← Maratona del Lamone·2 nights

Rimini: A Roman Bridge and a Quiet Seafront in April

Two nights in Rimini, with a stop in Ravenna on the way, combine a flat Adriatic promenade with a Roman bridge, a Roman arch and a quiet April seafront.

Duration2 nights
TransitTrenitalia regional trains via Ravenna, check timetable
DepartsRussi

After the Maratona del Lamone: Rimini

The Route: Russi → Ravenna → Rimini → Rimini Federico Fellini Airport (RMI) or Bologna (BLQ) Logistics: Regional trains. Russi to Ravenna takes about 15 minutes, and the onward leg to Rimini runs along the coast. Check each timetable. Marathon Month: April Duration: 2 nights

Russi ──(about 15 mins)──> Ravenna ──(regional train along the coast, check timetable)──> Rimini
                                                                                          │
                                   Rimini Airport (RMI) ◄──(short taxi or bus)────────────┘

The Maratona del Lamone finishes in Russi on a Sunday morning, and Rimini is the usual place to go for the sea. Take the Ravenna train, about 15 minutes, and stop for a few hours if the timed mosaic tickets are booked (see the Ravenna article). Then continue along the coast. The whole route is on regional trains, so check the Trenitalia planner for the day and allow for the thin service on Sundays and Mondays.

April in Rimini is the quiet season. The beach clubs that line the sand are mostly closed or opening, the water is cold, and the promenade is flat, wide and nearly empty. That suits a sore pair of legs better than August does. Weather in April can be changeable, so pack a light rain layer.

Nights One and Two: Rimini

Rimini's historic core is small and level. The Arch of Augustus, built in 27 BC, marks the old city gate, and the Bridge of Tiberius, which dates from the first century AD, crosses the Marecchia canal a short walk away. The Tempio Malatestiano, a fifteenth-century church redesigned by Leon Battista Alberti, is the main Renaissance stop. The Borgo San Giuliano, a fishermen's quarter of small painted houses, is a few hundred metres from the bridge. Check opening hours for each site, as they change with the season.

The Federico Fellini museum, known as FAR, is in the centre. Confirm hours and prices before going. The seafront promenade runs for kilometres and needs no steps.

For a hotel, choose the old town or the stretch of seafront near the station. Ask for a ground-floor or lift-served room. Fish restaurants cluster around the harbour, and several close for the winter, so check which are open in April.

Getting Home

Federico Fellini Airport (RMI) is a short taxi or bus ride from the city, and the organiser lists it at about 74 km from Russi. Bologna airport (BLQ) is the alternative by train via Bologna Centrale, with more departures. Check flight schedules, since services from Rimini are limited outside summer.