VIDEO: Planning a cycling holiday in Italy? Rimini on the Adriatic Coast is one of the best bases for riders of all levels, offering a satisfying mix of flat roads, rolling hills, and famous climbs like Marco Pantani’s Carpegna. I recently stayed at the Oxygen Lifestyle Hotel, a top-rated bike hotel in Rimini, and here’s why it’s a great place to stay for your next cycling holiday in Italy.
Click PLAY to Watch my video review of the OXYGEN Lifestyle Bike Hotel below, and see more at the PEZ Youtube channel.
Italy has long been the promised land for cyclists. The roads, the food, the culture—it’s all here in abundance. Yet ask most riders where they’d go for their dream trip and Rimini might not even be on the list. That’s a mistake.
On a recent journey to the Italy’s Adriatic Coast, I discovered why this seaside region is such a great place to visit, and why the Oxygen Lifestyle Hotel is one of the best bases to explore it.
The Charm of Rimini
Mention Rimini and Italians will smile knowingly. Italians have been spending summers here since the 1850s and they’ve got it dialed – summer holidays, sun-drenched beaches, and family memories. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a tourist who isn’t Italian in the summer months.
Now look inland and you’ll find an entirely different story: quiet roads winding through rolling hills and vineyards, medieval villages perched on hilltops, climbs that test your legs without breaking them, and flowing descents as reward.
The most famous of these, of course, is the Carpegna– Marco Pantani’s beloved training ground. Just a short ride from the coast, it offers a true taste of Italian cycling lore. But what makes Rimini special is the balance: you can spin along the flat promenade in the morning, climb switchbacks by midday, and be back at the beach in time for a Negroni.
A Hotel with Cyclists in Mind
The Oxygen Lifestyle Hotel understands this rhythm perfectly. Built on the site of a once a grand seaside villa known as the Helvetia, it’s been reimagined into a modern property that caters directly to riders. Its owners, the Arlotti family, have hospitality in their DNA – and it shows.
Across the street, the warm Adriatic shimmers beyond lines of umbrellas. Out front, a pool invites tired legs. Inside, the lobby is bright and airy, a nod to Rimini’s role as a conference hub. But the real gem for cyclists lies downstairs: a bike room stocked with gleaming Bianchis, secure storage, and everything you need to roll out without worry.
On the Road: Guided Rides into the Hills
Cycling here isn’t something you figure out on your phone. It’s best experienced with a guide—someone who knows which back roads lead to quiet climbs, which switchbacks deliver the views, and which cafés serve the best espresso.
Our 74km ride started gently: 20 kilometers of flats to warm the legs before turning inland. Two climbs of five or six kilometers each offered steady tests, the kind that let you find a rhythm. Then came a climb of 17 switchbacks that wound us up to a tiny terracotta town, followed by a 15-kilometer descent so smooth and flowing it felt like a gift. From the ridge we spotted San Marino, its castle-like profile rising above the hills of Romagna.
This is riding with layers—scenery, history, effort, and reward all folded together.
Refueling: The Italian Way
Every good ride in Italy ends with food. At Oxygen, the kitchen takes this as seriously as the bike room. Breakfast is an affair of fresh-baked croissants, eggs, prosciutto, fruit, and coffee that tastes like it’s been perfected over centuries.
Lunch is billed as a “snack,” but the buffet of pasta, meats, salads, and breads suggests otherwise. And dinner? A rotation of seafood, risotto, roasted potatoes, and lasagna—each dish prepared in-house, each plate proof that recovery food doesn’t have to be bland.
Rooms with a View
Italian hotel rooms are often small and can sometimes feel like an afterthought, but Oxygen’s are modern, spacious, and quiet. Many come with balconies overlooking the Adriatic, where the morning light paints the sea gold. The bathrooms are sleek and functional (and yes, that second “toilet” is a bidet—don’t skip it).
Between rides, the pool and the beach provide a different kind of recovery. The hotel partners with a local beach club, giving guests their own private slice of sand complete with loungers, umbrellas, and bar service. It’s cycling, Italian-style—equal parts effort and indulgence.
The pop-up street market is the place to be on summer nights.
Beyond the Beach: Rimini Old Town
Ten minutes south, Rimini’s old town is a reminder that this city is more than its beaches. Federico Fellini grew up here, and his presence lingers in murals, museums, and cinematic corners. The Ponte Tiberio, a Roman bridge still carrying traffic after 2,000 years, is a gateway to cobbled streets lined with restaurants and bars.
One evening, in search of my daily Negroni, I saw a crowd spilled into the street outside a local bar, their laughter bouncing off pastel façades – even the abundant cigarette smoke seemed okay in the moment. It was the kind of night that reminded me why Italy seduces so effortlessly: here, cycling is only part of the story.
Why a Bike Hotel Matters
What sets the Oxygen Lifestyle Hotel apart is its membership in the Italy Bike Hotels network. This group of properties across the country has raised the bar for cycling hospitality. Secure bike storage, guided tours, rental fleets, laundry services, and after-ride meals aren’t add-ons—they’re the standard.
Read my article on How to Plan your Best Italian Bike Holiday to learn more about to spend less time worrying about logistics and more time enjoying the ride.
Final Word
If you’re planning a cycling holiday in Italy, don’t overlook Rimini. The riding is diverse, the culture authentic, and the sea never far away. At the Oxygen Lifestyle Hotel, you’ll find a base that understands cyclists while delivering the warmth of true Italian hospitality by a staff that genuinely cares about their guests.
I liked it so much that after my first visit in Spring, I took my family back as part of our summer holiday – and they loved it too.
Ciao – and thanks for reading –
– Richard
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