A new direct flight has just taken off to a charming city on Italy’s Adriatic Coast (Picture: Getty Images) For holidaymakers outside London, it can often feel like the best routes are reserved for the capital. However, things are changing thanks to everyone’s favourite (or not) budget airlines, Ryanair and easyJet. The low-cost carriers recently announced a slate of new routes to exciting destinations — all departing from regional UK airports. Today, June 3, Ryanair is flying its first-ever flight from Manchester Airport to Rimini, a charming city on Italy’s Adriatic Coast. The route, which operates twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, has enticingly cheap fares, with one-way prices from around £25. Our writer Karen Edwards spent time in Rimini last year and discovered an authentic destination where Italians themselves like to holiday (so you know it’s going to be good). Tiberius Bridge in Rimini at dawn (Picture: Alex Ugalek/Getty Images/iStockphoto) The seaside town’s nine-mile stretch of golden sand has been a magnet for domestic travellers for decades. Recently, however, Rimini has evolved beyond its reputation as a boisterous bordering-on-kitsch beachside resort. Its rich culture, not to mention fascinating architecture, mouthwatering cuisine, and mind-blowing archaeological discoveries, is finally being appreciated by international visitors. Karen fell in love with the lesser-known Rimini that exists beyond the parasols and sun loungers, and now with affordable direct flights from the UK, there are many good reasons to make it your next getaway. Here’s what she did during her stay. Getting to grips with Rimini With three days to myself, I spend my first morning exploring the historic centre, or centro storico, with its pockets of history dating back to 268BC when Rimini was founded by the Romans. Today, tokens of those very early years remain dotted around the town. Travellers have flocked to Rimini for its beaches since the 19th Century (Picture: Metro/Datawrapper) The Arch of Augustus, for instance, was once the gateway into Rimini – marking the end of the Rome-Rimini road. The beautiful Ponte Di Tiberio, remarkably still intact despite being bombed during WWII, is a 2,000-year-old limestone bridge that leads you from the old town into the pastel-coloured fisherman’s hamlet of Borgo Santo Giuliano (more on this later). At Plaza Tre Martiri, the 13th-century Malatesta Temple pays tribute to the town’s transformation from the Gothic era to the Renaissance period. A distinguished marble doorway leads into the cathedral, where frescos, statues dedicated to patron saints, and even a canvas painting, span the walls. Strolling across to the other side of Ponte Di Tiberio, I stop for my first cappuccino of the day at local favourite, Bar Pasticceria Vecchi. It’s the ideal spot to sit and watch the world go by while fueling up on buttery pastries. Rimini was founded as a settlement by the Romans some 2,000 years ago, and traces remain (Picture: Karen Edwards) Around the corner, the Friday farmer’s market is thriving; the stalls laden with creamy cheeses and plump, juicy strawberries are by far the busiest. ‘I feel blessed to be able to come here in the morning and buy healthy ingredients. It’s a good way to start the day,’ says local resident Claudia Valentina, as we both pick up a punnet. Getting lost in the backstreets Following a delicious piadina lunch at NudeCrud – Rimini is famous for its flatbread stuffed with local ingredients such as soft cheese and prosciutto – I wander the cobbled backstreets of Borgo Santo Giuliano, the town’s most wonderfully flamboyant neighbourhood. Old Town blues (Picture: Mauro Flamini/REDA&CO/Getty Images) Colourful cottages line the roads, accented with bursts of fuchsia bougainvillea and sweetly scented jasmine bushes. Some houses display murals of fisher-families of the past, a dedication to the generations that have come before. What strikes me most, though, are the many depictions of Rimini’s homegrown superstar, Federico Fellini. The Italian film director, known for his cult classics such as 81/2 and La Strada, was born here in 1920. He went on to be nominated for 12 Academy Awards and even has his own Fellini Museum around the corner at Castel Sismondo. Federico Fellini: homegrown superstar (Picture: Karen Edwards) Star quality extends to the neighbourhood’s food. Augusta’s fish risotto ‘done the Rimini way’ is a favourite, I’m told, while the succulent pasta parcels filled ragu at Osterio io e Simone is also a top choice. Around the vecchia pescheria, or old fish market, students gather to sample the birrerias and cocktailerias that are nestled into the old stone arches. I head back to the coast and settle in for a seafood platter of battered fish, prawns and squid and a glass of Sangiovese at Rock Island. The spruced up shed-restaurant, with its own DJ – perched on the end of the pier overlooking the Adriatic – the perfect spot to watch the sun go down. On the Via Marecchiese A gear change for day two, and I venture an hour southwest of Rimini by car to the slopes of the Pennabilli township, where Michelin-starred bistro Il Pistarino is tucked away in a manicured private garden. Fortunately, I’ve timed my visit with truffle season. I’m delighted that my entrée, composed of sliced asparagus, carrot and gratin, is topped generously with black truffle shavings – the latter sourced from the nearby hilltop village of Sant’Agata Feltria. ‘My philosophy has been centered on offering a cuisine that is thoughtful, contemporary, yet deeply rooted in the local territory,’ restaurateur Riccardo Agostini explains. ‘Vegetables, fruits, berries, flowers – whatever nature offers, I let it lead [my dishes]. I also work closely with trusted local artisans who share these values.’ Due to the Mediterranean climate, there are plenty of seasonal ingredients here, including some prize-winning grapes. On the way back, I pop into the Podere dell’Angelo winery, where Giacomo Bianchi and his sister Giulia invite visitors to taste their signature Rebola and Sangiovese, which arrive alongside a plate of homemade cheese, salami and chorizo, a staple of the Podere dell’Angelo cellar door experience. According to Giacomo, the success of some of their top wines, like the Giulietta rebola, is down to the flavours instilled from the salty sea air and chalky soil. Rock Island offers the kind of sunsets only found on the Adriatic (Picture: Karen Edwards) A final and relaxing day is spent cycling along the promenade that runs parallel to the Rimini coastline. With a cappuccino from waterside cafe, Dalla Jole, in hand – and later, a piadina stuffed with pecorino cheese and salami from family-owned Lella al Mare for lunch, I end my time in Rimini well-fed, warm and doing as the locals do. I suggest that sooner rather than later, you do, too. How to get to Rimini from the UK Ryanair flies direct from Manchester to Rimini twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Alternatively, EasyJet flies from London Gatwick and British Airways from London Heathrow. Standard rooms in four-star beachfront hotels start from £100 per night.