Cervia and Cesenatico: salt and Leonardo's harbour
The Cervia salt pans, the Salt Warehouse, Cesenatico's canal harbour with its historic boats.
Two seaside towns with an ancient history: Cervia, born from salt and still producing its 'sweet salt' today, and Cesenatico, with its canal harbour designed by Leonardo da Vinci and the coloured sails of the fishermen's boats of old.
When to goApril to October (salt pan visits are seasonal)
The plan from Bologna
Leave Bologna for Cervia salt pans1 h 20 driving, 98 km
Cervia salt pans1 h 10 of visits: Salina di Cervia (Po Delta Park)
Drive on to Cervia centre10 min driving, 2 km
Cervia centre1 h 00 of visits: Magazzino del Sale Torre and MUSA, Piazza Garibaldi, the 'new' Cervia
Drive on to Cesenatico15 min driving, 10 km
Cesenatico1 h 30 of visits: Porto Canale Leonardesco, Museo della Marineria, Piazza delle Conserve
Drive back to Bologna1 h 25 driving, 100 km
Back in Bologna
Times are a guide: driving times are worked out without traffic, then come the visits and ten minutes at every stop to park. In summer towards the coast and at rush hour allow extra time.
What you will see
1Cervia salt pans
Salina di Cervia (Po Delta Park) 60 min
Over 800 hectares of salt water basins, one of the northernmost salt pans in the Mediterranean and part of the Po Delta Park. This is where Cervia's 'sweet salt' is produced, low in bitter salts and therefore prized by chefs. With a guide you walk along the embankments or go by electric boat between the basins, and you see pink flamingos, avocets and black-winged stilts. At sunset the colours of the water change from pink to orange.
Guided visits on foot, by bike or by boat must be booked; seasonal calendar.
2Cervia centre
Magazzino del Sale Torre and MUSA 25 min
The great warehouse from 1691 where salt was stored before being loaded onto boats: it could hold thousands of tonnes. Inside is MUSA, the salt museum, which tells the story of the salt workers' labour through tools and photographs. Opposite stands the Torre San Michele, built in the same years to defend the harbour and the salt from pirates.
Seasonal opening times.
Piazza Garibaldi, the 'new' Cervia 15 min
In 1697 the entire town was moved from old Cervia, surrounded by salt pans and malaria, to this position near the sea. The salt workers' houses form a quadrilateral around the square with the Town Hall and the Cathedral: it is one of the first purpose-designed towns in Romagna.
3Cesenatico
Porto Canale Leonardesco 20 min
In 1502 Leonardo da Vinci, in the service of Cesare Borgia as a military engineer, passed through here and drew a survey of the harbour, now in one of his codices. The canal enters the heart of the town, with the fishermen's coloured houses on both sides and bridges: it is the heart of Cesenatico.
Museo della Marineria 35 min
A floating museum, unique in Italy: in the oldest stretch of the canal harbour are moored the working boats of the Adriatic, such as bragozzi and trabaccoli, with sails painted red and yellow with family symbols. In spring and summer the sails are raised. The section on land tells the story of fishing and the sailors' lives.
Sails are hoisted from Easter to autumn.
Piazza delle Conserve 10 min
The 'conserve' were large wells dug underground where, until a century ago, ice collected in winter was stored to keep fish fresh. One has been reconstructed and you can see what it was like inside. Around it are cafés and ice cream parlours.
Tips
The best time to go is in the afternoon, with the salt pan at sunset (in summer the last visit starts late).
From Cesena and Forlì the trip is even closer.
The same trip from other towns
How long it takes from each town, the drive back included. Tap a town to see the plan from there.
Almost every old town has a limited traffic zone (ZTL) with cameras: park outside and walk in. The fine reaches your home, abroad too. ZTL and car parks town by town
This trip with a driver
Romagna Transfer picks you up at your hotel, drops you in front of every stop and brings you back: no parking, no ZTL, and the wine is yours to enjoy.
Trips written by our editors from the facts of our monument pages and the official sites. Opening days and hours change: the note under every place tells you what to check before you leave. No prices: you find them on the museums' sites.
