Grand Hotel Rimini, Rimini

The Grand Hotel Rimini is an elegant historical landmark and a national monument since 1994. This true symbol of the Belle Epoque, designed in the Art Nouveau style, was created by the South American architect Paolo Somazzi.

Since its inauguration in 1908, the legendary hotel has lived in step with the history of Italy, being a protagonist of the story of the Riviera development and Italian tourism, welcoming during its existence a plethora of celebrities: aristocrats, Nobel Laureates, politicians and kings. The international appeal and the five-star hospitality of the Grand Hotel were largely complemented by the myth of Federico Fellini, whose genius brought it to a worldwide fame in the 1973 movie, Amarcord, exalting its charm, and fixing it forever in a timeless dimension.

The hotel served as an inspiration to Fellini in his childhood years, who saw it as the manifestation of forbidden desires – "the fable of wealth, luxury, and splendor." Titta Benzi, one of Fellini's best friends, recalled the hours they spent outside of the Grand Hotel peeking through its hedge to spy on the unreal world of the rich. Long gone now are the days when the once penniless Fellini sneaked into the hotel lobby to watch the work of telephone operators (something he enjoyed the most), only to be escorted out by the surly concierge.

When he grew up, Fellini became friends with the hotel's owner, Cavalier Arpesella, and used to spend here a good deal of time, invariably staying in room 315 – the Fellini Suite (overlooking the garden and the sea) – that was always reserved for him. From here, the Maestro could see “a Rimini that never ends,” with an “endless procession of shimmering cars “ making it look like Rome, only smaller and a bit less crazy.

Inside the room, there are photos of Fellini on the terrace with his wife, Giulietta Masina. The red sofas making up the interior recall the moments of relaxation of the prestigious guests whom the young Federico used to portray in his caricatures and drawings, and which gave him, apart from his first paycheck, an infinite number of characters to display in his cinematographic works later on.

To mark the centenary of the Maestro, in 2020, the hotel launched a special program which included, among other elements, the La Dolce Vita Gourmet, Dolce Vita Spa, Breakfast with Federico Fellini, Aperitif La Dolce Vita, plus the “8 and 1/2 spaces of the Grand Hotel Rimini” itinerary.

Right in front of the Fellini Suite is the Guerra Suite, dedicated to his dear friend, Tonino Guerra, a screenwriter, multifaceted artist and visionary poet, who also reached 100 years that same year.

Last but not least – a bizarre coincidence – the Grand Hotel beach is the only location in town without a street number. Sitting exactly between the numbers 8 and 9, it seemingly makes it a Fellinian 8½...