The Beach

48122 Province of Ravenna

Looking for a budget-friendly activity for your family while in Ravenna, Italy? Why not hit the beach! Punta Marina, Lido Adriano, Lido Dii Dante are the three main beaches off the coast of the city center of Ravenna. Each is equally as beautiful with much to offer traveling families. The waters are warm and the sand is clean – a perfect place to spend the day with kids.

The good thing about these beaches is that they run along the same stretch of coast, meaning you can explore all three to find the perfect spot. If you are driving there is plenty of public parking (which is rare in Italy) and plenty of beach clubs that will allow you to use their amenities for a small fee. It is recommended that you stay at a beach club because you have access to their washrooms and change rooms, bar and restaurants and more importantly any beach equipment they may offer. Most have some childrens toys and slides which your kids will love.

Rocca Brancaleone Park

Via Rocca Brancaleone, 48121 Ravenna RA, Italy

The Rocca Brancaleone Park is one of the nicest parks we’ve ever seen. Not only are the grounds well kept and neat, but it has so many things going for it. The park is set in the center of an old fortress, and there is a beautiful playground right in the middle where the kids can play for hours.  It is all well built and there is no graffiti (score!) which adds to the amazing experience at Rocca Brancaleone park. 

There are information boards scattered throughout the grounds with a plenitude of resources for inquisitive minds. Walk the trail and learn about the historical fortress, it’s architecture and design. Stop and admire the beautiful paintings on the children’s playground equipment which is based on the art found in the Basilica of San Vitale. 

The best part about this park is that it is well confined from the streets and people walking by. Kids are free to roam and explore the grounds safely, making it easy for them to meet other kids. Many local kids visit the playground so there is always someone to play with.

Play Park 3000

Viale delle Americhe, 4, 48122 Punta Marina RA, Italy

Looking for something to do with your kids on a hot afternoon? Play Park 3000 is a suitable waterpark for a family visit, making it a great place when you want to have some fun and cool down. Located in Punta Marina, the park offers many activities not all of them involve water. They have a huge swimming pool with a large slide, mini-golf, bumper cars, trampolines, a tennis court, soccer nets, table tennis, go-karts, a game room, and a pizzeria. 

The entrance fee is reasonable and they always have family discounts. The pricing varies depending on when you go, but adults pay approximately $10 to get in the park and kids around $7.

Safari Ravenna

Via dei Tre Lati, 2x, 48125 Ravenna RA, Italy

Interested in having a safari experience in the middle of Italy? Well, Safari Ravenna is just the place. Safari Ravenna gives visitors an up-close experience with the animals. Within the grounds, animals are free to roam on their 35-hectare ethological property meant to provide the perfect habitat to all its inhabitants. The wildlife park has more than 700 animals and over 100 different species giving visitors a 4km route with rich biodiversity.

There are three ways to visit the park. You can take your own car, go on their in-house train accompanied by a guide, or with their electric cars. Once you have completed the Safari trail, there is a pedestrian trail that adds to the experience of the visit. In addition, they also have SafariLandia which is a sheltered area for children which includes a playground, water rollers, bumper boats, and more. 

Other amenities include:

• Refreshment area
• Picnic area
• Gift shop
• A place to “park” your dog
• Family washroom
• Lots of parking

The best part is that the park is open every day from April to September which makes it easy to fit it in your travel itinerary. It is also open on certain weekdays and weekends during the months of October – March.  Be aware that their opening and closing times are subject to change depending on the weather conditions, therefore it is recommended to check their website before a visit. In general, park hours are 10 am – 3 pm. The general admission (11+)  is 25€, reduced (4-10) is 21€, and kids under 4 and those who are disabled are free. There is also a separate admission fee for SafariLandia (6€)

Dolls Museum (“Piccolo Museo di Bambole”)

Via Marco Fantuzzi, 4, 48121 Ravenna RA, Italy

If you have a doll lover in the family, you must visit the Doll Museum in Ravenna. The Doll Museum dedicates itself to giving visitors a sneak peek into the world of dolls from 1860 to 1950. They have a wide range of dolls and have many exhibits demonstrating the various techniques and materials used to make dolls. Kids have an opportunity to see dolls made out of cloth, porcelain, and paper mache, all of which were used to make dolls in the past.   

This is a great learning experience for families and they support education by selling an array of stationery materials used in schools in the late 1800s and early 1950s. If you are looking for a world-schooling opportunity this is just the place to begin your adventure with your kids. 

The best part is that its entrance price is reasonable with the price per adult being 4€ and 2.50€ for a child.

Tamo Museum – All the adventure of the mosaic (Tutta l’Avventura del Mosaico)

Via Nicolò Rondinelli, 2, 48121 Ravenna RA, Italy

Ravenna is known for its beautiful mosaics and rightfully so. The mosaics found in the churches, shops, and the mosaics museum are so stunning they even impressed the kids. Allow the museum to take you on a journey throughout the development of mosaic making. Interact with the various materials, tools, and techniques used to create magnificent works of art. 

This is an opportunity for your family to be creative. There are many shops and workshops in the area surrounding the museum that sells all you need to create a mosaic. Why not make your own mosaic and turn your adventure into a learning opportunity to research and create a custom mosaic. The kids will love it. 

The ticket price is €4 and kids under 6 are free. 

A side trip to Florence

Florence, one of the bigger cities in Italy, has much to see and do for families. The best part is, Florence is an easy side trip for a family wanting to explore from Ravenna. See our guide to Florence with kids to help you plan your adventure.