There has been a settlement at Rimini since prehistoric times. Founded by the Romans in 268 B.C., Rimini boasts a 2,000-year history that has left important marks testifying to its grandeur. To the Romans, ''Ariminum'' was a link between the "Italic" and the "Gallic" lands, a stronghold on the Adriatic and a gateway to the Po valley. Three major roads converged here - the ''Flaminian Way'', the ''Aemilian Way'' and the ''Popilian Way''. Rimini today is a thriving, bustling resort on the Italian Riviera that boasts "over a thousand hotels". It is one of the least pretentious towns in Italy, and has a well-deserved reputation for.This is a place where the '''Italians''' go for their sea and sun, and therefore the food is excellent as well as the people being friendly and helpful. You won't find many tour buses filled with Americans or English here! This also means, however, that few speak anything but Italian, so be sure to take your phrase book with you. The locals will work with you and are always happy to see a foreigner at least trying to communicate in their language. http://wikitravel.org/en/Rimini