There are plenty of possibilities offered by the many parks and visitor centers located in Cervia and the surrounding areas!
Visitor Centers and Parks
- The Butterfly House
- Natural Park
- Visitor Center of Cervia Salt Pan
- Musa - Salt Museum
- The Pinewood
- Pinarella Pinewood
- Cubo Magico Bevanella Visitor Center
- Parco Fluviale Cannuzzo
- Birdwatching in the Po Delta
- NatuRa
- Kayak Excursions
- The Dune del Delta
- Marine Museum of Cesenatico
- Bassona nature reserve
- Anse Vallive di Porto
- Italy in Miniature
- Riolo Terme Stronghold
- Aviation Theme Park
- Ridracoli Dam
- Delizia Estense del Verginese
- Naturalistic Observatory of Valmarecchia
- Valbonella Botanical Garden
The Butterfly House
Amid the striking setting of the Cervia pinewood, The Butterfly House is a unique emotion for those who love being surprised by the enchanting and always changing sights of Nature.
The Butterfly House & Co. is an original and innovative educational theme park. Main attraction of the Butterfly House is a greenhouse of 500 sq.m. where you are immersed in a rainforest, sourrounded by hundreds of colorful free-flying tropical butterflies.Every week, within the greenhouse, hundreds of chrysalises find the best environmental conditions to complete their development and turn into colourful butterflies which fly free, eat and often end their vital cycle by layng eggs, so that it is possible to watch all the different steps of the metamorphosis (egg- larva and pupa - butterfly).
Several species of exotic plants and animals share the habitat of the greenhouse with the butterflies (chamaleons, iguanas, adamantine turtle doves, bob whites) and together create a true ecosystem.
Next to the greenhouse, in a section devoted to insects, you can come into direct contact with stick insects, mantids, bumblebees, beetles and other important inhabitants of the three environments, earth, water and air.The greenhouse is integrated with a multifunctional building, housing a permanent educational exhibition on the world of insects and invertebrates, an educational equipped room and a wide theme shop.
Butterfly House: Full rate 8 €; Reduced rate* 7 €
Insect House: Full rate 6 €; Reduced rate* 5 €
Butterfly House + Insect House: Full rate 11 €; Reduced rate* 9,50 €; Families 35 €
*Reduced rate: children under 1 m height and up to 12 years old, over 65
**Free: children under 1 m height, disabled people
** Bambini sotto il metro di altezza entrano gratis
Natural Park
The Natural Park is the ideal place where you can spend hours of absolute tranquillity and re-discover forgotten fragrances and sounds, coming into touch with nature again. Here you can meet many different animals of the farm, enjoy a pic nic or drink a coffee surrounded by swallows.
There is a real botanic garden with different routes. The most common tree inside the park is the so-called domestic pinetree (Pinus pinea) with its typical umbrella-shaped foliage,different from the other sort present here, the maritime pinetree (Pinus pinaster), which is rather pyramid-shaped. But there are also other sorts of trees, like oaks (Quercus pubescens and Quercus petraea). The underbrush is rich with bushes like brambles (Rubus ulmifolius), hawthornes (Crataegus monogyna), wild olives (Hippophae ramnoides), privets, honeysuckles (Lonicera caprifolium) and Berberis vulgaris. The presence of small orchids "cheers up" the soil.
It is an environment suitable also for lots of animals, that have been introduced here by the man: donkeys, fallow deers, horses, deers, goats, Romagna cows, ducks, swans, pheasants, peacocks, etc. A permanent aviculture exhibition shows the finest selected chicken and pheasan breeds. The Natural Park offers may other opportunities, such as the organic vegetable garden, horse riding and a rich programme of events from spring to autumn. Rest Area for children:
Platform 9 ¾ is a unique rest area thanks to a particular wooden structure, the suggestive atmosphere of the pinewood and the facilities for adults and children. It's a place to live, in which it is possible to refresh and enjoy the peace of the park at any time, a "didattic" and a little magic rest area where children can read, play and take part at educational workshops. Facilities:
- rest area and relax area.
- children area with playground.
- bookshop.
- educational activities.
- refreshment and lunch with typical products.
The Old Farm:
You can have a close encounter with farm animals in an enclosed plot of land beyond the canal. Children with the help of qualified staff could care the animals and interact with them in complete safety.
Entrance free.
Visitor Center of Cervia Salt Pan
The Saltpans of Cervia cover an area of about 800 hectares and are 1600 meters far from the sea. Of Etruscan origins, are a salt deposit where the "white gold" is still collected by mean of the traditional handicraft method - like in the older Camillone Saltpan- as well as the single-accumulation industrial method.
Since 1979, Cervia Salt Pan is a State Natural Reserve of animal population. The area hosts nowadays several species of birds, such as Flamingos, Black-winged Stilts, Avocets and other numerous protected species. This wildlife can be observed by booking a guided bird-watching walk, bike ride o canoe tour, all organised by the Visitor Center of Cervia Salt Pan.
Entrance Fees:
Full rate 3 €; Reduced rate 2 € (children from 1 m height up to12 years old, over 65, organized groups of at least 15 people)
Free admission: children less than 1 m height, disabled people
Musa - Salt Museum
The museum was founded by the Salt Workers’ Cultural Association “Civiltà Salinara” in the aim of keeping the memory of work in saltpans alive. It is a collection of documents, tools and photos showing salt production and its milieu. This is a collection made by man and focusing on man and his culture.
Musa has been recognized as Quality Museum of the Region Emilia Romagna.
The Salt of Cervia, the protagonist of the Museum, is presented to visitors in an interdisciplinary way, in which nature, history, chemistry, physics, working memories and flavors are interconnected.
The Museum is the representation of the deep relationship between the town and the water, offering visitors suggestions and stimulating their senses so that they can live salt productionas a kind of adventure.
Inside the museum you can find a large bridge, which extends over the large model of the territorial geography of the coast and inland areas and it serves to focus attention on the relationship between the salt pans, the town and the sea. A huge sailing boat, carrying the typical colours which characterize the local sailors, dominates this passage, demonstrating that the sea is considered and celebrated as a source of life. Open all year round
Free Entrance
From 20th December to 6th January: Open everyday from 15.00 to 19.00
From 7th January to 31st May and from 16th September to 19th December: Open on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 15.00 to 19.00.
Open on request for groups from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 13.30*
From 1st Juny to 13th September: Open everyday from 20.30 to 23.30
Open on request on Thursdays from 9.00 to 12.00 *
*an operator will open the museum in an hour dialling the 338 9507741
The Pinewood
Even if its surface is reduced with regard to the past, the Pinewood of Cervia represents a haritage of great naturalistic interest. It is a wonderful green lung, which offers enchanting landscapes and spots.
The pinewood of Cervia actually extends for 260 ha, plus 30 ha of the Natural Park.
Even if its surface is reduced with regard to the past, the pinewood of Cervia represents a haritage of great naturalistic interest. It is a wonderful green lung, which offers enchanting landscapes and spots. It is the ideal place to walk, to go biking, to do some jogging or just to enjoy the fresh air and relax in the green of an untouched landscape.
The vegetation is characterized by two diffrent species of mediterranean pine trees: the domesic pine (Pinus Pinea) and the maritime pine (Pinus Pinaster), as well as oak trees, white poplars and black locusts.
The pinewood is divided in four areas(stazzone - capanna - dune - bassona), where you can explore 32 different paths, work out in an open-air gym or go canoeing in the canals that link the sea with the saltpans.
On the fringes of the pinewood it is possible to play golf, archery and tennis but you can also play other sports (such as beach volley, bocce, ping pong, etc.) on the beach, which you can easily reach in few minutes of walk.
Opening time:yearly,from sunrise to sunset
Prices: free
How to get there:
Accessible from Via Ravenna (Milano Marittima) by private transport - Unattanded car parking
fromViale Forlanini (Zona Terme) by private and public transport - Attended and unattended car parking.
Bus Stop: Terme di Cervia
From Jelenia Gora (Milano Marittima) by private and public transport- Unattended car parking.Bus stop: Viale Due Giugno a 500 mt.
From Via Petrarca (Milano Marittima) by private and public transport- Unattended car parking in Via Leopardi. Bus stop: Viale Due Giugno a 500 mt.
From VII Traversa, XI Traversa, XIV Traversa, XIX Traversa, (Milano Marittima) by public and private transport- Unattended car parking. Bus stop: Viale Due Giugno a 300 mt.
Pinarella Pinewood
Pinarella and Tagliata are characterised by their long beaches which have been difined as the "natural pearl" of the Riviera by the blue guide of Legambiente and the guide of Touring Club. The green strip of pinewood offers shade, picnic areas and a number of children's play areas. Thanks to the keep-fit paths, this pinewood can be considered as a real paradise for fitness and sports lovers.
The vegetation is characterized by two kinds of Mediterranean trees: the so-called domestic pinetree producing pine-kernels (Pinus pinea), and the maritime pinetree (Pinus pinaster). Open all year round How to get there: Accessible from Via De Amicis. Accessible by public and private transport. Bus stop: Via De Amicis. Unattended car parking Lungomare Grazia Deledda.
From Viale Italia: Accessible by public and private transport. Bus stop: Via Titano and Viale Italia. Unattended car parking.
From Viale Sicilia: Accessible by public and private transport. Bus stop: Via Sicilia. Unattended car parking Piazzale dei Pesci.
Cubo Magico Bevanella Visitor Center
The centre hosts an interactive museum called, where visitors can discover the geological evolution of the territory with the help of multimedia technologies. Some of the investigated processes are climate changes, the phenomena of coastal erosion, salt water ingressions, the integrated management of coastal areas and the hydraulic management of the territory. The initiatives of the Visitor Centre aim at promoting the natural and environmental treasures of the area by using the network of existing paths.
Opening hours:
from 29th March to 15th June and from 1st to 30th September on Saturdays 15.00 - 18.00,on Sundays and holidays 9.30 - 12.30 / 15.00 - 18.00
from 16th June to 31st August everyday 18.00 - 20.00
Parco Fluviale Cannuzzo
The park is a wide area of naturalistic interest, which extends for more than 3 hectares from the bridge on the Salara road to the church of Cannuzzo. Its paths will be linked with the cycle path from Cesena and woth the paths of the Po Delta Park, fino alla chiesa di Cannuzzo ed i suoi percorsi interni saranno collegati in futuro con il percorso ciclabile che arriva da Cesena e con quelli del Parco del Delta del Po.
The path is made of light gravel and it runs along the river for over a kilometer, offering visitors the opportunity to walk in a natural environment along the banks of the river, between wetlands, clearings and willows and white poplars forest.
The heart of the park is the large plaza with shaded benches and two clearings equipped with tables, benches and barbecue. From the environmental point of view, the project allowed the preservation and restoration of the existing vegetation and the placement in of many trees, such as ash, willows, white poplars, alders, as well as oaks. This area consists of a vast floodplain of the river Savio that became available after the intervention made in 1998 by Servizio Tecnico di Bacino Fiumi Romagnoli. The three entrances to the Park are located in the north side, near the bridge over the river Savio, in the west and in the east side, behind the church of Cannuzzo.
Birdwatching in the Po Delta
Of ancient origins, the salt pans of Cervia have been a symbol of wealth thanks to the production of salt; now the protagonist is no longer the salt but the territory and its incredible environmental value. The numerous basins with their variable salinity help to create unique environments where visitors can admire a large number of birds during spring and autumn.
There are three different paths, equipped with birdwatching towers, descriptive panels about the flora, fauna and history:
Route 1 " Grasèla" : the path, dedicated to the flora of the salt pans, is an approximately 250 m long track along the outer perimeter of the basins and it ends with a wooden hut for birdwatching. Useful information on the plants of the salt pans are provided by many panels positioned along the path.
Route 2 "The Way of the nests" : the path, dedicated to birdlife of the saltpans, begins at the Visitor Center and it's about 500 m long, ending with a watchtower. Along the path there are several panels with useful information about the fascinating world of birds. Route 3 " The embankment of Tamarix": the path is dedicated to the history of Cervia. It starts near the Visitor Center and it's a track of 750 m, ending near the Hotel Ficocle, ancient site where Old Cervia stoods in the past. All along the path there are wooden structures for birdwatching and illustrative panels about the history of Cervia.
NatuRa
Visiting NatuRa you can get to know animals that inhabit the Park of the Po Delta and discover the fascinating and eye-catching exotic species that enrich the collection.
The spacious layout is complemented by ornithological collections of amphibians and reptiles and exotic, fossil shells of the Adriatic Sea, insects and arachnids, including a section devoted to the butterflies most original of rainforests and a collection of butterflies and moths of Italy.
The NatuRa Museum, also known as "Alfredo Brandolini" Natural Science Museum of Ravenna (Museo Ravennate di Scienze Naturali "Alfredo Brandolini"), is located in the village of Sant’Alberto, just a few kilometres away from Ravenna, close to the Po Delta Park. It is housed inside a historic building called Palazzone, once used as a tavern for travellers, traders and pilgrims.
In the rooms of the museum there are also a thematic bookshop, an exhibition room, a workshop for the development of educational activities and "small studio", an environment dedicated to creativity and game, a space dedicated to children that make learning fun.The Museum houses one of the Visitor Centres of the Po Delta Park (“San Vitale Pinewood and Pialasse of Ravenna” station). The station is an information and documentation point for visitors, as well as a starting point for hikes, rides or trips by electric minibus. It is possible to make both free and guided visits to the Museum and excursions in the Park. Opening hours:
1st January - 30th June / 1st September - 31st December Tuesday and Wednesday: 9.30am - 1pm
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 9.30am - 1pm / 2pm - 6pm
Closed on Mondays except holidays
Closing days:
The NatuRa Museum is closed on 25th and 26th December, 1st January and 15th August
Entrance fee
Ticket price: 3€
Concession: 2€
The concession applies to: elderly people over 65 years; school-age children and adolescents; conscientious objectors; associations with special agreements; paying groups of 15 people minimum Free admission for: disabled people, pre-school-age children, group couriers, journalists.
Free entry for citizens of Sant'Alberto on Thursdays and Fridays
Kayak Excursions
Guided tour special offers:
Via del Camillone (3 hours tour) € 15 per person
Via del Vallone (1.30 hour) € 10 per person
Tour around the saltpans (about 14 km) € 25 per person
Children aged less than 8 years: 50% reduction Every Saturdays and Sundays excursions to the saltpan surrounding canal and to the River Bevano mouth for min. 5 people (by booking 3 days in advance). In 2005 the association "Canoe Kayak Club" realized the project "a boat pushed by the sun" (an electric boat), in cooperation with Emilia Romagna Region and Ravenna Province.
The aim of the project is to make available , in full respect of the environment , waterways , viable only by canoe , to people who have difficulties in practice this sport as the elderly , children and people with disabilities. This project also aims to offer a model of virtuous behavior in the use of renewable energy.
The Dune del Delta
Safari Ravenna, located in front of the amusement park Mirabilandia, is a "zero impact" animal park which allows visitors to see more than 450 animals and 40 species up close and without bars, including wild animals living in complete freedom.
Designed for the wellness of the animals and to safeguard and repopulate species at risk for extinction, the Safari Ravenna park stretches out over 45 hectares and is divided into three main areas.
The first is "The Safari": here visitors can admire many species such as lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras, hippos, bison, camels, ostriches, lamas, antelopes and many others. The route can be travelled by car, on a bus, on the little train of the park, or in the park's electric car. The expert guides will help visitors to get to know more about and come in contact with the wild animals.The “The Farm” is a fenced off area in which it is possible to walk or ride the little train near native and the most common animals (cows, sheep, ponies and horses) as well as rare species such as Leopard Tortoises and Dwarf Goats. In the "Baboon Train", visitors can go by train to visit baboons or on an exciting foot path among the lemurs.
"Bambinolandia" is an area covered by a huge roof with solar panels where learning labs with animals are held and where you can find all the park's services, such as inflatables and games, food stands and picnic areas.
Tickets:
For visitors aged 11 and over: 25€ For children between 4 and 10 years: 21€ For non self-sufficient disabled people and helpers: 15€ Free for children under 4 years, disabled in wheelchairs and blind people with certificate.
Marine Museum of Cesenatico
The Museum Pavilion hosts in its center two sailing boats typical of the marine history of the High Adriatic: a trabaccolo ( fishing lugger) and a bragozzo (two–masted trawler) completely equipped with their lugsails. During the first part of the tour, dedicated to “structure and construction”, it is possible to touch the simple sailing materials and technologies used for thousands of years.
Among the shown pieces you can find a ropemaker’s wheel and the reconstruction of its functioning and complete marine carpenter’s workshop of the nineteenth century.
The second part is dedicated to “propulsion and steering”: here modern and ancient anchors are shown; among them you can also find two pieces of wreckage dated back to the 17th century. There are also some teaching installations where it is possible to try one’s ability in manoeuvring, making knots and bowseing. A great part is dedicated to sailing equipments, while a series of engines testify the passage from the traditional boats to the motorized ones.
From two projecting terraces of the upper level all details of the sails and masts can be closely examined. Following the exhibition tour it is then possible to admire typical items of life on board used to fish, trade and sail or magic-religious symbols (like the “eyes” in relief on the bow) and the dangers of sailing..
The museum uses many rare videos and 3D animations.
The Floating Section of the Marine Museum is located just in front of the new Ground Section, in the inner and oldest part of the Leonardesque canal harbour, where you can find 10 typical Adriatic boats with their coloured lugsails, decorated with the symbols of the fishers’ families and the ancient propitiatory decorations. The visit to the wide hold and cabins of the big trabaccolo (transport lugger) “Giovanni Pascoli” gives the idea of the harsh life of fishers.
During Christmas holidays, the Floating Section becomes a picturesque crib with life-size fishers’ statues on the boats.
Opening hours:
Open all the year round.
Summer: from 2nd half of June to 1st half of September every day from 10 to 12am and from 5 to 11pm.
Autumn/Winter: open on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10 to 12am and from 3 to 7pm.
Tickets: full rate € 2 (entrance to the Antiquarium Comunale and onto the boat Trabaccolo da trasporto is included;
reduced rate € 1(for residents, youngsters under 18, over 65, students and groups of at list 15 people);
free admission for children under 6.
Bassona nature reserve
Anse Vallive di Porto
Thanks to its extraordinary characteristics of freshwater wetland it was possible to enhance two important reintroduction projects, which led to the return of animal species that had formerly disappeared in the area: the Greylag Goose and the White Stork. To date, more than 300 pairs of Greylag Goose and 4 pairs of White Stork take their nestle here.
Beyond storks, in the greed’s grove you can admire reeds herons, little egrets and night herons; on the waters of the pools you can find different duck species, like Common Teals, Garganeys, Northern Pintails together with Greylag Gooses and Grebes. On the waters of the pool “prato umido” you will find plenty of limicola, like Common stilts, Sandpipers and Spoonbills, while in the sky beautiful birds of prey fly. It’s often possible to come across to beautiful Kingfishers as well as to the many passerines living in the rich vegetation of the oasis.
Awards:
Service and consulting Center for independent educational institutions of Emilia Romagna Region recognized for the school year 2012/2013 with resolution n. 8240 of 19.06.2012 of the Chief of Education of the Emilia-Romagna Region, according to the regional law n. 262/2010, amended by Council Decision no. 2185/2010. The oasis visitor center called "At Stork’s House" is a little museum about the oasis and its main character: the White Stork. Porty, the center’s mascot, will lead you at the discovery of the inhabitants of the oasis and of their habits. The Visitor Center is also the starting point of numerous free or guided tour to the Oasis; moreover, here you can rent bicycles and binoculars that will allow you explore the area surrounding the oasis, an exciting mosaic of landscapes: from the ancient valleys of Mezzano and its lakes to the “Delizia Estense del Verginese” and its brolo, a Renaissance garden recently rebuilt.
Opening Hours:
Opening hours (winter) Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10:00 to 16:00
Opening hours (summer) Saturday, Sunday and holidays 8:45 to 18:45
Entrance Fee:
Full Rate €2,00, Reduced Rate €1,00 (children between 6-12 years old, over 65, groups)
Free Entrance: children up to six years old, disabled people.
Italy in Miniature
Italy in Miniature is the theme park dedicated to historical, architectural and cultural italian heritage, able to merge fun and learning since 1970.
Here you can experience great emotions, "travel" and learn while walking around the 272 perfect scale reproductions of the architectural wonders of the "Bel Paese".
You can gliding along the Gran Canal in Venice (1:5 scale reproduction) in a real "gondola" and meet Casanova just before Piazza San Marco.
In Italy in Miniature you can also explore the secrets of the physic laws in the Science Fun Fair, feel the heart leap while darting down the rapids of "Canoe", enjoy the thrill of a launch with a giant sling up to 55 meters height in a little more than a second (Sling Shot), enjoy the view onboard the monorail Arcobaleno.
Children can also join an exciting water battle atCannonacqua, the 1:3 reproduction of Malatestian Fortress of Castel Sismondo, where the towers are equipped with dozen of water cannons, or learn about the rules of traffic and safe driving in an amusing way with the Interactive Driving School. Italia in Miniatura keeps on growing and introducing exciting novelties year by year... And if one day is not enough, every purchased ticket allows free entrance on the following day!
Fares:
From 22nd March to 4th April: 20€, Reduced 15€
From 5th April: 22€, Reduced 16€ with all activites included
Until 21st March:10€, Reduce 7€only visit of the theme park.
Riolo Terme Stronghold
The Stronghold belongs to the type known as "transition" where different Medieval and Renaissance architectural features are put together: for example, the ditch together with the manoeuvres space with loop-holes for flank defense.
The museum is divided on different levels. From the basement to the upper floors you will be involved in the adventures of medieval knights, wearing and wielding the tools used in battle, discover how war machines worked, listening to the stories of Caterina Sforza and learning the construction techniques used in the Middle Ages. Inside the keep, the archaeological section houses artifacts dating back from Roman times to the Iron Age. In the landscape area, panels, binoculars and a 3D viewer allows you to discover the surrounding area.
"The Mysteries of Catherine" Inside the impressive “Sala del Pozzo” (Hall of the Well) there is this permanent display about the exploits and loves of Caterina Sforza which will bring you into an interactive reality. Indeed, during the tour you will be often asked to interact with the Lioness of Romagna herself.
Opening Hours:
From 1st January to 31st May and from 1st September to 31st December Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10:00 to 13:00 / 14:30 to 18:30
From 1st June to 31st August Monday, Thursday and Friday 18:00 to 23:00 Saturday, Sunday and holidays 14:30 to 23:00
Tickets: € 3,00 reduced € 2.00 *
* Children aged 6 to 12 years, over 65
Free for children under 6 years old, disabled people and citizens of Riolo Terme
Aviation Theme Park
On display there are the Soviet MiG (the MiG-15, 17, 19, 21 and 23), the Sukhoi SU-7 and SU -17, the Antonov AN-2, the Ilyushin Il-28, the Italians Fiat G-91, G-46, Piaggio P-166, P-148, the American F-104 Starfighter, A-7 Corsair II F-4 Phantom, the Republic F-84F and RF-84F, DC-3 Dakota, the North American T-6 Texan and the British Gloster Javelin. In addition there are some missile batteries (Sam and Scud-2) and anti-aircraft such as the German 88, as well as some armored vehicles. There are also the famous American Phantom fighter, the Lockheed F-104, which can reach speeds of over Mach 2 and which is still used in Italy’s defence strategy, an aircraft of the Italian Frecce Tricolore aerobatics squadron, and other planes that have served in air forces all over the world.
The theme parkhighlights also the possibility of boarding the plane once owned by Clark Gable, on which celebrities and important public figures like Marilyn Monroe, John and Ted Kennedy, Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan flew in the past.
There are also some areas of the park dedicated to the memory of tragedies such as Ustica (on display there is infact a MiG–23 similar to the Libyan aircraft that crashed in Italy’s Sila Mountains at the same time as the Ustica air disaster) andthe disaster at Ramstein in 1988 (a monument in memory of the victims was installed in the park). The park also hosts a huge monument to remember all the aviators, designed by the famous architect Ilario Fioravanti.
The theme park also offers other facilities such as a refreshment area (a bar and restaurant seating more than 300 people), a pleasant building immersed in the woods with an adjoining area where children can play peacefully. There is an area equipped for helicopter landings, and a partially asphalted car park completes the facilities offered. The museum always affords everyone a warm welcome and to help the disabled almost all architectural barriers have been removed and a stair lift has been installed in the pavilion. A visit to the Aviation Park can last from a minimum of two hours to as long as four hours or more, depending on interest in the exhibits, and free guided visits are offered by request for groups. Opening hours:
From 01/04 to 30/06: 9:00 - 18:00
From01/07 to 31/08: 9:00 - 19:00
From 01/09 to 16/10: 9:00 - 18:00
From 17/10 to 31/03: on Sundays from 10 to 16 Tickets:
Full rate: € 12,00
Reduced rate: € 8,00
Free entrance for children under 6 years old.
Ridracoli Dam
The idea of creating this huge pool of water dates back to the early '60s thanks to the Consorzio delle Acque, consisting of about fifty Romagna's municipalities who were interested in common water supply.
The project of construction of the Ridracoli dam was designed as a work that had to be in perfect balance between human engineering and the environment, giving new turistic and environmental importance to an area that was almost unkonwn in the past.
The idea of using the area as a drinking water reservoir dates back to Roman times, when the Emperor Trajan, in the second century AD, built an aqueduct that brought water to Ravenna. Today, the artificial lake stretches over three kilometers in the Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, between Mount Falterona and Campigna, rich in flora, wildlife (deer and roe deer) and some nature paths with rest areas.
During Spring and Summer the Ridracoli Dam is visited by many tourists, who can enjoy boat trips on electric propulsion boats and go fishing in some parts of the lake(controlled fishing).
During the summer season Ridracoli provides water to the entire Riviera Romagnola(Rimini, Riccione, Cattolica, Cesenatico, Milano Marittima) and to all the visitors, who crowd its hotels and beach resorts.
Da non perdere assolutamente una visita all'Idro Ecomuseo delle Acque di Ridracoli (che nel 2006 ha avuto una nomination per l'oscar dei musei, l'EUROPEAN MUSEUM OF THE YEAR AWARD, classificandosi 18esimo), posto nel borgo di Ridracoli, ricco di importanti spunti e curiosità, anche per i bambini, come il piccolo cinema 3D
Located within the Foreste Casentinesi National Park, in the picturesque landscape of the Lake of Ridracoli, Idro is a multi-centered museum: it consists of an headquarter and different centers spread all over the area. The head office is located in the town of Ridracoli and has exhibition halls in which the water is the protagonist. The territorial sites, distributed along the dam’s crest, develop three main issues: nature, technology, landscape. Opening Hours:
January – February: CLOSED (open by appointment only for groups and schools)
From March 1st to June 15th / From September 16th to October 31st
Saturdays 10:00 - 18:00 entrance to the dam;14.00 -18.00 entrance to Idro Museum
Sundays and holidays 9.00-18.00 entrance to the dam and Idro Museum. Last entrance allowed to the dam at 17.15; to Idro Museum at 17.30 From 16th June to 15th September
Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00-19.00 entrance to the dam and Idro Museum. Last entrance allowed to the dam at 18.15; to Idro Museum at 18.30 AugustEveryday 10.00-19.00 entrance to the dam and Idro Museum. Last entrance allowed to the dam at 18.15; to Idro Museum at 18.30
From 1st November to 31st December
Saturdays 10.00-17.00 entrance to the dam; 14.00 -17.00 entrance to Idro Museum
Sundays and holidays 10:00 to 17:00 entrance to the dam and Idro Museum. Last entrance allowed to the dam at 16.15; to Idro Museum at 16.30
Prices: Adults € 5,00; € 4,00 Reduced*
*Children from 100 cm to 12 years old, over 65 years old people, groups of 15 paying persons
Free for children tall up to 100 cm, disabled people and their carers.
Delizia Estense del Verginese
Recently rebuilt, the Brolo reminisces Renaissance customs. Walking along the tree-lined paths, surrounded by pomegranates, pears, apples, hazelnuts trees, you can admire the geometric perfection of symmetry, with some ornamental flowerbeds enriched by rose gardens and wide blooming meadows. The garden is surrounded by a special variety of grapevine, shaped according to the ancient grapevine growing techniques.
Visitors are accompanied by Laura’s history, the owner of the castle, at the discovery of the history of the Este family, the land and its evolution over the centuries.
Inside the Castle, the permanent show ''Mors Immatura '' is displayed, a stunning exposition testifying the finding of a little roman necropolis in the nearby area and develops the history, the common life and the economic activities of the Este family through steles and the precious trousseau’s elements.
Next to the castle it is possible to admire a building, formerly the kiln, recently renovated and called "Vinaia del Sapere" (lit. “Knowledge Wine Kiln”), currently used for exhibitions, meetings and cultural activities. Delizia Estense del Verginese is recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Site.
Opening Times
Saturday, Sunday and holidays 10.00 to 12.30 / 15.00 to 18.30 Prices
Full price € 3,00 reduced € 2.00 (free for Portomaggiore residents)
Naturalistic Observatory of Valmarecchia
On the first floor, the different natural environments of the Valmarecchia are shown through a large aqua terrarim where you can observe plants and animal species that populate the river.
Upstairs, a large model offers an overview of the Marecchia Valley with a collection of fossils from the Pliocene (when there was the sea instead of the river), rocks and minerals of the valley, and a reconstruction of medieval life, with castles and palaces. The Observatory is also an Environmental Education Center and offers you guided tours inside the structure, hikes through the oasis and the valley accompanied by expert environmental guides and night excursions.
Opening Times:
rom 1st April to 15th June Thursday 9:00 to 13:00 / 14:30 to 17:00 Sundays and holidays 14:30 to 18:30
from June 16th to September 15th Thursdays 14:30 to 18:00 Sundays and holidays 10:00 to 18:00
from 16th September to 31st October Thursdays 9:00 to 13:00 / 14:30 to 17:00 Sundays and holidays 14:30 to 18:30
from 1st November to 31st March Thursdays 14:30 to 17:00
For groups and schools always open by appointment
Rates:
Admission: € 2.50, reduced € 2.10 (children from 6 to 14 years of age, over 65, groups of minimum 15 persons, schools)
Free admission: children 0 to 5 years, disabled people and accompanying person.
Valbonella Botanical Garden
Valbonella open-air museum has been recently provided with three didactic paths concerning the themes of wood, wet lands and habitats. Outside the garden there is also a rest area and a barbecue area.
Free Entrance.
Opening hours:
from the 25th of April to the 31st of July and in September: Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9.30 am - 1 pm and 2.00-7.00pm
in August: Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays 9.30am - 1.00 pm and 2.00- 6.00 pm
The garden will be closed in case of rain.