beach walk and lunch on the adriatic

During summer, Adriatic beaches in the stretch between Ravenna and Pesaro have a density of people for square meter that would put a Tokyo metropolitan train to shame. While legally chairs and umbrellas must leave the first meters of shore free for walking, getting to the shore may even be challenging.

This is what I mean:
http://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/rimini/cronaca/2013/01/04/825124/images/1133935-spiaggia%20affollata%20rimini.jpg

In the summer, chances for a pleasant walk on a beach in this area are slim to none. Tons of people, not great food options. Not very pretty. Go somewhere else.

Ravenna's beaches are not that close to the city, and are congested from June 1 throughout the summer.

Pesaro is a little more than 90 minutes away, you may have better luck there. I was there last year and there are a couple of beaches to choose from.

The image that lachera has posted above is typical of August and July at all beach establishment concessions in all towns of the Romagna Riviera, and that includes Pesaro, albeit technically in the Marche. If you do a Google Image search and look at the images of the major towns there (Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica, Pesaro), you will see similar environments. Therefore secluded beaches are rare, except for a bit south of Cattolica.

However, if you go outside of July and August, the places will not be as crowded, except for weekends, when many weekenders head to the beach from Bologna and other cities in the interior. Even in June, on a weekday, it will not be bad at all.

I mentioned the above main towns because they are easier to reach by train, since they have stations. Regional trains stop in all of them, Intercity trains don't stop at Cattolica, but do so at the others.

I used to go there sometimes in summer (August, of all months). The places cater to both families (especially Cattolica) or young adults and teenagers (Especially Riccione and Rimini).

If you mind crowds and are there in July and August, maybe you shouldn't go. If you are there in June or September, go on weekdays. You should go, because it's an aspect of Italian "vacanza di mare" (seaside vacation) culture that few North Americans experience since those localities are not part of the typical American tourist itinerary. Similar environment is in Versilia, the Tuscan coast from Viareggio to Forte dei Marmi.

The prettiest and most elegant with the best Passeggiata is Riccione. I would go there. There are great restaurants in all those towns. You just need to inquire which, because there are also lots of tourist traps that cater to the millions of German and Russian tourists (Rimini airport in summer has more flights to Russia than any Italian airport). Those tourists are known for not having a discerning palate and they will eat anything you serve them, so choose carefully.