Rimini is a city with many faces that can surprise visitors at any time with its atmosphere, history, art, nature, wonderful sceneries…
A sea resort and a city of art at the same time to visit either in summer or in winter.
Here is the list of the top 10 must-see attractions in Rimini!

1. Rimini historical center

Rimini is not only a popular summer destination but also a city to enjoy all year round. Among the 10 things to see in Rimini, the first one is surely the historical city center, dating back to the Roman era.
Monuments, churches, artworks, museums, squares make Rimini an unmissable city of art in Emilia-Romagna.
In the town center you can admire the Arch of Augustus, an ancient Roman gate built in 27 BC and walk along Corso d’Augusto (Augustus Avenue), reaching Piazza Tre Martiri (Square of the Three Martyrs) where you can find parts of the ancient Roman streets and a 16th-century memorial stone commemorating Julius Caesar. In the square there are other 16th-century monuments: the temple of Saint Anthony and the bell tower standing out from the square.
Walking along Corso d’Augusto, you will also see the town square Piazza Cavour with its Fontana della Pigna (Pinecone Fountain), a fountain appreciated by Leonardo da Vinci and overlooked by the ancient 18th century fish market, and the municipal buildings, which also house the rich collection of modern art Palazzi dell’Arte Rimini, and the majestic Galli theater.

2. Domus of the Surgeon

Near Piazza Cavour, in Piazza Ferrari, there is a unique archeological finding: the Domus of the Surgeon, an ancient Roman house dating back to the 2nd century AD, located near a medieval settlement and an underground graveyard.
In the Surgeon’s House, you can admire wonderful mosaics and an extraordinary collection of 150 surgical tools which allowed you to reconstruct faithfully the house and the owner’s identity, a Roman surgeon named Eutyches.
After visiting the Domus of the Surgeon, the tour continues in the adjacent City Museum, whose archeological section preserves other ancient tools and beautiful Roman mosaics together with a historical reconstruction of a part of the Domus as it looked in the 2nd century AD when Eutyches was still alive.

3. Malatesta Temple

Today, the Malatesta Temple is the main cathedral of Rimini. Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, commissioned the building of the church in 1450, a monument to his family, God, and the city of Rimini.
But the cathedral also represents the love between Sigismondo and his wife Isotta degli Atti: in fact, the letters S and I that you can find everywhere inside the church represent the names of Sigismondo and his beloved Isotta.
The cathedral is a magnificent example of Renaissance art and culture, thanks to the ingenious work of the architect Leon Battista Alberti. Inside the church, you can also find the “signatures” of other Renaissance artists who contributed to the decorations of the church: such as Matteo de’ Pasti and e Agostino di Duccio, the latter author of many prestigious bas-reliefs in the temple.
One of the best artworks in the Malatesta temple is the crucifix painted by Giotto in 1312 un and a 15th-century fresco by Piero Della Francesca, portraying Sigismondo Malatesta kneeling in front of Saint Sigismondo.

4. Fellini Museum

Another must-see attraction in Rimini is undoubtedly the Fellini Museum, a widespread museum with three locations: Sismondo Castle, Fulgor Cinema, and Piazza Malatesta (Malatesta Square).
The Museum celebrates the cultural heritage of Federico Fellini, one of the most famous directors in the history of cinema, born in Rimini in 1920. Thanks to the contribution of large audiovisual archives and almost all the producers and rights holders of the Maestro’s feature films, the Fellini Museum displays films, documentaries, interviews, screenplays, scores, costumes, and props, as well as the director’s drawings and technological solutions designed to involve the senses and the mind.

5. Borgo San Giuliano

Walking along Corso d’Augusto you will eventually get to Tiberius Bridge, a thousand years old Roman bridge and one of the main access points to the ancient Roman town. Under the bridge is the shiny waterfront square Piazza sull’Acqua, overlooking the river, where you can take panoramic pictures of the Roman monument. Near the bridge, you will also find the archeological site ‘Le Pietre raccontano’ (The stones tell stories). Crossing the bridge, you will enter the picturesque borough called Borgo San Giuliano, which in the past was a fishermen’s village, but in the present day is one of the most popular places where Rimini inhabitants like to eat out in the many bars and restaurants present in the area. Here, you will also find typical small houses with wall paintings and an ancient church with masterpieces by the artists Paolo Veronese and Bittino da Faenza.

6. Panoramic trail on Covignano hills

Walking in nature is one of the top things to do in Rimini. From the hilly countryside you can enjoy a great view on the coast and the inland. On the hills of Covignano you can hike along the paths marked by the Italian Alpine Club and enjoy natural and cultural beauties, such as the high trees of San Fortunato, including a lime tree dating back to the 16th century; the Franciscan monastery dedicated to Mary Santa Maria delle Grazie (end of 14th century); the abbey of S. Maria Annunziata Nuova di Scolca (1418 ca.); the church of San Lorenzo in Monte (12th century); Saint Lawrence’s oak (1820 ca.) and several historical villas. Along the paths of Covignano you will find many resting areas with benches, picnic tables and information panels.

7. Sunrise on the sea

At dawn, it’s very common to see many people walking along Rimini beach. Here, from the shore, you can watch the natural show of the sun rising above the sea.
The sea view is always breathtaking and variable: every day the sky and the sea water turn different colors (red, pink, orange, gold,…). In summer, at dawn, you can also attend many amazing concerts and shows held on the beach.

8. Sunset from the “palata” of Rimini seaport

Among the top things to do in Rimini you can watch the sunset on the sea from Rimini seaport. The particular position of the city allows people to watch the sunrise and the sunset on the same day.
When the sun goes down, you can go strolling on the eastern dock, the so-called palata, to watch the natural spectacle and take amazing pictures. You can watch the sunset in the darsena (marina) as well; there you can also enjoy an overhead view of the sea, the coastal town, the canal port and the white 18th century lighthouse.

9. Sea in winter

Rimini has the longest and largest beach on the Adriatic coastline. You can notice that, especially in winter when beach umbrellas and sunbeds disappear and an infinite stretch of sand remains.
Winter is the best season for walking and jogging on the beach while breathing fresh sea air. The beach and the waterfront are particularly suggestive when the sea is covered in the typical winter mist. Many movie lovers certainly will remember the scene with the French star Alain Delon walking along Rimini seaport in the Italian movie “La prima notte di quiete” (The first night of stillness).

10.   Theme Parks

Among the top things to see in Rimini, you cannot miss out the numerous theme parks for both adults and children.
You can feel like a giant for one day in a small-scale reproduction of Italy at the park Italia in Miniatura, walk in a fairytale world with your children at Fiabilandia or climb trees at the adventure park Rimini Avventura!
Not far from Rimini you will also find many other amazing theme parks such as the Aquarium of Cattolica, the family park Oltremare, the water park Aquafan , the amusement park Mirabilandia and the safari zoo of Ravenna.