Aquarium of Cattolica
After swimming in the sea and building sandcastles on Cattolica's beautiful beach, it is time to explore the largest aquarium along the Adriatic Sea, with more than 100 tanks housing the most diverse sea creatures, from sharks to penguins, from jellyfish to dolphins.
The Aquarium of Cattolica sits on the seafront and is accessible from Piazzale delle Nazioni. A single ticket gives you have access to all sectors of the park, organised by ecosystem.
The Blue Entrance is dedicated to the aquatic world, offering a unique dive into the history and biological evolution of the planet, from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. The big stars of the park are the sharks, housed in the large central tank, and the Humboldt penguins, ready to wow you all year round.
The Green Entrance will take you on a journey to discover snakes, amphibians, chameleons and iguanas, while stepping through the Yellow Entrance will take you to otters, alligator turtles, and the fascinating spectacled caimans and Cuvier's dwarf caiman. This is the smallest area of the park but be sure not to miss it out!
Last but by no means least, the Purple Entrance leads to the exhibition dedicated to the alien world of the marine abysses and, new for 2022, the world of dinosaurs, to help your children learn about the great reptiles of prehistory on a journey that will take you back in time more than 65 million years.
After the visit, we would of course recommend you spend the rest of the day on the beach: and if it's not the most ideal season for a swim, to enjoy a lovely beach stroll.
Cattolica has been repeatedly awarded a Blue Flag for the water quality and public services: the beach is well equipped and looked after. The sand is super fine: ideal for building sand castles while mum and dad relax on a lounger.
Italy in Miniature
A new park for our second day, for hours of fun and amazement. You will find the Italia in Miniatura (Italy in Miniature) leisure and miniature park just after passing Rimini, coming from Cattolica. It is a real institution in these parts, open for over 50 years and being continually updated.
In just a few hours, you can walk across Italy from north to south, strolling among over 300 miniature reproductions of Italian monuments, churches, palaces and squares. From Abruzzo to Campania, from Lazio to Tuscany, via Piedmont, Lombardy, Sicily and Sardinia: the entirety of Italy is represented in a stunning fashion, with details that you can admire up close, amid fascination and amazement.
But the many miniatures do not stop at Italy. After exploring all the Italian regions, you can also take a trip to France, Spain, the UK and Switzerland, with over 30 famous European monuments, all in miniature. And if you want an even more immersive experience, you can hop on a gondola and take a tour of Venice, step back in time to the Middle Ages at Castel Sismondo, or immerse yourself in the fairy-tale world of Pinocchio.
The park also offers attractions for adrenalin junkies, such as the river rapids log ride, the viewing tower or Areavventura, with suspended lianas and Tibetan bridges. To round off this exciting day in the best way possible, you can ride the monorail for a view of the park from above, by day or night.
On the third day, we’re planning on heading towards Ravenna and Mirabilandia, but if you would prefer to stay around Rimini, a magical alternative is the Fiabilandia amusement park, a stone's throw from Miramare Beach.
From the valley of the gnomes to the magic village, via the merry-go-round and Captain Nemo's adventure, your little ones will experience a day full of surprises they will never forget.
Mirabilandia
Mirabilandia, located just outside Ravenna, is Italy’s largest amusement park and, for many, its most beautiful. You can spend the whole day here without being bored for a second, whatever your age.
As you approach, you will see the huge adrenalin-packed attractions designed for older children, from iSpeed to Katun, but the large park of Mirabilandia is also an ideal place for the little ones.
Children who are at least 90 centimetres tall can have fun on the hand-painted merry-go-round, go wild on the Brontocars Baby driving circuit and fly through the Dinoland sky aboard the Bicisauro.
The more adventurous can ride the Autosplash and the Blu River, whizz around on the Hare Express and test their aim on the water aboard the Raratonga. You can hurtle through canyons and caves on the Rexplorer or try not to get wet while riding the Rio Bravo, Mirabilandia's historic attraction for the whole family.
The youngest children can spend a few hours in the wonderful space especially for them, Bimbopoli, watching the many shows that have contributed to the success of Mirabilandia with their families. Examples include the western-themed action show Lucky Lucy, the stunt show Hot Wheels City and the water show L'ultimo Pan.
From 2022, you can also meet beloved Nickelodeon characters, such as PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Dora the Explorer. You can ask to take a souvenir photo with them - they will be happy to oblige!
