The ancient Romans founded the colonia of Ariminum in 268 BC, constructing the Arch of Augustus and the Ponte di Tiberio at the start of strategic roads that ended in Rimini.

As the terminus of the Via Flaminia, which ended in the town at the surviving prestigious Arch of Augustus (erected 27 BC), Rimini was a road junction connecting central and northern Italy by the Via Aemilia that led to Piacenza and the Via Popilia that extended northwards; it also opened up trade by sea and river.

The end of Roman rule was marked by destruction caused by invasions and wars, but also by the establishment of the palaces of the Imperial officers and the first churches, the symbol of the spread of Christianity that held the important Council of Ariminum in the city in 359.

Pandolfo IV, his son (1500), lost Rimini to Cesare Borgia, after whose overthrow it fell to Venice (1503–1509), but it was later retaken by Pope Julius II and incorporated into the Papal States.

Napoleonic policy suppressed the monastic orders, confiscating their property and thus dispersing a substantial heritage, and demolished many churches including the ancient cathedral of Santa Colomba.

The city was transformed after the 1843 founding of the first bathing establishment and the Kursaal, a building constructed to host sumptuous social events, became the symbol of Rimini's status as a tourist resort.

Rimini's coastal strip, made of recent marine deposits, is edged by a fine sandy beach, 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) long and up to 200 metres (660 feet) wide, interrupted only by river mouths and gently shelving towards the sea.

Along the coastline, there is a low sandy cliff, created by the rising sea in around 4000 BC, partly conserved north of Rimini, between Rivabella and Bellaria-Igea Marina, approximately 1.3 kilometres (0.81 miles) from the coast.

Montecavallo, in the city's south, is characterised today by bowed, irregular streets of medieval origins, by the Fossa Patara creek and a small hill called Montirone.

Between the 13th and 14th century, Rimini had a flourishing Jewish community, which built three distinct synagogues, all destroyed, formerly located around the area of Piazza Cavour, Via Cairoli and Santa Colomba.

[54] Rimini is a major international tourist destination and seaside resort, among the most well known in Europe and the Mediterranean basin,[55] thanks to a long sandy beach, bathing establishments, theme parks and opportunities for leisure and spare time.

[57] The width of the beach, the gentle gradient of the sea bed, the equipment of bathing establishments, the luxurious hotels, the mildness of the climate, the richness of curative waters, the prestigious social events, made Rimini a renowned tourist destination among the Italian and European aristocracy during the Belle Époque.

[86] In 1964, the collections moved to Palazzo Visconti and finally, from 1990, to the Collegio dei Gesuiti, a large Jesuit convent designed by Bolognese architect Alfonso Torreggiani, built in 1749.

In the Archaeological department are exhibited grave goods from Villanovian tombs of Verucchio and Covignano, architectural pieces, sculptures, mosaics, ceramics, coins of Republican and Imperial eras, and the exceptional medical kit from the Domus del Chirurgo.

The collection of the Roman Lapidary, exhibited in the inner courtyard of the convent, has funerary monuments, epigraphies and milestones.The Medieval and Modern Art departments include collections of paintings, sculptures and art objects by artists from Romagna (Giovanni da Rimini, Giuliano da Rimini, Guido Cagnacci), Emilia (Guercino, Vittorio Maria Bigari), Tuscany (Domenico Ghirlandaio, Agostino di Duccio) and Veneto (Giovanni Bellini), from 14th to 19th century.

It was inaugurated by explorer Delfino Dinz Rialto on 9 September 1972, then known as the Museum of Primitive Arts (Museo delle Arti Primitivi), and hosted in the Palazzo del Podestà [it].

[98][101] Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many social events and dance parties took place at the Bathing Establishment, hosting celebrities such as soprano Elena Bianchini-Cappelli and tenor Enrico Caruso.

Rimini's cuisine is simple and characterized by intense flavours and it is indissolubly related to the traditions of rural culture, influenced by the city's location—between the sea and the hills and near the border between Romagna and Marche.

First courses include cappelletti, passatelli in broth, lasagne, cannelloni, nidi di rondine, ravioli, tagliatelle, garganelli, maltagliati, gnocchi and strozzapreti,[108] seasoned with bolognese sauce or a dressing of butter and sage.

[109][110] Piada is a flatbread of ancient traditions, thin and crumbly, obtained from a dough of flour, water, lard and salt, and baked on a scorching "testo" of terracotta or cast iron.

Side dishes include mixed salads, gratinée vegetables, roasted potatoes, sautée bladder campion leaves, marinated olives with dill, garlic and orange zest.

[citation needed] Native to Rimini,[112][113][114] piada dei morti is a sweet focaccia topped with raisins, almonds, walnuts, and pine nuts,[115][116] traditionally eaten in November for All Souls' Day.

The city has always been a key gate to the Orient and the southern areas of the Mediterranean for the Po Valley, thanks to its geographical position and its harbour, and a meeting point between cultures of Northern and Central Italy.

[122] Rimini's archaeological heritage includes some domus of Republican and Imperial age, characterized by polychrome or black and white mosaics, necropolis and sections of the pavement of the ancient Roman streets.

The bombings of World War II caused extensive destruction and damage, compromising the monumental heritage and the integrity of the city centre, which has been reconstructed and restored in order to valorize its historic places and buildings.

[189] The city's cycling network is articulated inside the main parks and boulevards, linking the most important monuments, tourist attractions, beaches, meeting places, offering various opportunities to different use categories, including urban travels, mountain bike and cyclotourism.

[194] Rimini is an important road and railway junction due to its geographic position at the southern tip of the Po Valley, where Adriatic coastal routes meet those extending northwest along the plains.

[250] Local companies, including Bonelli Bus, Autolinee Benedettini, and Adriabus, provide regular and seasonal coach services to other Italian cities, San Marino, and regional historic sites such as Urbino and Gradara.

[255] In 2013, the municipal government, HERA, and Romagna Acque instituted an eleven-year, 154-million-euro Optimised Bathing Protection Plan (Piano di Salvaguardia della Balneazione Ottimizzato).

The plan sought to reduce sewage discharges into the sea after rainfall or thunderstorms, which would lead to temporary bathing bans along Rimini's coastline, hurting its tourist economy.