154 Rimini/Cesenatico

Hi there, my first posting!

I need some advice please. thinking about a summer holiday this year in Italy for the first time. (I have been to Rome on business and love all things italian! esp the women ;) , food, football, fashion etc!)

I have heard that Rimini is a nice place and that Cesenatico has wonderful safe clean beaches with plenty to do for my young family (children ages 8 & 3). But the question is i have found it almost impossible to find any holidays from the UK to this region (why is this?), nearly all the package (beach type) holidays i have seen in brochures are elsewhere (mostly on the western coast line) and i cannot even find a flight from the UK direct to Rimini. Does anyone have any advice or knowledge of this area and could give me some recommendations (websites?) for the best place for a family beach holiday in Italy? ideally, we want an affordable private villa or apartment in a nice town within walking distance of the town centre and beaches (oh and I dont really fancy the idea of having to drive out there, for obvious reasons!!, so i need to be able to get to/from an airport easily)

Thanks
BoJ

Category
General chat about Italy

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2005 - 07:44

Don't think you can get a cheap flight direct - even with Alitalia you seem to have to change at Rome

Can I suggest you accept that you need to drive in Italy [it really is not that bad out of the major cities] and consider Easyjet to Bologna from Stansted and hire a car.

You could always look at

[url]http://www.turismo-hotel.com/[/url]

and go to the 'appartementi' section for accomodation

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2005 - 07:58

My very first visit to Italy was to Cattolica, so I have a bit of a soft spot for that area. In my view, Cattolica is much nicer than Rimini, not quite as hectic, though it can still be very busy. There are more arcades, bars, etc in Rimini than Cattolica, but there is still plenty to do here. You might find this website useful. [url]http://www.cattolicaturismo.com/italiano/index.php[/url].

Airtours seems to be the only UK operator to do package deals to this part of Italy, including Rimini and Cattolica and one or two of the places in between the two. I think that you can book flight only deals to Rimini with them as well, from either Gatwick or Manchester for about £170.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2005 - 11:51

I don't think there are any flights from Rimini to England any more. We go to a place a little further south of Rimini and our nearest airports are Bologna, Bologna (Forli) or Ancona.

Rmini itself is very busy but there are some nice seaside owns nearby. I don't know Cesenatico itself though.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2005 - 13:57

hi bojangles and welcome to the italy magazine forums. Rimini is THE summer destination for trendy young italians in summer - and the seaside (especially in august) is absolutely packed. What I would suggest is that you try to avoid the hotspots of rimini unless parties on the seaside is exactly what you are looking for!

as for the best place for a beack family holiday in italy that is a tough one because of the vast choice (and rimini would not be on my list). I would perhaps head for Sardegna/Sicily or Puglia/Callabria in the summer. lots of wonderful places by the sea, fantastic beach and with many things to keep people occupied.

anyway.. that's just my opinion. I am sure others will have something different to say!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/31/2005 - 02:39

You can fly into Forlì or Ancona.
Rimini is fun for kids and there are some great pubs/night life for the adults as well.
The only thing is that the seaside water can get pretty nasty - especially when the brownfuzzy seaweed is around.

I have found places a little more south to be better (still fun for the family but the water is cleaner).... take a flight to Ancona w/ryan air - the bus to the train station in Ancona and the a train south towards Alba Adriatico.

Or fly to Ancona and find an agriturismo not to far away with a pool and take a train to the beach for a couple days --

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 08/31/2008 - 15:25

Hello there,

Just thought I mention that Ryan air flies from Stansted to Rimini. I don't think it's a daily service, about 3-4 flights per week and only during the summer months, at least until end of September. Check it out. We've used it couple of times this summer as an alternative to Ancona, but then got stung by extra €50 charge on car hire (from Hertz) when dropping the car off to a different airport (Rimini-Ancona) whereas they do not have this charge if you pick a hire car from Forli and then drop it off to Ancona....

Enjoy your hols!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 08:04

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Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/01/2008 - 15:54

Just a word about timing - beware August as you will be accompanied by millions of Italians on their annual holiday - they like it that way but you may not. It can be very hot July to Sept I mean really hot and this can be trying partic for kids - early summer can be brilliant.