Entering the Old Town of Rimini through its enormous Roman arch, I am swiftly transported into a traditional Italian lifestyle that I have longed to prove true. Leisurely cyclists weave the streets as their canine companions sit upfront in baskets. Locals sit under canopies outside coffee shops. Boutique windows are lavishly decorated with the luxury wares of Prada, Margiela and Balenciaga.

Forget the jostling crowds of Florence. Here, in the shoulder month of May, I can meander around cobbled streets lined with quaint, pastel-toned houses and window baskets tumbling with flowers. I'm beginning to see why Rimini provided such inspiration for Federico Fellini. The film-maker grew up here, and almost 100 years since his birth, houses and streets are decorated with murals dedicated to him, and to famous works like La Dolce Vita.