Cycling along a path fringing the Adriatic Sea, I pass families entering a play park and older couples walking hand in hand.
The pedestrianised “park of the sea” is a quiet spot for a morning stroll, but it also turns into a lively night-time destination after dark.
What once was a road and car park is now a path curved like the waves of the sea which will stretch to 15km when construction is finished next year.
Rimini, a city in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, has for a long time been a favourite coastal resort for Italians of all generations.
Some families have been choosing the same beach spots for decades, my tour guide Monia Magalotti tells me.
Now it’s much easier to reach the destination from the UK with the launch of new British Airways direct flights from Heathrow, just in time for the summer.
About 150 beach clubs line the path, along with restaurants, parks, gyms and more.
But after leaving the path, crossing a road and then cycling for about 10 minutes, I’m surrounded by a mix of brightly coloured quaint buildings with shutters covering the windows that could have jumped out of a fairy tale.
This is the traditional fishing village Borgo San Giuliano, a popular area for restaurants, with tables overlooking the river.
Ms Magalotti says it’s Rimini’s hospitality that keeps people coming back here as opposed to better-known Italian destinations.
“It’s about people being welcoming and kind and opening their arms. Even if you sit in a restaurant, you don’t feel like a guest – you feel like part of the town, of the atmosphere, which is so authentic here,” she says.
At Nud e Crud, I try Emilia-Romagna’s traditional piadinas, soft fresh flat breads with a choice of fillings. Tomato, mozzarella and basil (€9.90/£8.30) takes my fancy but next door I see one with grilled chicken, tzatziki sauce and chips inside. I’m stuffed but there’s always room for dessert so I go for tiramisu (€6/£5), and a spoonful of zuppa inglese (€6/£5).
In the surrounding streets, there are several murals of director/screenwriter Federico Fellini and characters from his films.
Two museums are dedicated to the filmmaker who was born in the city. In one, you can sit on swings as images play, or rest on a sofa which is actually…
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