High prices divide tourists in Rimini, a mid-August holiday without crowds, with salty coffee and low-cost hotels.

Rimini, August 15, 2025 – On Rimini's seafront, the sea breeze mingles with a Ferragosto holiday without the usual crowds . The atmosphere remains suspended between the desire to party and the sight of closed beach umbrellas. Tourists are present, but the large numbers are lacking. "It must be the high prices," a woman quickly comments, passing by. And it is precisely with the prices that our journey among the tourists on Rimini's Ferragosto holiday begins. Couples, groups of young people, families: Rimini has always welcomed everyone, the queen of mass tourism.

"We're just passing through, and we're leaving tonight," say Valentina Saddi and Antonio Perra , who arrived from Cagliari. "In August, we decided to tour Italy; we wanted to get away from Sardinia a bit. High prices are a concern for everyone, and here in Romagna, we haven't seen prices that far outweigh those of Bologna or Ravenna." However, one thing has the Sardinian couple turned up their noses: between a stroll along the seafront and a few browses around the shops, it's coffee time. "We've ended up paying €1.80 for a cup of espresso ," they continue. "We're at the seaside, but maybe that's a bit excessive."

Alberto Baggini, who from Ravenna decided to spend Ferragosto in Rimini, agrees. "I bet there aren't many people this year," he says. " Prices have gone up. Just look at lunch on the beach: the food is terrible and the bill is high; it's not worth it. A wealthy person would have no problem taking a vacation, but this leaves out the entire middle class who used to come here on vacation." And it's precisely from the concept of middle class that Vittoriano Ortiz starts his reflection. "Rimini is the epitome of the proletarian vacation, even if we don't say that anymore," he explains. "There are three of us and we pay 280 euros for a hotel for three days , a paltry sum, and 25 euros a day for a beach umbrella . Try going to Puglia or Versilia: you can't stay at the beach for less than 35 euros. Rimini is still the home of tourism for all budgets."

Whether it's the high cost of holidays or a change in Italians' habits, the reality is that this summer has been a patchy one for Rimini's tourism industry, and Ferragosto is no exception.