This tourist resort is in the heart of the Adriatic Riviera of Emilia Romagna, thirty-five kilometres south of Ravenna and fourteen kilometres north of Rimini. On clear days, it is possible to see the towers on Mount Titano in the Republic of San Marino, which is about forty kilometres away.
Since the early twentieth century, Bellaria-Igea Marina has been one of the most important tourist resorts on the Adriatic.
Awarded a Blue Flag for its environmental quality and services, for two years running it has been chosen as an ideal place thanks to the warm welcome given by hospitality workers and citizens to visitors.
The town parks, sports amenities, events and shows, shopping in the welcoming pedestrian zones, numerous cocktail bars and restaurants, and modern accommodation facilities make any holiday here truly delightful.
The shallow sea and beach, with its modern facilities and services, make it one of the most popular seaside holiday destinations for families with children.
Beach, sea, sun and a tan: the best time to enjoy all this is from spring through to early autumn.
However, thanks to the “Europeo” Conference Centre and nearby Rimini Exhibition Centre, many visitors choose to come here to take part in conferences, conventions and other events.
In both Bellaria and Igea Marina the central areas are tree-lined pedestrian zones, ideal for either taking a walk or shopping.
Close to the canal harbour in Bellaria stands the Saracen Tower, built in the seventeenth century to combat the constant invasions of Turkish pirates. Inside, it now hosts the Shell Museum - a malacological collection with many interesting exhibits. Do not miss the new museum: "Noi. Museum of History and Memory of Bellaria Igea Marina".
At the end of Via Panzini, in Bellaria Cagnona, is the Red House, the summer residence of the Italian writer Alfredo Panzini, which has recently been restored. Each summer, the park surrounding the villa hosts various cultural events and meetings with writers.
For those looking for something unusual, there’s the shell house, which can be seen from the outside: the perimeter walls, well and other surfaces of the house are covered in shells that the owner patiently applied one by one. The house is in Bellaria in Via Nicolò Zeno, near the middle school.
The Borgata Vecchia - an open-air art gallery
This is a nucleus that arose in medieval times as a post station along the Via Romea on the Uso river crossing. Since 2018, a permanent Open-Air Art Gallery has been set up, to which painters and sculptors of different backgrounds and nationalities have contributed with paintings, sculptures and murals.
Nature lovers can follow the "Paths along the Uso", a beautiful walk on a pedestrian and cycle path along the banks of the Uso River, to San Mauro Pascoli. This path is about 6 kilometres, all in the company of various species of birds from fairly large ones, like the grey heron, to smaller ones, like the kingfisher, which nests in this area.
Local cuisine faithfully mirrors the traditions of Romagna with a wealth of tagliatelle, strozzapreti, filled pasta, fish dishes and meat from farm animals. The queen of the table is the piadina bread, thicker here than in other places, which can be eaten alone or filled in various ways. A traditional dish is fish soup, which can be eaten in various restaurants.
In Igea Marina, Beky Bay beach is an outdoor nightspot that brings summer evenings to life until late with all kinds of music, as well as snacks like piadina and fried fish.
The motorboats Andrea Doria and Super Tayfun leave from various quays along Bellaria beach for trips out to sea and fishing trips.
In Viserba di Rimini (8 km) on the SS 16 Adriatica is the theme park Italia in miniature, which invites visitors on a journey to discover the miniture recreations of all the wonders of Italy.
Polo Est Village
A 10,000 square meters beach, parasols and sun loungers.
● Food & Drink area: from breakfast to after dinner
● 10 sports fields
● Entertainment and Events area
From February 9th to 14th, for the feast of the patron saint St. Apollonia and the feast of St. Valentine, the streets come alive with local and regional food stands, as well as an ethnic market and funfair, whilst all the restaurants serve dishes dedicated especially to lovers.
In May, during celebrations for the “Borough that Dances”, yards become inns and families cook traditional food. There are also musicians in the streets, singing and folk dancing.
Besides the beautiful countryside, San Mauro Pascoli (6 km) is home to Villa Torlonia (the Tower), which stands at the heart of the vast estate of Torlonia, once run by the father of the Italian poet Giovanni Pascoli. It is where the “Dapple-Grey Foal” he wrote a poem about returned. The house where the poet was born can be visited in San Mauro Pascoli (10 km).
Just inland from the coast, the charming village of Santarcangelo di Romagna (13 km) is well worth visiting.