Description of the attraction
Villa Mussolini in Riccione is Italy's first museum dedicated to tourism. The building itself was built in 1890 and was originally called Villa Margherita. Its location on the seafront and direct access to an excellent beach led to the fact that this particular villa was bought in 1934 by Donna Rachele, the official wife of Benito Mussolin. Nearby were the city parks and the Lungomare della Liberta promenade.
Villa Mussolini played an important role in the development of tourism on the Adriatic Riviera between the two world wars. It was Mussolini's decision to build a spa house here for himself that was the beginning of mass tourism. Many famous people and foreign politicians and diplomats have visited this villa. When Duce decided to build a house for his sons Bruno and Vittorio, the area of the villa was increased to 6 thousand square meters. And after the Second World War, the estate became the property of the municipality of Riccione, like many other possessions of the fascists. From 1976 to 1983, the villa housed a restaurant. And in 1997, this two-story building with a small turret at the main entrance, a portico and a garden (which was almost destroyed at that time) was restored and turned into a small museum introducing the history of the emergence and development of tourism on the Adriatic coast.
The rich history of Villa Mussolini has served well for the creation of the museum's expositions, introducing the historical and cultural aspects of tourism development. In addition, Villa Mussolini is also a kind of laboratory in which experts are still studying tourist flows around the world. Thematic seminars, conferences and meetings are regularly held here.
