Riccione

Riccione has to be seen to be believed: five rows of sunloungers, backed by ten rows of parasols, another five of changing rooms, then beach-bars and all sorts of playgrounds. It should come as no surprise that you don’t just turn up with your kit in summer and plough through the masses to the beach. There are designated watersport areas – “corridoi” – at for example (from south to north): Bagno 24, Vela Club Marano and Spiaggia 151 (kitesurfing’s even possible in summer at the last two). Cross to cross-on winds are best, it most often blows east to south-easterly from the right. In summer the thermal usually fills in at 8-15 knots. Winds are stronger and the sand's also emptier in spring and autumn, when the beach-break can reach up to 2m. The first few metres of water in front of the wide beach are standing-depth.