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Riviera Romagnola The nine coastal resorts
The coast seen from Gabicce Monte: Gabicce Mare beach with parasols, the harbour and the coastline to the north

Photo by Pier B., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Coastal guide

Riviera Romagnola: choosing a resort and planning a trip

From Milano Marittima to Gabicce Mare, nine resorts worth getting to know before setting off: beaches, centres, events and hinterland destinations to build a stay around.

The nine resorts All topics

Area

Nine resorts, different landscapes and stays

The guide follows the coast through eight municipalities. Milano Marittima belongs to Cervia; heading south come Cesenatico, Bellaria Igea Marina, Rimini, Riccione, Misano Adriatico and Cattolica. Across the Tavollo, Gabicce Mare is in the Marche, at the foot of the San Bartolo headland.

The differences are primarily geographical. Rimini has about 15 kilometres of coast, from Torre Pedrera to Miramare, and a Roman and Malatesta historic centre; in Cesenatico and Cervia, the canal harbour enters the centre; Milano Marittima was founded in 1912 as a garden city in the pinewood. Gabicce Mare is the only one of the nine where the beach ends against a headland.

Modelled weather and sea data: Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0).

Resorts

The Riviera's resorts

From a seaside base to days out: the journey begins with the resort chosen for the stay.

Ponte di Tiberio in Rimini, its arches reflected in the water, with the colourful houses of Borgo San Giuliano in the background Rimini The Roman and Malatesta centre, Fellini Museum and about 15 kilometres of coast, from Torre Pedrera to Miramare. Torre Pedrera Viserbella Viserba Yellow parasols and deckchairs on Riccione beach, with rough seas and the Monte San Bartolo headland in the background Riccione Viale Ceccarini and Viale Dante, Aquafan and Oltremare in the hills, the historic centre of Riccione Paese. Alba Abissinia Fontanelle Cattolica town hall with its clock tower, seen beyond the jets of a fountain Cattolica The fishing harbour, Acquario and historic centre, whose origins are documented by a deed from 1271. Centre Ventena Torconca Historic boats with yellow and red sails in Cesenatico's canal harbour at sunset, among the houses along the quay Cesenatico The canal harbour, surveyed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502, historic boats and about seven kilometres of beach. Villamarina Zadina Valverde +2 Sunset over the pier at Cervia's canal harbour, with the lighthouse silhouetted, a few boats and coastal buildings Cervia The new town of 1698, with the Quadrilatero, the 827-hectare salt pan and the Pinarella and Tagliata pinewoods. Pinarella Tagliata Terme +8 The setting sun behind a fishing hut on the pier, with the outline of Milano Marittima's houses in the distance Milano Marittima A garden city officially founded in 1912, with its 210-hectare pinewood, Rotonda Primo Maggio and Canalino. Rotonda Primo Maggio Pinewood Viale Gramsci Igea Marina beach seen from above, with rows of blue and green parasols and breakwaters facing the sea Bellaria Igea Marina An independent municipality since 1956, with two centres separated by the mouth of the Uso, the canal harbour and Casa Rossa di Alfredo Panzini. Igea Marina Bordonchio Cagnona +3 Portoverde marina with moored motorboats and white and green buildings in the background Misano Adriatico The MotoGP circuit, tested in 1972, Portoverde harbour and about three kilometres of beach. Portoverde Santamonica Misano Brasile +5 Gabicce Mare seen from Gabicce Monte, with the beach, harbour, a pier and the coast as far as Cattolica in the background Gabicce Mare The northernmost municipality on the Marche coast, with Gabicce Monte and the paths of Parco del Monte San Bartolo. Gabicce Monte Vallugola

Topics

Main topics

Beaches, stays, food and activities: the thematic guides help compare the coast's possibilities.

An aerial view of Cesenatico from the north-west, with the beach, canal harbour and rows of buildings along the sea Hotels Where to stay, area by area: how the nine resorts are divided and what the coastal hotels are like. A folded piadina filled with lettuce, tomato and ham, served on a green plate Where to eat Piadina Romagnola IGP, fish from the harbours and each resort's specialities, from the coast to the hinterland. Rimini's long beach seen from the pier rocks, with bathers in the distance and the city in the background Beaches Beach width, sea defences, how a beach establishment works, free beaches and water quality. San Leo and Valmarecchia seen from above, with the bell tower, stone houses and green hills in the background Itineraries One-day excursions: river valleys, villages and fortresses, the salt pan and Delta pinewoods, San Bartolo. Italia in Miniatura seen from above, with scale-model monuments, canals and paths among the greenery Family and children Shallow water, public parks and play areas, theme parks, museums and family festivals. Rimini's observation wheel on the beach, with sand in the foreground and rows of parasols in the background Entertainment Squares and free concerts, municipal theatres, open-air cinema, observation wheels and the Misano circuit. Ponte di Tiberio in Rimini illuminated pink in the evening, with a red reflection in the Marecchia water Events The calendar that returns every year, from Befana in the sea to Notte Rosa, from MotoGP and Ironman to Christmas. Mercato Coperto in Cattolica, with its yellow façade, bicycles and outdoor tables on the square Shopping Shopping streets, weekly markets, the covered markets of Rimini and Cattolica and evening markets.

Figures

The Riviera in numbers

9 resorts, in eight municipalities and two regions
9 out of 9 resorts with the Blue Flag in 2026
2,723 hotel establishments in the seven Emilia-Romagna municipalities (2025)
7.2m overnight stays in Rimini in 2025
Summary figures for the nine resorts, with sources
ItemValueSource
Resorts Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica, Misano Adriatico and Bellaria Igea Marina in Provincia di Rimini; Cesenatico in Provincia di Forlì-Cesena; Cervia and Milano Marittima, which is part of Comune di Cervia, in Provincia di Ravenna; Gabicce Mare in Provincia di Pesaro e Urbino, in the Marche Istat; Comune di Cervia
Residents As at 1 January 2026: Rimini 150,774, Riccione 34,367, Cervia 29,075, Cesenatico 26,042, Bellaria Igea Marina 19,562, Cattolica 16,614, Misano Adriatico 14,171, Gabicce Mare 5,411 Istat
Hotels 2,723 hotel establishments with about 189,900 beds in the seven Emilia-Romagna municipalities in 2025, including 2,063 in the five in Provincia di Rimini; no comparable figures are available for Gabicce Mare Regione Emilia-Romagna, 2025
Overnight stays 7,167,669 in Rimini in 2025, with 70.2% between June and September (calculated from Regione figures) Regione Emilia-Romagna, 2025
Blue Flag In 2026, eleven Emilia-Romagna municipalities, including the seven on the Riviera Romagnola, and Gabicce Mare in the Marche; Rimini regained it after fifteen years Regione Emilia-Romagna, 2026;
Comune di Gabicce Mare
Trains Bologna-Ancona line for Rimini, Riccione, Misano Adriatico and Cattolica-San Giovanni-Gabicce station; Rimini-Ravenna line for Bellaria Igea Marina, Cesenatico, Cervia and Milano Marittima RFI; Trenitalia
Airport Rimini e San Marino Federico Fellini, in Miramare, about 8 kilometres south of central Rimini airport operator

Sources: Istat, resident population as at 1 January 2026; Regione Emilia-Romagna, Servizio Statistica, 2025 tourism supply and demand, and Blue Flag press release of 14 May 2026; Comune di Gabicce Mare; RFI; Aeroporto di Rimini. Accessed between 29 September and 10 October 2026.

Seasons

When to visit: climate and seasons

For Rimini, Arpae's climate tables, based on 1991-2020 thirty-year averages, give maximum temperatures of 8.1 degrees in January and 28.5 in July. The wettest month is November, with 88.9 millimetres.

The swimming season is shorter than the tourism season: in 2026, lifeguard cover on Emilia-Romagna beaches ran from 16 May to 20 September, while July and August alone accounted for 45% of Rimini's overnight stays. From October to April, with fewer than 400,000 overnight stays per month, historic centres, museums, theatre seasons and hinterland excursions remain.

Rimini climate, 1991-2020 averages (Arpae), and overnight stays in Rimini in 2025 (Regione Emilia-Romagna)
MonthAverage minimumAverage maximumRainOvernight stays in Rimini, 2025
January 1.6 °C 8.1 °C 49.2 mm 215,216
February 2.0 °C 9.9 °C 58.0 mm 151,604
March 5.1 °C 13.7 °C 60.4 mm 222,392
April 8.4 °C 17.3 °C 61.8 mm 377,620
May 12.5 °C 21.8 °C 57.6 mm 515,462
June 16.3 °C 26.1 °C 55.9 mm 1,138,991
July 18.4 °C 28.5 °C 41.4 mm 1,548,248
August 18.6 °C 28.3 °C 50.6 mm 1,666,001
September 14.8 °C 23.9 °C 86.1 mm 675,580
October 11.3 °C 19.0 °C 86.0 mm 282,954
November 7.3 °C 13.6 °C 88.9 mm 189,699
December 2.8 °C 9.1 °C 74.6 mm 183,902

Sources: Arpae Emilia-Romagna, Osservatorio clima, 1991-2020 climate tables; Regione Emilia-Romagna, Servizio Statistica, 2025 tourism demand. Accessed on 2 October 2026.

Culture and itineraries

Beyond the beach

A day away from the sea can lead to Ravenna, the Valmarecchia villages, Cervia's salt pan or San Bartolo. Ravenna, Santarcangelo and Pesaro are reachable by train, and San Marino by scheduled bus from Rimini; towards hinterland villages, from mid-September to early June, many routes have few services, especially on Sundays and public holidays. Destinations, transport and journey times are in the one-day itineraries.

Ravenna and its mosaics

Ravenna's eight early Christian and Byzantine monuments have been UNESCO World Heritage since 1996, and six are in the centre, near Dante's tomb. The train from Cervia takes about 19 minutes: visiting Ravenna from Cervia.

San Marino and Santarcangelo

From Rimini station, the scheduled bus reaches San Marino in 55 minutes; its historic centre and Monte Titano are UNESCO World Heritage. Santarcangelo di Romagna, on Via Emilia, is about 9 minutes by train from Rimini.

Fortresses and castles

Thirteen castles and fortresses can be reached on a day trip from the coast, from Castel Sismondo in central Rimini to San Leo, Verucchio and Montebello, and as far as Gradara, just across the border with Marche. History and visiting days are in the guide to castles and fortresses in Romagna.

Motorsport

In September, Misano World Circuit hosts MotoGP's Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini: from 11 to 13 September in 2026, and scheduled for 10 to 12 September in 2027. The year's races are listed in Misano Adriatico events, and track visits in the Circuit Tour guide.

Connections

Getting there and getting around

By air

  • Rimini e San Marino Federico Fellini: in Miramare, about 8 kilometres south of central Rimini according to the operator. Start Romagna route 9 stops outside the terminal; the Miramare Airport Metromare stop is about one kilometre away on foot.
  • The airports of Forlì and Bologna are alternatives for reaching the Riviera; Ancona is another option for the Marche section.

By train

  • Bologna-Ancona line: Rimini, Rimini Miramare, Riccione, Misano Adriatico and Cattolica-San Giovanni-Gabicce, the nearest station to Gabicce Mare.
  • Rimini-Ravenna line: Viserba, Torre Pedrera, Igea Marina, Bellaria, Gatteo a Mare, Cesenatico and Cervia-Milano Marittima; Ravenna is 19 minutes from Cervia.
  • Metromare links Rimini and Riccione stations in about 23 minutes, with a service every 15 minutes during the day.

By car

  • Autostrada A14: the A14 dir. branch leads to Ravenna; exits on the main route are Cesena Nord, Cesena, Valle del Rubicone, Rimini Nord, Rimini Sud, Riccione and Cattolica-San Giovanni in Marignano-Gabicce. Each resort's page indicates which to choose.
  • Statale 16 Adriatica links the coastal resorts.

Sources: Aeroporto di Rimini e San Marino, directions; RFI; Trenitalia, 2026 Emilia-Romagna regional timetable; Start Romagna, Metromare timetable; Comune portals. Accessed between 26 September and 10 October 2026.

Calendar

Annual events

Sea festivals, kites, sport and Christmas activities mark different periods. Recurring events help with choosing a season; edition dates and programmes are in the events calendar and resort event pages.

January Befana and sea dips for New Year's Day and Epiphany in Rimini, Riccione, Misano Adriatico and Cervia; Presepe della Marineria in Cesenatico until around 10 January
February and March Carnival in several resorts; Fiera di Sant'Apollonia in Bellaria Igea Marina; San Giuseppe bonfires on the beach around 18 March, Fogheraccia in Rimini and Cattolica and Fugaracia in Riccione
April Easter and Easter Monday, with a different programme in each Comune; Paganello in Rimini; Segavecchia in Misano Adriatico; Vele di Pasqua regatta in Cesenatico
May Bellaria Film Festival; Cattolica in Fiore; Artevento kites in Pinarella, from late April; Sposalizio del Mare in Cervia, in May or early June, on Ascension Sunday; Nove Colli in Cesenatico
June Notte Rosa along the whole coast, in June since 2025; Festa della Rustida in Riccione
July Cartoon Club in Rimini; Festival del Sole and Madonna del Mare in Riccione; Cuccagna in Cesenatico; Sbarco dei Saraceni in Bellaria Igea Marina
August San Lorenzo and Ferragosto fireworks; Festa di Garibaldi and Rustida dei pescatori in Cesenatico; dawn concerts
September Sapore di Sale and Ironman in Cervia; MotoGP in Misano Adriatico; Festa della Piadina in Bellaria Igea Marina; Festa de Borg in Rimini in even-numbered years
October Voci per la Pace in Cervia; Il pesce fa festa in Cesenatico; Halloween
December From late November, festive lights, Christmas by the sea and New Year's Eve in every resort; Presepe della Marineria in Cesenatico

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions about the Riviera Romagnola

Which resorts make up the Riviera Romagnola?

Nine resorts in eight municipalities, from north to south: Milano Marittima and Cervia, Cesenatico, Bellaria Igea Marina, Rimini, Riccione, Misano Adriatico, Cattolica and, across the border with Marche, Gabicce Mare. Milano Marittima is part of Comune di Cervia.

When does the bathing season begin and end?

In Emilia-Romagna, the regional bathing ordinance sets the summer season from the Saturday before Easter to 2 November and makes lifeguard cover compulsory from the third weekend in May to the third weekend in September: in 2026, the season ran from 4 April to 2 November, with lifeguards from 16 May to 20 September. Gabicce Mare, in the Marche, follows the ordinances of its Regione and Capitaneria di porto di Pesaro; in 2026, lifeguards covered its free beaches from 1 July to 7 September.

Is the sea clean? Are there free beaches?

All nine resorts received the Blue Flag in 2026. In the 2026 bathing water classification, carried out by Arpae and ARPAM at monitoring points, Cervia and Milano Marittima, Riccione, Misano Adriatico and Gabicce Mare have only excellent waters; in Rimini, Cesenatico, Bellaria Igea Marina and Cattolica, some waters are classified as good. Every resort has free beach stretches, described on the individual resorts' free beach pages and in the comparison of Riviera Romagnola beaches.

Which resort to choose with children?

Along almost the entire coast, beaches have fine sand and shallow water, and every resort has public parks with play equipment. Theme parks are mainly between Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica, plus Mirabilandia in Savio, in Comune di Ravenna. In 2026, Gabicce Mare announced the paediatricians' Green Flag for the twelfth year. Differences between resorts are covered in the Family and children guide.

How to travel between resorts without a car?

Two railway lines serve the coast: the Rimini-Ravenna line stops at Bellaria, Igea Marina, Cesenatico and Cervia-Milano Marittima, among others; the Bologna-Ancona line at Rimini, Riccione, Misano Adriatico and Cattolica-San Giovanni-Gabicce. Metromare links Rimini and Riccione stations in about 23 minutes, with a service every 15 minutes during the day. Start Romagna and Adriabus buses complete the connections; from mid-September to early June they follow the winter timetable, with fewer services.

Can the coast be travelled by bicycle?

The seafronts have stretches of shared cycle and pedestrian path, including Rimini's Parco del Mare, and Ciclovia Adriatica runs along the coast. In Emilia-Romagna it covers about 240 kilometres but is not yet continuous: road sections remain between resorts. In the hinterland, cycle paths follow the Marecchia, Uso, Pisciatello, Savio and Conca upstream. Routes and journey times are in the one-day itineraries.

What are the Riviera's theme parks?

Mirabilandia, in Savio in Comune di Ravenna, Aquafan and Oltremare in Riccione, Italia in Miniatura and Fiabilandia in Rimini, and Acquario di Cattolica. Each has its own opening calendar, which changes every year.