01Domus del Chirurgo at a glance
A day trip from Hotel Viking, the Antonioli family’s 3-star hotel in Viserbella di Rimini: the Domus del Chirurgo (Surgeon's House) is a 3rd-century Roman house discovered beneath Piazza Ferrari, with mosaics and the richest set of surgical instruments to have survived from antiquity.
From Hotel Viking in Viserbella you can get there in about 20 minutes by car, 27 minutes by bike along the seafront, or by bus no. 4, which stops 100 metres from the hotel.
| Address | Piazza Luigi Ferrari, 47921 Rimini (RN) |
|---|---|
| From the hotel by car | 7.0 km, about 20 minutes |
| By bike | 6.3 km, about 27 minutes |
| On foot | 6.3 km, about 80 minutes |
| By bus | bus no. 4 (stop 25) to the railway station, then about a 10-minute walk |
| Entrance | There is a charge: entry is with the ticket for the Museo della Città (via Tonini 1), where the surgical instruments are also on display. |
02History
- The Roman house was rediscovered on 12 July 1989 during work on the gardens of Piazza Ferrari; the excavations (by the Archaeological Superintendency of Bologna with the city museums) lasted about ten years.
- The domus was built in the second half of the 2nd century AD, on two floors, near the port of ancient Ariminum (back then the mouth of the Marecchia was much closer: the coastline has since moved about 1.5 km out to sea).
- A fire destroyed the house in the second half of the 3rd century AD; in the rubble a box was found containing 89 Roman coins, the most recent dated 257-258 AD.
- More than 150 surgical instruments came from the house (scalpels, forceps, probes, levers, a drill, dental pliers), considered the richest set of Roman surgical tools to have survived; today they are on display at the Museo della Città.
- Among the rarest pieces is the 'spoon of Diocles', an instrument for extracting arrowheads: together with the kind of tools found, it suggests the doctor had experience of military medicine.
03What to see
The doctor was probably called Eutyches: the name appears in a graffito on the plaster of the cubiculum, the room where patients were treated. He was probably of Greek or Eastern origin.
The instrument room has the mosaic of Orpheus surrounded by animals; in the triclinium (dining room) a small glass-paste panel with three fish was found.
The excavation also revealed later phases: a 5th-6th-century residential building with geometric mosaics, burials and early medieval structures.
The site opened on 7 December 2007. It is covered by a glass and steel structure designed by Cerri Associati Engineering, with three walkways suspended about 2 metres above the excavations.
Since February 2025 the mosaics and plasterwork have been undergoing conservation work funded by the Ministry of Culture. The site remains open and visitors can watch the restorers at work.
Sources: Comune di Rimini · Wikipedia · lapiazzarimini.it. Information checked in October 2026.
04Visitor information
There is a charge: entry is with the ticket for the Museo della Città (via Tonini 1), where the surgical instruments are also on display. Opening times given by the Comune (page updated May 2025): Tuesday to Friday 9:30–13:00 and 16:00–19:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00–19:00. Riviera di Rimini lists guided tours on Sundays (about 1 hour, €7, free for under-30s; booking on 0541 793851 or via Ticketlandia) and evening openings on Wednesdays and Fridays in July and August (9pm–11pm). The site is accessible to disabled visitors. Times and prices change: check museicomunalirimini.it. Contacts: musei@comune.rimini.it, 0541 703851.
Opening times and prices may change: always check the official website before you go.
Sources: Comune di Rimini · Riviera di Rimini. Information checked in October 2026.
05How to get there from Hotel Viking
By car: it’s 7.0 km, about 20 minutes depending on traffic. The historic centre is a limited traffic zone, so it’s best to leave the car in one of the public car parks on the edge of the centre. Your space at the hotel stays reserved in our private car park.
By bike: 6.3 km, about 27 minutes, almost all on the Parco del Mare cycle path into Rimini; the hotel has bike storage, there are bikes to hire along the way and a bike-hire shop 1.5 km away (cycling holidays).
By bus: bus no. 4 stops 100 metres from the hotel (stop 25) and goes to Rimini railway station; from there it’s about a 10-minute walk.
06Nearby
- Museo della Città 'Luigi Tonini' (via Tonini 1), a short walk from Piazza Ferrari: it displays the surgical instruments and finds from the domus
- The Piazza Ferrari gardens, where the domus is located
- Corso d'Augusto and the Arco d'Augusto (Arch of Augustus), a few minutes' walk away
- Tempio Malatestiano and Piazza Tre Martiri, in the historic centre
- Piazza Cavour with Teatro Galli, about a 10-minute walk
- Tempio Malatestiano
- Arco d’Augusto
- Teatro Galli and Piazza Cavour
More ideas on our things to do in Rimini, events in Rimini and inland hills and hilltop villages pages.
07What our guests say
What our guests say about the hotel's location and day trips.
Handy for everything
«excellent location, close to everything, the sea included, but on a quiet street.»
Day trips
«You can book trips inland with the help of the reception staff»
08FAQ
Why is it called the Domus del Chirurgo (Surgeon's House)?
Because a doctor, probably called Eutyches, lived and worked in the house, and more than 150 surgical instruments from the 3rd century AD were found here: the richest set of Roman surgical tools to have survived.
Can you see the surgical instruments at the domus?
No. At the domus you see the remains of the house and the mosaics, walking along raised walkways. The instruments and other finds are in the nearby Museo della Città (City Museum), and the museum ticket covers both.
How far is Hotel Viking from the Domus del Chirurgo?
7.0 km, about 20 minutes by car or 27 minutes by bike along the seafront.
How do I get to the Domus del Chirurgo without a car?
By bus no. 4, which stops 100 metres from the hotel (stop 25) and runs to Rimini railway station, or by bike along the Parco del Mare cycle path.
Do I need a ticket for the Domus del Chirurgo?
There is a charge: entry is with the ticket for the Museo della Città (via Tonini 1), where the surgical instruments are also on display.
Where to stay nearby?
At Hotel Viking in Viserbella, a 3-star hotel 100 metres from the sea with a pool, private car park and Romagna cooking, just a few minutes from the centre of Rimini.
