Our Family Getaway in Emilia Romagna
So this is where my family originate from and where the love of travelling started, and the reason for going back time after time… this region is a favourite amongst Italians who return year after year for the surroundings, hospitality and of course the food !!
If you are looking for busy nightlife and an abundance of English speaking tourists then you will be disappointed. This area is unspoilt and retains it’s Italian family orientated way of life with the added bonus of being close to places of interest and being able to experience different activities.
https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/towns/porto-garibaldi
Porto Garibaldi lies on the coast of the Adriatic and has a fishing port and a great sandy beach which goes on for miles with lots of beach bars and restaurants. All the beach bars rent umbrellas and sunbeds within their section of beach. The sea in this stretch of the Adriatic is warm and more green than blue. Mornings are the best time for swimming as this is when the sea is at its clearest.
All the beach bars have restaurants open for lunch and dinner each offering “specials” and some with nightly entertainment; Bagno Venere, Bagno Sara and Quelli Di Flip are a few of our favourites. Some of the beach bars also have swimming pools.
There are 7 beaches in the region of which Porto Garibaldi is one but the others are also well worth a visit 7 Lidi di Comacchio.
You can book boats from the fishing port for day trips to the Po Delta Park, Venice and even sea fishing or just a cruise to eat and drink out at sea onboard the Motorship Dali.
For the thrill seekers there is Mirabilandia theme park just 45 minutes away and it even has a beach resort next to it. You can pick up a bus from the square in Porto Garibaldi on a daily basis for a full fun day out (park and bus tickets can be bought from the tourist office). If you’re feeling a bit more energetic then try a bike tour of the Po Delta, don’t forget your sun cream and vino……..sorry I meant water !! 🙂 https://biketour.yolasite.com/en-gb/
If you fancy a bit more nightlife then hop on the ferry which takes you across the fishing port canal to Lido Degli Estensi where the main street is lined with shops, bars, restaurants and a few nightclubs but be warned the ferry stops at about 1am in the summer season and it’s a long walk back so don’t miss it !!
Ferrara is the closest main city and is well worth a day trip too. It is a walled city and full of character, art and interesting architecture.
Both Porto Garibaldi and Comacchio are famous for their cuisine which specialises in seafood and Comacchio is famous all over Italy as the place to eat eels (better to eat at lunchtime as it is quite heavy but a few glasses of vino certainly helps 🙂 )
Comacchio is about a 5 to 10 minute drive (or 20 minute bike ride along the cycle path) inland from Porto Garibaldi and is known as “Little Venice” due to there being many canals within the old town. This place is proper old, with local bars and restaurants, some of which are built alongside the canals and ideal for a delicious boozy lunch, La Comacina and Al Cantinon are two of the best ! There is lots of historical architecture to see if that’s your kind of thing, the famous Trepponti bridge and museums (Ancient Delta Museum), including the old eel factory (Comacchio Eel Pickling Factory).
https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/towns/comacchio
Getting Here…British Airways schedule a daily flight to Bologna or you can fly into Venice with BA, EasyJet and Ryanair. Bologna Airport is an hour drive away and Venice 2 hours. If you fancy the train from any major town or city then I suggest heading to Ravenna and then a bus or taxi.
Where to Stay…Apart from family hospitality we have stayed in a few great places in Porto Garibaldi. B&B Ensileva is spotlessly clean and in a great location just a stones throw from the beach and the hosts Luciano and Teresa are fabulous, nothing is too much trouble. There are many other B&Bs which I have been told are equally as accommodating such as Villa Bellini, B&B Traghetto and B&B Al Verde & Mare. If you stay in Comacchio then we can fully recommend Al Ponticello or Villa Cavour.
Bristolians Abroad 