Children and families

Milano Marittima is child-friendly not only for its facilities but also for its Green Flag beaches and shallow waters. It's also home to a 32-hectare Natural Park with an educational farm. The Casa delle Farfalle is about a 1-km walk from the center. The salt pans with pink flamingos can be seen by electric boat. Mirabilandia is 11 km away. Here you'll find things to do, along with recommended ages and prices where available.

The advantage of this location with children is that almost everything is within walking or bike distance, and shade is not a problem: the pine forest reaches almost to the beach. Anyone who's spent a beach holiday looking for a cool spot at two in the afternoon knows how important it is.

The beach, which is the reason for the trip

The sand is fine and the seabed slopes gently: children can walk quite a distance before the water reaches their waist. The beach has been awarded the Green Flag, a pediatrician's recognition for child-friendly beaches, and in season, a lifeguard service is available, cleaning the beach daily.

The beach resorts offer nursery and changing facilities, play areas, sports fields, workshops, entertainment, baby dance, and in some cases, babysitting services. Beach restaurants offer high chairs and children's menus. Some useful addresses:

• Bagno Holiday Village 305bis–306 (XI/XII Traversa): mini club, tournaments, baby dance and a swimming pool with an area dedicated to children.
• Rosen Beach 302bis (X Traversa): children are given an anti-loss bracelet upon arrival; playground and ping pong.
• Oscar Spiaggia 298 (VIII Traversa): entertainment for children aged 2 and up, changing table, menus and high chairs.
• Peperittima Beach Club: entertainment, children's menus, educational workshops, and tournaments.

Practical tip: south of the Canale del Pino, the promenade is pedestrianized and has a cycle path with direct access to the beach: it's the perfect stretch if you have a stroller.

The pine forest, the parks and the animals

Cervia Natural Park covers 32 hectares of pine forest and has an educational farm where you can pet cows, goats, deer, hares, donkeys, and horses, each named after them. There's a botanical trail, picnic areas, a café, and events from spring to fall.

Jelenia Gora Park is the first section of the Nature Park, along the Pine Canal: a fairy-tale-like wooden playground, carved castles and animals, water features, and bookcrossing in the logs. There's a 50-cent wooden ball vending machine, and the proceeds go toward park maintenance.

CerviAvventura, inside the Natural Park, is an adventure trail suspended among the pine trees, with harnesses and difficulty levels divided by age group, including those for adults. Open from spring to autumn.

The Casa delle Farfalle is about a 1km walk from the center, on Jelenia Gora Street: a tropical greenhouse where hundreds of butterflies fly freely and land on you. Next door are the Insect House (stick insects, giant cockroaches, and other creatures that children love more than their parents) and the Butterfly Garden with an insect hotel. Guides explain to the children what they're seeing. Admission is €14, open from March to autumn; for exact dates, it's best to check with the manager, as they change from year to year.

Practical tip: Dress the children in red or blue before entering the greenhouse. These are the colors that attract butterflies, and the difference is noticeable.

A little further south, between Pinarella and Tagliata, is ParcoLento on Viale Italia: cycling, running, and sensory games, inspired by Gianfranco Zavalloni's Manifesto of Children's Natural Rights.

The salt pans, the flamingos and the water

The electric boat tour of the salt pans lasts about an hour and a half and departs from the Visitor Center, just minutes from Milano Marittima. You'll see the salt processing stages and, with a little luck, spot pink flamingos. It's suitable for children of all ages; alternatives include walking, e-bike, and the mini train, which is the easiest option for younger children. The Visitor Center is open year-round.

At the Salina Camillone, an open-air museum, the salt workers demonstrate how sweet salt is harvested by hand: it's one of those things that children remember because they actually see it done, not explained on a sign.

The Canoe-Kayak Club is based in Jelenia Gora Park and organizes courses with instructors and guided trips along the Canale del Pino, up to the salt pans or the mouth of the Bevano, with herons along the way. Evening trips are also available. Also on the Bevano, you can take a boat trip among the fishing "padelloni" (fishing ponds) and the birds.

Practical tip: For the salt pan, choose late afternoon. The light is better, the heat has passed, and the birds are easier to see.

Sports for children and teenagers

• Minigolf Centrale (Viale Matteotti 58, 300 m from the Rotonda): Open since 1965, 18 themed holes (Pinocchio's whale, the castle, the robot). A round lasts about an hour and costs around €8 per person; open March to October, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
• Sailing with the Friends of Sailing: courses for children aged 7 to 13 from June to September; weekend courses for children aged 14 and over, including individual lessons.
• Tennis at the Cervia-Milano Marittima Tennis Club, founded in 1974: courses from age 4.
• Golf at the Adriatic Golf Club, with junior programs up to 18 years old.

Handy tip: Minigolf is open until late at night. It's the perfect after-dinner option when the kids have no intention of going to sleep.

Amusement parks within an hour's radius

• Mirabilandia and Mirabeach: 11 km, about 15 minutes, with attractions divided by age level and shows. A second consecutive day can be added at a discounted rate.
• Ravenna Safari: about 10 km, you visit as explorers and there are the "Big Five" in a protected environment.
• Atlantica in Cesenatico: 6 giant pools and over 1,000 meters of waterslides.
• Fiabilandia in Rimini, the park designed for little ones.
• Italia in Miniatura in Viserba, with over 270 scale monuments.
• Le Navi - Cattolica Aquarium, the largest aquarium on the Adriatic.
• Aquafan and Oltremare in Riccione, approximately 40 km away.

Family events, even out of season

The International Kite Festival, which has been held on Pinarella beach between April and May since 1981 (the 2026 edition runs from April 22nd to May 3rd ), is the most recognisable family event in the area, and anyone can bring their own kite.

In December and January, the center of Milano Marittima becomes Mima Wonderland, a Christmas village with lights and family-friendly activities. Also in winter, in Cervia, salt workers build a salt nativity scene, while sand nativity scenes can be found along the coast.

If it rains

Plan B exists and it is good: the MUSA - Museo del Sale in Cervia, the Casa delle Farfalle (which is indoors), the Cervia Thermal Baths, also organized for children with pediatric care and dedicated activities, and a day in Ravenna, where the mosaics work better than you might expect even with the little ones.

💡 Pro Tips

1. Buy park tickets online. You'll save money, and most importantly, you'll avoid long lines at the ticket booths with your kids sunbathing.
2. Saline in the late afternoon. This is the time when you see the most birds and when the electric boat is a pleasure rather than a test of endurance in the heat.
3. Rent a bike with a child seat. The pine forest and seafront are flat and protected: it's the easiest way to get around as a family here.
4. Red or blue at the Casa delle Farfalle. It's the trick that turns a visit into a memory.
5. Save the minigolf for after dinner. It's open late and is the perfect option when the day is already long.

Frequently asked questions about visiting Milano Marittima with children

Is Milano Marittima suitable for families with small children?
Yes. The beach has been awarded the Green Flag by pediatricians, features fine sand and a shallow, gently sloping seabed, and lifeguards are available in season. The beach resorts offer nurseries, changing tables, play areas, entertainment, children's menus, and in many cases babysitting services.

What can you do with kids besides the beach?
The Natural Park with the educational farm ( 32 hectares of pine forest), the Casa delle Farfalle 1 km from the centre, the CerviAvventura adventure trail, the electric boat excursion in the salt pans with flamingos, canoe trips on the Canale del Pino and the minigolf in the centre, open until late at night.

How far is Mirabilandia from Milano Marittima?
11 km, about 15 minutes. There's also a direct bus connection, line 176, which avoids parking problems on peak days.

What do you do with the children when it rains?
The MUSA - Museo del Sale in Cervia, the Casa delle Farfalle, the Cervia Thermal Baths (which offer activities and treatments also designed for children) and a trip to Ravenna for the mosaics.

Which establishments are best equipped for children?
Among those with dedicated services: the Bagno Holiday Village 305bis–306 with mini club and swimming pool for children, the Rosen Beach 302bis which provides an anti-loss bracelet upon arrival, the Oscar Spiaggia 298 with entertainment for children aged 2 and above and the Peperittima Beach Club with educational workshops.

Are there any events for children?
Yes. The International Kite Festival in Pinarella between April and May (in 2026 from April 22nd to May 3rd ), Mima Wonderland between December and January with the Christmas village, and in winter the salt nativity scene made by the salt workers in Cervia.

What families notice after two days is that the kids get tired in the right way here: the sea in the morning, the shade of the pine trees in the afternoon, and ice cream downtown in the evening. There's no need to invent anything: it's just how the place is organized.