Today I want to take you to discover the wonderful Borgo San Giuliano.
One of the four historic boroughs of the city.
The others are Borgo San Giovanni, Borgo Marina, and Borgo Sant’Andrea.
It is certainly the most famous and most visited in the city. If you’re staying in Marina Centro, getting there is very simple.
Just walk along the canal port. You’ll find it just a stone’s throw from the Tiberius Bridge.
Here, among narrow alleys and colorful houses, you breathe an old-world atmosphere.
The borgo was founded in the medieval period and refers to the ancient history of the Abbey of San Giuliano.
And it is right here that the Via Emilia begins—one of the most beautiful and evocative paths in the whole city.
The two main trades once practiced by the inhabitants of the Borgo were fishermen and coachmen, professions still remembered today thanks to the majolica plaques placed just outside the doors of the houses.
The coachmen used to take people around the city or to the sea with their carriages.
But today, most of the house paintings (chosen by the residents themselves) are dedicated to Fellini.
For this reason, many people think Fellini lived in the Borgo.
In reality, the Rimini-born director never lived here.
After his death in 1993, during the biennial festival, the local community decided to pay homage to the great artist by creating the “wall of nicknames” on the Casa Bianchi, which faces the characteristic alleys of the borgo.
From that moment on, a series of murals dedicated to Fellini followed.
The most famous are in Piazzetta Gabena.
One of the most admired is a painting by Italo Paolizzi, depicting Fellini’s wife, Giulietta Masina, as Gelsomina.
This character played an important role in one of the most famous films in the world, La Strada, which earned Fellini his first Oscar.
And in Piazzetta Gabena, there is another mural celebrating another great success of Fellini, La Dolce Vita, with the famous kiss between Anita Ekberg and Marcello Mastroianni in the Trevi Fountain.
But the Fellinian murals don’t end there.
In fact, near the church of San Giuliano, there are murals dedicated to the snuffbox from Amarcord and to Giulietta Masina as Cabiria.
In short, here you breathe the air of the great director and his unique universe, and you feel part of cinema history.
I hope you’ve been able to appreciate the beauty of Borgo San Giuliano through my words and that one day you can visit this one-of-a-kind place.
Always remember that the story of a place is made by the people who live there, and Borgo San Giuliano is a perfect example of how culture and community can create a unique and unforgettable experience for anyone traveling to discover new worlds.
If you need to book your vacation in Rimini, visit the website of the 4-star Aqua Hotel in Marina Centro at the following link: https://www.aquahotel.it/
I’ll be waiting for you in Rimini.
Cristian
