Art and Culture
When the last sunrays tinge the town with iridescent light, some of the corners of Rimini become stunningly beautiful.
The oldest part of the town centre, the maze of narrow alleyways winding around the old fish market (pescheria) is full of small cafés offering candlelight aperitifs and at sunset takes on a dreamy atmosphere.
But wandering about the old town centre is fun at any time of the day. The squares are crowded with café tables, bookshops and crafts shops, and Roman and Renaissance monuments peep from between porticoes and alleyways. If time is not an issue, then just keep strolling around, following your sixth sense or... your nose (the smell of piadina and grilled fish is irresistible). Otherwise, you can methodically start from the beginning – Roman Rimini (well, almost the beginning: the town was founded much earlier).
The first sight to see is the Augustan Arch (Arcodi Augusto), strategically located at the end of Via Flaminia. Built by emperor Augustus in 27 BC, it is the oldest surviving Roman bridge.
Ten minutes' walk away, you will find the two splendid central squares, Piazza Tre Martiri and Piazza Cavour, and two gems of Renaissance Rimini.
The first is the Tempio Malatestiano, or Malatesta Temple (1449), with its dazzling, almost glow-in-the-dark white facade designed by Leon Battista Alberti. The Temple was meant to be a grand mausoleum for Sigismondo Malatesta and his young lover and wife-to-be, but unfortunately he fell into disrepute and the Temple was never completed.
However, it holds several absolutely beautiful works by artists such as Giotto or Piero della Francesca. The second symbol of Renaissance Rimini is the fairytale Castel Sismondo. This tangible proof of the power of the Malatesta dynasty has been skilfully restored and now hosts art exhibitions.
The final stop of this short tour is Tiberius' Bridge (Ponte di Tiberio), so well-preserved that it still bears the weight of busy traffic after two thousand years and two World Wars! If you still have some time, the town museum (Museo della Città) is also worth a visit. Even those who aren't particularly keen on art history will appreciate the sheer beauty of the works by Giovanni Bellini and Ghirlandaio or the 17th-century paintings by Cagnacci and Guercino. This is not to mention the archaeological section, which holds several relics found in Rimini and dating back to the Roman empire.
INFO
Castel Sismondo
Tel. +39 0541 291 92
www.fondcarim.it
Museo della Città
Tel. +39 0541 214 82
www.comune.rimini.it/musei/citta/index.htm
IAT Rimini
Tel. +39 0541 569 02
www.riminiturismo.it
CURIOSITY
THE "MOVIDA" IN RIMINI
If you've just arrived in Rimini and you don't know anybody here yet, spend an evening in the picturesque part of town surrounding the old fish market (Vecchia Pescheria) and in Piazzetta delle Poveracce, just off Piazza Cavour. This is the heart of the local "movida": here you will find several osterie (inns), wine bars and trendy cafés offering aperitifs, light snacks and live music. If you're more of a culture fan and understand Italian, head for the Libreria Riminese, which during the summer is open until late at night and organizes public readings of literature.
