What to see in Rimini in 2 days: complete itinerary

What to see in Rimini in 2 days

Rimini is one of Italy's most misunderstood cities: everyone knows the beach, almost nobody the historic centre. Yet here stands a Renaissance temple designed by Leon Battista Alberti, a Roman bridge intact for 2,000 years, Fellini's village with its murals, and a gastronomic tradition that is Romagna's true soul. Two days to discover the Rimini you don't expect.

Day 1: The Rimini of the Malatestas

Morning (3-4 hours)

Start at the Tempio Malatestiano, the unfinished cathedral that is Leon Battista Alberti's masterpiece (1450). Sigismondo Malatesta wanted to transform a Gothic church into his own Renaissance mausoleum. Inside you find Giotto's Crucifix (1312), chapels sculpted by Agostino di Duccio, and the relic cell with the remains of philosophers and poets from the Malatesta court.

Continue to Piazza Cavour, the medieval heart with the Palazzo dell'Arengo (1204), the Pigna Fountain (cited by Dante) and the Teatro Galli, philologically rebuilt and inaugurated in 2018 after 75 years of wartime destruction. Guided tours of the theatre (Saturday morning) reveal perfect acoustics.

Visit PART (Rimini Art Palaces), the new museum hub uniting Palazzo dell'Arengo and Palazzo del Podestà with an international-level contemporary art collection from the San Patrignano Foundation.

Afternoon (3-4 hours)

Walk to the Bridge of Tiberius, completed in 21 AD, still crossing the Marecchia after 2,000 years of uninterrupted use. It is Italy's most intact Roman bridge, with Istrian stone that turns golden at sunset.

Beyond the bridge, enter Borgo San Giuliano, the former fishermen's quarter where Fellini played as a child. Colourful murals on facades depict scenes from his films. Every alley holds a surprise: courtyard vegetable gardens, tiny osterie, cats in the sun.

Continue along the new Parco del Mare, the redesigned seafront promenade with dunes, gardens and water squares replacing the old wall. The stretch between the harbour and Bagno 1 is the most successful.

Evening

Aperitivo at the old canal port, where trawlers still dock. Dinner in Borgo San Giuliano with cappelletti in brodo, passatelli, strozzapreti al ragù and handmade piada.

Day 2: Roman Rimini and the winter sea

Morning (3-4 hours)

Devote the morning to Roman Rimini, one of the Empire's most important cities. The Arch of Augustus (27 BC), the oldest surviving Roman arch, marked the Via Flaminia's arrival. The Surgeon's House (2nd-3rd century) is an extraordinary archaeological site: a house-surgery with 150 Roman surgical instruments, the most complete collection in the world.

Visit the Roman Amphitheatre (2nd century), partially excavated, which could hold 12,000 spectators. The archaeological path connected to the Roman walls is poorly signposted but fascinating.

Afternoon (3-4 hours)

Explore the City Museum in the Jesuit complex, with the archaeological section (mosaics, steles) and the picture gallery with works from the 14th-century Rimini school, a little-known but extraordinary painting tradition bridging Giotto and Byzantine art.

Weather permitting, walk on the free beach at Torre Pedrera or Miramare (bus 11, 15 minutes), the least crowded and most natural areas. In winter, Rimini's deserted beach has a cinematic charm Fellini would have loved.

Evening

Dinner in the Covignano quarter, the hill overlooking Rimini with panoramic trattorias where locals celebrate special occasions. Night view over the illuminated riviera stretching to Cesenatico.

Practical tips

• The historic centre is 2 km from the beach: bus connection every 10 minutes
• The best piada is found at historic kiosks (Casina del Bosco, NUD e CRUD)
• Saturday morning market in the centre is perfect for local products
• Rimini is a rail hub: Bologna 1 hour, Ancona 1 hour, Ravenna 45 minutes

Further reading

• Where to stay in Rimini
• Where to eat in Rimini
• How to get to Rimini