8 Places to Experience Riccione Like a Local

Spiaggia del Sole 86-87 in Riccione opens year-round, offering a beach getaway regardless of the season. When it's too chilly to swim, you can lounge on a deckchair, listen to waves beating against the shore, and soak up the rays. 

The resort has just about any facilities you'd need for a day on the beach. Wintertime sees its many bars replacing chilled cocktails with mulled wine. Spiaggia del Sole 86-87 is naturally busiest in the summer months, so it's a good idea to get there early to find your favourite spot.

Lago Arcobaleno is a leisure fishing spot just outside Riccione. You can enter the area for free, but there's a fee if you're planning on fishing at the lake. It has a no-kill policy, so all caught fish must be released back into the water. 

There's a well-stocked shop for renting and buying fishing equipment, as well as plenty of deck chairs and sunbeds if you want to just relax under the sun. After a few hours of fishing, you can enjoy piadina (flatbread with various fillings) and fresh salads at its onsite restaurant. Rice and pasta dishes are available only on weekends. Lago Arcobaleno is a dog-friendly area, so you can bring along your canine companion for a day in nature. 

Il Baule dei Ricordi is a monthly antique market that takes place in Riccione's streets. Every second Sunday of the month (except July and August), the city centre becomes alive with stalls selling items of varying degrees of antiquity. Popular goods include furniture, lamps, paintings, rotary telephones, books, coins, and stamps.

Many of these objects have stood the test of time, making them popular among collectors. Il Baule dei Ricordi is also a great place to take in the local culture, with bargaining a common practice between buyers and vendors. 

If you're travelling to Riccione by train, you can take part in an initiative which lets you use a bicycle for free or take a foldable one back home for a small fee. 

You can explore the backcountry by joining a free guided tour on an e-bike. The 4-hour package is usually included when you stay between 2 and 7 nights in participating hotels. For a more leisurely cycling experience, Riccione has a flat route along the seafront that goes as far as Cervia. 

Staying at a campsite puts you close to nature, mainly Riccione's pristine beaches. The city has plenty of camping areas along the Riviera Romagnola, many of which have amenities like toilets and drinking water, as well as beach tennis and volleyball courts.

For caravanning families, children can enjoy themselves in a laidback and natural environment. If you want to experience Riccione's famous nightlife, you're usually within a short distance of prominent beach resorts, which have onsite bars, pizzerias and live entertainment. 

Festival del Sole is one of Italy's largest gymnastics events, taking place in Riccione's Beach Arena every 2 years. The festival hosts over 5,000 athletes and teams from across the world. Competitions range from acrobatics, rhythmic and artistic gymnastic to classical and modern dance. 

Themed parties offer entertainment and shows throughout the festival. Free gymnastics and dance workshops often take place in Parco Papa Giovanni Paolo II. A large-scale competition in Arena Roma rounds off the event and inaugurates Notte Rosa (Pink Night), when shops and restaurants stay open until dawn. 

Riccione Terme is a wellness centre with thermal baths surrounded by a pine forest and overlooks the beach. Great for chilly days, you can soak in pools of varying temperatures and take part in wellness programs that help alleviate muscle tension. 

Riccione Terme hosts aqua fitness classes suitable for all ages. The thermal water is believed to boost circulation, tone muscles, and reduce cellulite. A few hours at the spa is also beneficial for children, as the water's therapeutic properties is good for the lungs and soothe dermatitis and eczema.