Palazzo dei Congressi di Riccione

Churches and Castles

A charm which spans centuries

The municipal territory of Riccione has a fine piece of outdoor history, recently restructured: the Agolanti Castle. This building, also known as Tomba Bianca, numbers among its noteworthy historic memories the arrival in 1657 of Queen Christina of Sweden , forced to take shelter in the castle because in Rome, her destination, there was a dangerous epidemic. Chronicles of the 1920s mention that during the war years the castle was home to the German general Lobkievitz and his troops. Churches of note are San Martino, which dates from 1237, and the church dedicated to Beato Alessio, patron of Riccione, which was built in 1545; the date is inscribed on the High Altar.

Historic villas

Riccione has a number of historic villas which you should not miss. Close to the centre is Villa Mussolini. It was bought by the Mussolini family in the early 1930s, and in the years between the two world wars the family would spend their seaside holidays here with their house guests, who included illustrious personages, foreign politicians, and diplomats. The villa was the setting for sumptuous parties and entertainments. This significant piece of the history of tourism on the Adriatic Riviera during the inter-war years is now a museum and exhibition centre devoted mainly to history, research and documentation relative to Riviera tourism. The villa is reached from Lungomare della Repubblica. From Via Gorizia you can also admire Villa Franceschi which has very fine exterior decoration, made from concrete and probably the work of Guerrino Giorgetti, a native of Riccione. And finally, within Parco Centrale gardens is Villa Lodi Fe, built in 1920, now the offices of the Ilaria Alpi TV Journalism Prize and of the Riccione Theatre Association.

Museums/ Archaeological Sites

Traces of pre-history

Museo del Territorio illustrates the most significant finds in Riccione and the surrounding area from pre-history to Roman times. The presence of mankind is documented in close connection with the evolution of the territory, by means of illustrations and atmospheric reconstructions of environmental situations. The Museum forms part of the Centro Culturale della Pesa cultural centre. The Archaeological Site of San Lorenzo in Strada shows ancient structures covering a period of time ranging from the 3rd century BC to the 6th century AD. These remains integrate the documentation in the Museo del Territorio concerning life and productive activities in Roman times.