Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?

London, United...
2 posts
2 reviews
Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?
Save

Please don't take offense, but I have heard horror stories about racism in Italy, and this will be my first time visiting the country. I am a black english girl, and my aunt has told me stories of people staring at her and muttering 'merda' as she walks by. This was quite some years ago, and i'm hoping things have changed?

Rimini is a place more typically associated with Italians on holiday rather than an international resort, so this could mean locals are not used to seeing black faces which can lead to ignorance.

I don't mind people staring a bit - we all take a few minutes to look at something we have never seen before, but i couldn't tolerate direct racism.

I hope to be wrong, but please be honest with me. If anything I'd rather pick a more popular international destination in Italy, and feel comfortable, than go to Rimini and end up being put off Italy!

Thanks

Munich, Germany
Destination Expert
for Bali
Level Contributor
19,541 posts
92 reviews
63 helpful votes
1. Re: Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?
Save

Hi,

I was there weekend before last (09 May). Rimini is a 6 hour drive for us. In general I don't think there is a problem. I visit Italy a lot and where I go (Lake Garda, Milan, Rimini) I don't think there is that type of attitude. I could be wrong as I would not have experienced such being white. I did however see a number of Indian/Asian families on Holiday and a couple of old Muslim ladies were in our hotel. I also saw a number of black italian girls with white friends in restaurants.

I work with Italians and some who come from the North of Italy (politically Liga Nord) just don't like people from the south of Italy. Nothing to do with race or colour. My friend is from Rome and there are Italians from the North who would not like her solely for that

Just as an aside I thought that Riccione had a nicer seafront area than Rimini and the main road near the hotels on the strip is where all the main bars and restaurants were - bit noisy whilst eating your meals (I've posted a review on the Hotel de Londres, Rimini today but not viewable yet)

Munich, Germany
Destination Expert
for Bali
Level Contributor
19,541 posts
92 reviews
63 helpful votes
2. Re: Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?
Save

just another point I was on holiday with my Indian friend and his white wife and daughter last year and the year before in Italy and he has never mentioned that there was an issue from his point of view

London, United...
2 posts
2 reviews
3. Re: Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?
Save

Thanks for that information. It was a while ago that my aunty went, and i thought it would probably have changed but wanted to be sure.

I will have a look at your links when they are put up tomorrow.

Vignola, Italy
Level Contributor
4,760 posts
7 reviews
6 helpful votes
4. Re: Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?
Save

Dear musttryharder,

the racism isn't a problem in Italy. But now the racism is increasing due the politacl situation in Italy. As you know Berlusconi have a radical-right political coalition that use media to mantain it's power. To don't talk about what they are doing they talk about how the "foreigners" are dangerous: the normal message tell that all the extra-Schengen people are criminals. This mean that there are every day more people who look as criminal all the persons don't look italian. This isn't a real racism, but every day more the situation isn't good.

Fortunately the italian's aren't racist for our culture. I know persons who talk in bad way about Albanians or northern Africans or blackmans or others italian, but at the end work together without problems or have friends of this categories. Because italians always speek bad of the general group, but at the end they can stay with everybody.

About racism is important even to know that until the '80s italians aren't usual to see blackman or asians, so if your aunt come to Rimini 30 or more years ago she was an "exotic" person (and this attract the look).

Another matter to remember is that italians aren't shy to look to a girl or a womam (or a man). I don't know how old is you aunt or if she is a nice woman or usually dress "strange" clothes, but this attract the look of the italians without be a racist act.

At the end: take it easy in Rimini and come without problem. I'm sure that the 80% of italians you'll meet will be pleasant and at least the 95% don't have any problem with a black woman.

Bye

Riccardo

Vignola, Italy
Level Contributor
4,760 posts
7 reviews
6 helpful votes
5. Re: Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?
Save

I forget: Rimini was an important international resort for summer vacation since '60s - '70s. But the most arrived from Germany, Austria and England. At present a lot of tourist arrive in Rimini from Eastern Europe (Russia, Poland...). There aren't too many blackman who come to Rimini as tourist, but in the last few years the number of black tourist is increasing due the higher number of worker from Africa who live with the family in Italy.

Bye

Riccardo

6. Re: Planning a trip to Rimini. Is it quite racist?

-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 1:18 am, November 16, 2009
Get answers to your questions about Rimini
$USD
United States
© 2020 TripAdvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.