high. From there you can see everything: the beach framed by flowering trees and English-style lawns, the modern premises, the roofs of the ancient city to underline the distance between urban Rimini and the Rimini of the sea.

Everyone on bicycles

Rimini should be discovered on foot or even better by bicycle as the people of Rimini have always done, this year galvanized by the fact that their city will host the inaugural stage of the Tour de France on June 29th. Gone are the times in which this slice of Romagna was only synonymous with umbrellas, discos and donuts (which however are still there, the right address to taste them is the Jole kiosk on the Porto Canale), now it is nice to get lost among its many souls, marine and cultural, starting from the historic center designed according to the rules of the cardo and the decumanus and reborn thanks to a widespread urban facelift. In a few steps, with a leap of centuries, you can admire Roman remains such as the Domus del Surgeon from the 2nd century and the Tiberius Bridge completed in 21 AD, sixteenth-century monuments, from the Malatesta Temple designed by Leon Battista Alberti, with a fresco by Piero della Francesca, until the outdoor lounge in Piazza Cavour, where the people of Rimini take a coffee break in the bar of the same name with outdoor tables, next to the elegant façade of the Galli Theaterinaugurated in 1857 by Giuseppe Verdi.

Behind him stands the profile of Castel Sismondo, the fortress-residence of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini in the 15th century, for whom artists of the caliber of Filippo Brunelleschi worked.

For a couple of years it has been the home of the Fellini Museum which retraces, with images, objects and interactive games, the life and career of the director born in Rimini just over a century ago.

From there begins a journey in the footsteps of the places dearest to him, from Fulgor, the cinema in Corso d’Augusto that Fellini frequented as a child, revitalized in Romagna-Hollywood style by the Oscar-winning set designer Dante Ferretti, to Grand Hotel near the beach. Symbol of luxury hospitality on the Adriatic coast, it was immortalized by cinema thanks to films such as Amarcord and every time the director returned from Rome he always wanted to sleep with Juliet in suite 315.

The delicacies of the village

The myth of Fellini also returns to Borgo San Giuliano, the former fishing village with pastel-colored houses full of small shops and restaurants serving Romagna cuisine. At Nud and Crud they make “piada” in the classic version, open at the sides and kneaded by hand by the sfogline, the women who roll the dough with a rolling pin.

The Osteria de Borg it is famous for its local first courses and grilled Mora Romagnola, a native pig breed and Slow Food presidium. Another delicious stop is the Enoteca Biberius, with aperitifs based on cheeses and cured meats and Sangiovese and Rebola DOC wines. Past the Tiberius Bridge Giorgio Fellini bakery it is worth a stop for the fresh pasta baked on the spot, the Fossa cheese tome and the hand-kneaded loaves with selected flours and sourdough. Excellent baked goods can also be purchased at Pasta Madre Bakery: a tiny shop in the historic center. It is not far from the Covered Market, worth visiting to admire the light-filled structure and have a chat with small producers like Liliana Arrigoni, who for forty years has brought the harvest from her farm to stall number 22. Another delicious stop is the Gelateria Il Castello, where the raw materials from small producers give life to flavors that are beyond cliché, from Fossa cheese ice cream to caramelized fig ice cream and Vignola black cherry ice cream to be enjoyed at the outdoor tables , overlooking the walls of Castel Sismondo. Which is no small thing.

WHERE TO SLEEP

Hotel Demo Design Emotion Between the Porto Canale and the beach, a boutique hotel where everything speaks of design: in the industrial-inspired architecture, coworking spaces, suites (double room from 90 euros demohotel.space).

B&B A Casa da Noi In Borgo San Giuliano, a romantic bed&breakfast with only three rooms (single, double and suite) inspired by Federico Fellini. Breakfast, with homemade desserts and cakes (double from 80 euros, acasadanoi.it).

WHERE TO EAT

Trattoria da Lucio In viale Amerigo Vespucci, a gourmet restaurant for fish lovers. The large-sized one is prepared with the maturing technique (da-lucio.com). Agrofficina Natura & Cucina The chef-owner, Anna Chiara Leardini, comes from a family of direct farmers, her restaurant is a hymn to authenticity. Also vegan and vegetarian dishes (agrofficina.it). Rinaldini This pastry shop founded by Roberto Rinaldini, multiple world champion of pastry and ice cream making, is worth a stop for the spienata romagnola (focaccia with rosemary and coarse salt) and the donuts with cream (in Viale Amerigo Vespucci; the “kiosk” with outdoor area is in Piazza Francesca da Rimini; rinaldinipastry.com).

INFO riminiturismo.it and emiliaromagnaturismo.it