Piazzetta Teatini, Rimini

Piazzetta Teatini, a small green space outside the majestic Tempio Malatestiano (a glowing white cathedral named for the medieval lords of the region) is where the echoes of the past are still heard, resounding from the ruins of the Church of the Fathers of Teatini (Chiesa dei Padri Teatini). This church, built between 1613 and 1629 on the site of yet another temple, the San Giorgio Anti church, was almost completely destroyed by bombing during World War II. Currently, only one of its walls remains in place, overlooking the Piazzetta Teatini gardens.

In contrast to the cathedral’s grandeur, Piazzetta Teatini was long overlooked and eventually got overgrown, becoming a spot of splotchy grass with a few benches.

The early success made Fellini feel a bit uneasy in his hometown. “I don't like going back to Rimini, I have to say. It's a kind of block.” Therefore, oftentimes he visited Rimini in secret from everyone, except family and friends.

The head of the Fellini Foundation, Sergio Zavoli, said that Federico often came at night. He would meet his childhood friend, Luigi "Titta" Benzi, together with whom they went to this piazzetta and talked all night while kicking around an empty can. By the break of dawn, when the city awoke, Fellini was gone, catching an early train back to Rome.

If you're not in a hurry, consider checking out the nearby Ristorante Teatini for an excellent meal of squid-ink passatelli – served on spaetzle (a type of noodles), as the locals do – washed down with a glass of famoso, a floral white wine from the region, to reinforce the experience.