Italy is a country with a rich cultural heritage, so it attracts the attention of a huge number of tourists. Rome, Venice and Florence, of course, lead in popularity, but there are many other interesting cities in the country. For example, Rimini. It is located in the northeast and is considered the largest settlement of Italy on the Adriatic coast. And although the resort is primarily famous for its clean sandy beaches, there are many wonderful places here that will be interesting to see. In this article, we will talk about the sights of Rimini and the reviews of tourists about them.
Holidays in Rimini
Rimini is a large resort center of northern Italy, and it is often locals who choose it for relaxation, not tourists. First of all, it is famous for its sandy beaches, so it is chosen for a relaxing vacation at sea. And in their free time from swimming and sunbathing, travelers prefer to spend on shopping trips, which are also abundant in the city. And very few guests pay attention to the sights of Rimini. And reviews about them, as a rule, are found only good. In them, tourists emphasize that the city managed to preserve the medieval romance of coastal towns. And Rimini can become an inexpensive place to stay if you want to explore the large cities of Italy, but do not overpay for accommodation. For example, from here you can easily reach San Marino, Florence or Venice.
Rimini is a very old city, the first mention of which appeared in the ancient Roman period. Therefore, most of its attractions are historical. It is best to come to the city in summer, late autumn or spring. In high season, walks in Rimini can be combined with swimming in the sea. And in May or September, the flow of tourists decreases, which benefits travelers who do not like crowded gatherings.
The best sights of Rimini
Before traveling to Italy, of course, it is best to explore in advance the most popular places to visit. Rimini is primarily a beach resort, so the number of attractions here is much less than, for example, in Rome and Florence. But this is not a very big city, so tourists do not have to spend time on a long road. In addition, the bulk of the architectural monuments is concentrated in the central part, so you can inspect them in a day or two. And tourists consider this a significant advantage, because the rest of the vacation can be spent on a trip to other cities.
What to see in Rimini on your own? The sights here are accessible for visiting almost all year round, so it is not necessary to hire a guide or buy an excursion to get acquainted with the monuments of the city. In our article we will talk about the most significant of them.
Cavour Square
Tourists traditionally start sightseeing in Rimini from Piazza Cavour. Not for nothing, because it is she who is the cultural and historical center of the city. And although the area does not differ in large size, many architectural monuments are located on its territory. First of all, this, of course, is an ensemble of palaces built in the XIII-XVI centuries. The oldest of them - the Palazzo del Arengo - symbolizes the freedom of the city, which for a long time was a separate commune and maintained its independence. The palace was often rebuilt, but in 1926 it was returned to its original form. At the same time, tourists can look not only at the old facade of the building, but also at the interior. Here, for example, a fresco created in the XIV century has been preserved.
The palace of the Palazzo del Podesta is considered no less old. It was built in the 30s of the XIV century. It was built specifically for the rulers of the city, which was traditionally chosen by the people. However, now the municipality is located in the Garampi Palace, which is also located on this square. Another significant building is the local Teatro Kommunale. And although its facade has not yet been restored after the Second World War, performances are held in the building.
A distinctive feature of the square are the monuments to Pope Paul V. Next to it is an old fountain, built in the 16th century. Surprisingly, the water in it is so clean that you can drink it.
Cavour Square is the city’s most popular tourist attraction. In their reviews, they indicate that they liked this place. But among the minuses, they also speak of crowding. There are always a lot of local residents and tourists, so it’s very difficult to take beautiful pictures against the background of palaces or a fountain.
Arch of Emperor Augustus
Only the Arch of Augustus, located in the southeast of Rimini, can compete with Piazza Cavour in attendance. This attraction is really worth a visit, as it is considered the most ancient Roman arch erected in Italy. Its construction was completed as early as 27 BC. At the same time, the arch has long served as the southern gate of the city.
Now it is an architectural monument, so its condition is carefully monitored. The arch is very well preserved, in its upper part there are even inscriptions that say that it was erected in honor of the emperor Caesar Octavian Augustus.
The arch in the past was part of the fortifications, but almost nothing remained of the nearby walls - only ruins. Once it was also decorated with a statue of the emperor, but after the earthquake it was replaced by more practical prongs. From ancient Roman times on the arch not only the inscription was preserved, but also the images of the gods: Jupiter, Neptune, Apollo and Minerva. This attraction can be visited at any time. However, a fee for her visit is not charged.
Tiberius Bridge
Another ancient Roman attraction in Rimini, which is worth paying attention to, is the Tiberius Bridge. It is also located just a few blocks from Cavour Square, so it will not be difficult to get to it even on foot. The construction of the bridge began a long time ago - in 14 AD. Its construction was completed in 21 years.
It got its name in honor of the emperor Tiberius, who ruled Rome at that time. The bridge with its appearance resembles similar ancient Roman structures. It consists of five arches and connects the two banks of the Marecchia River.
In the VI century, the bridge was almost completely destroyed by barbarians, however, by the efforts of Pope Innocent XI, it was restored and put into operation, but only in 1680. The bridge works great in our time. Not only curious tourists walk on it, but often cars and other vehicles pass by. By the way, travelers can watch the bridge at any time on their own, and for free.
Palazzo brioli
Cavour is not the only square in Rimini in Italy. Attractions can be seen on the small and old Tri Martiri. This square is famous for the fact that at one time it was on it that Julius Caesar himself delivered a speech. In its place, the ancient Roman forum was once located, but now only a few columns remain from it. Of much greater interest to tourists is the Palazzo Briaoli, built several centuries ago.
Then the building belonged alternately to several influential families of Rimini, and in the XVIII century the building housed a scientific observatory. Also a hallmark of the palace is the Clock Tower located next to it, which was built in 1562. It got its name from an old watch called the Eternal Astrological Calendar. They were made specifically for the palace in 1750.
"Miniature Italy"
Not only in the city center are concentrated the main attractions. Near Rimini, for example, there are several theme parks. Let's talk about the most interesting of them - "Italy in miniature."
It is not without reason that he got such an interesting name. It contains small copies of the most popular attractions in Italy. Guests of the park can look at the impressive figures of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Cathedral of Milan or the Roman Coliseum. Separately, it is also worth mentioning the exhibition "Venice in miniature", which collected 119 copies of the palaces and buildings of this city.
The theme park occupies an impressive territory of 85,000 square meters. You can walk around all the miniature monuments on foot, and tourists can also take a mini-train or even ride a boat. The park has attractions, halls with slot machines. Themed and costume shows are also held from time to time. Tourists note in reviews that young children especially like walks in the park.
Tempio Malatestiano
Fans of monumental attractions in the city of Rimini should definitely see the Tempio Malatestiano Cathedral, which is both a temple and a mausoleum. It was built in XIII in the medieval Gothic style. The project was developed by the famous Italian architect of that time, Leon Alberti, who is often compared with Leonardo da Vinci. In the mid-15th century, the temple was turned into a mausoleum by the ruler of the city of Sigismondo Malatesta. Now it houses not only church equipment, but also old paintings. For example, tourists can see the fresco "Crucifixion", which was created by the artist Giotto di Bondone in 1312.
Rubicon River
If you want to see the sights around Rimini, then pay attention to the small Rubicon River, located on the outskirts of the city. She is famous not for her natural landscapes, but for historical events that occurred near its shores many centuries ago. Scientists believe that it was the Rubicon that was the river that Julius Caesar himself once crossed, moving on a campaign against Rome. It was from here that his conquest began, since it was in Rimini that the border between Italy and Gaul used to pass. Now only a small plate with the name of a river reminds of this famous event, next to which tourists like to take pictures.
Sigismondo Castle
Sigismondo Malatesta immortalized his name not only as a mausoleum, but also as a castle, which was erected near Cavour Square in 1446. Now the building houses several museums. One of them is devoted to the study of ethnography, and the other to non-European cultures. Here you can see expositions devoted to Asian, African and American art.
Like other attractions in Rimini, the castle is accessible for tourists almost daily. It can be viewed both independently and as part of an excursion group.
Mirabilandia Park
Another attraction of Rimini's sights is one more theme park. It is very popular among tourists, because it is considered the third largest in Europe.
On its territory there are 37 modern attractions. Themed shows are often held here, including performances of the Russian ice theater and stunt car shows. The park is located between Rimini and Ravenna. The distance to it is approximately 40 km.
Reviews of sights of Rimini, Italy
Rimini has a rather controversial reputation among tourists. Some of its attractions really liked, while others, for example, believe that other cities in Italy offer much more interesting monuments of culture and architecture. In their reviews, tourists write that most of all they like the compact location of attractions. In Rimini, most of them are within walking distance. Travelers recommend a visit to Piazza Cavour and the Augusta Arch, Tiberius Bridge and Tempio Malatestiano Cathedral located next to it, and you can do this in one day. The disadvantage of these cultural monuments is the large number of their visitors. Tourists have to crowd among the crowded crowd and spend a long time in lines. Making good photos is also quite problematic.
But tourists were completely delighted with the theme parks. They recommend allocating a separate day for their visit and be sure to bring young children with them. The impressions of a walk in the parks, in their opinion, remain simply unforgettable.