FUN-travel: Rimini, Italy – Full Day 1
October 22, 2013 by Susan Clarke
Day 31 – Wednesday, October 16 – Rimini, Italy – Full Day 1 – light rain turns to sun, breezy – low 6o’s
What I LIKE
- *8:00 – wake up
Augustus Arch
- real cappuccino, not push button
- UMR – usual morning routine
- sun comes out
- 11:00 – begin stroll to sites
- 1st stop – Augustus Arch – grand stone gateway to walled city still standing
- 2nd stop – Montanara gate – rock arch is all that’s left
- 11:40 – headed to Sismondo Castle – totally blocked by swap meet/farmers market vendors selling – shoes, clothes, purses, etc – meat, fruit, veggies, etc
- row upon row circling the entire castle on two levels
- 12:20 – cross Tiberius bridge – continue wandering walk
- discover lovely neighborhood of colorful houses – most w/personalized murals & plaques on facade
- 1:20 – arrive sea shore
- 1:30 – arrive Grand Hotel – really grand & beautiful w/gardens surrounding
- walk back to old town along boulevard of mansions
- **2:00 – Teatini Restaurant for lunch
- 3rd stop – Pinecone Fountain in Piazza Cavour! – more swap meet people
Tiberius Bridge
- 2:15 – lunch – Osteria della Piazzetta – grilled zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms – pasta w/clams & tagliatelle w/meat sauce & peas – food just so so – $18 Euro Vivian 2010 San Valentino sangiovese, syrah, montepulciano blend really good – $55 Euro
- nap
- 8:30 – meet Pierpoalo, Monica, Marianna & Alfredo for dinner – locals fish restaurant using ancient recipes – 6 courses served family style – pasta w/seafood, steamed baby clams, calamari, mixed green salad w/sardines, pasta & white bean soup, gambas (huge shrimp)
Castle
- ***12:30 – arrive back @hotel
- 2:15 – night night
What I DON’T LIKE
- *it’s sprinkling – tired of all the rain
- **it’s not open
- ***wide awake
- unisex bathrooms – no toilet seats & pee all over the floor – disgusting!
FUN-fact – Pierpaolo saw me speak in 1995 in Palm Beach. He connected me with the planners of the Italian Hotel/Motel show and I spoke for them 1996 & 1997 in Rimini.
More FF – There are no Starbuck’s in Italy.
More FF – On a recent trip to Vienna his 16 year-old daughter wanted a Starbuck’s travel cup/bottle. How’s that for the power of branding!