Rimini. The ancient city by the Adriatic Sea gave us a beautiful welcome as our Italian holidays were slowly coming to an end.
The extensive beaches which are packed with tourists during the high season were wonderfully empty on the early October morning - except for the ever-active seagulls, tons of shells along the coastline...
... and early risers who made their morning walks while waves smashed towards the shore.
And with this powerful melody of tranquility and force, there is no wonder as to why the sea will always be connected with this magical feeling of coming-to-peace.
Off to the hurly-burly! Past the busy weekly markets, our first stop would be the rather unique cathedral of Rimini. The current appearance of the so-called Malatesta Temple is the result of unfinished renovations, meaning the building is a fun mix of Gothic and Roman elements, alongside with an eye-catching facade as well as an equally patchwork-like interior.
After a walk past the main squares and roads of the old city center, which are lined by many prominent buildings...
... we reached the ancient Bridge of Tiberius, a wonderful example of Roman architecture that is still open for traffic, just as it used to be centuries ago when it operated as part of the famous Via Emilia.
Soon, we, too, would be discovering the rich history of the Rimini that is on display at the City Museum. The building itself used to be a Jesuit convent and later a hospital, and nowadays tells the story of old times through multiple artifacts...
... as well as numerous paintings.
However, since spending the whole beautiful almost-summer day behind museums would be a shame, we soon took off to spend the afternoon in the tiny little town of San Leo.
Even though it's not as famous as its next-door neighbour, its location atop a seemingly inaccessible rock formation is just as stunning and absolutely breathtaking.
However, the old city center is, in fact, accessible by a short walk uphill, and even a local shuttle bus service for those with impaired mobility.
Once inside the city walls, one can either walk the lovely little streets or continue the uphill walk towards the massive fortress that overlooks the town of San Leo, as well as the lowlands and the Adriatic Sea in the distance.
Inside the heavily fortified castle which once served as a defensive spot and a prison, one can nowadays find displays of the armoury, torture instruments and numerous exhibits that are connected with alchemy, charlatanism, as well as the jail's most famous inhabitant Alessandro Cagliostro.
Back in the city center, it was time to enjoy the typical Italian lazy afternoon...
... visit the Romanesque cathedral of San Leo and the ancient church of St. Mary...
... and just enjoy the sunny blue skies.
To conclude the day, however, we'd return to Rimini and explore one of the city's newest attractions: the remains of a huge Roman residence with beautiful mosaic floors, a sophisticated system of floor heating and a large collection of surgical instruments that were found on the site, which eventually led to the mansion being named the "surgeon's house".
An ancient hint to focus on a surgery-related workplace?
One last view of another important piece of Roman architecture - the Arch of Augustus which once marked the end of Via Flaminia, but now seems to be a popular meeting place for young and old as day turns into night.
~ to be continued ~
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