Cesenatico - Leonardo's channel and other attractions worth seeing in an Italian resort!

Name: Cesenatico in Italy
Rating: 5

Cesenatico in Italy is a small but extremely beautiful and climatic town in the region of Emilia-Romagna, on the Adriatic Sea. It is a place that combines the charm of a former fishing village with the comfort of a modern resort. We spent a wonderful, sunny family holiday here and it is hardly surprising, because there is everything here: wide beaches, history, great cuisine and a truly Italian atmosphere. We slept in an attractive campsite, but we were also eager to look into the beautiful heart of the town, located on the Leonardo Canal. In fact, the canal was built by the city of Cesena, about 15 kilometers from the Adriatic coast. Check out our guide to Cesenatico.

Cesenatico - location and access

Cesenatico lies on the northeastern coast of Italy, on the Adriatic Sea, between Ravenna and Rimini. It is part of the Emilia-Romagna region, which is less known to tourists from Poland than Tuscany or Venice, but definitely worth discovering, because it hides a lot of interesting facts and is still intimate. Access from Poland is possible in several ways:

By car — the route from southern Poland takes about 10–12 hours and leads through the Czech Republic and Austria, as well as a large part of Italy, the route leads mainly by motorways, we divided this road into 2 sections and stayed overnight in the Austrian Villach
By plane — the nearest airports are located in Rimini (about 30 km) or Bologna (about 100 km)
By train — good train connections lead from Bologna and Rimini directly to Cesenatico

It is a great starting point for exploring the region with many interesting tourist attractions.

Attractions in Cesenatico - what to see - a map of attractions!

Cesenatico is a small town, but very charming and hiding some really unusual curiosities. It's the perfect place for a walk and an Italian feast, but you'll also be surprised by historical artifacts. Here are the top attractions of Cesenatico!

Porto Canale Leonardesco - port canal in Cesenatico

The showcase of Cesenatico is Porto Canale Leonardesco, a port channel running through the city center. It looks amazing, especially in the photos from the drone, where it presents itself from a bird's eye view. The canal was created as early as in the fourteenth century, although its design is often incorrectly attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. In fact, however, it was created earlier, and the famous Leonardo only drew up his sketches in 1502, for military purposes. Today, the canal is the heart of the city — historic fishing boats with characteristic mustard sails and burgundy wheels moor here. On both sides of it there are rows of low houses in pastel colors. Today they house restaurants, bars and cafes, but in the past they were fishermen's houses, where, in addition to living, they kept their fishing equipment. Walks along the canal, also in the evenings, are an absolute hit. Especially when everything is reflected in the water and creates an amazing climate.
Address: Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi

Museo della Marineria - Maritime Museum of Cesenatico

The Museo della Marineria, or Maritime Museum, is one of the most unique museums in Italy. It presents traditional sailing boats once used in the Adriatic. Part of the exhibition is located on the water — the boats are moored in the canal and have characteristic Vela al terzo sails. This is a traditional type of asymmetrical trapezoidal sail, characteristic of fishing boats from the Upper Adriatic region (e.g. in Venice and Cesenatico). Some of the exhibits are located in the museum building. You will see, among others:

fishing tools
ship models
history of navigation and fishing in the region
sketches of the canal made by Leonardo da Vinci in 1502 at the request of Cesare Borgia, copies are presented in the museum, because the originals are located in the library in France
sea creatures and shells

This is a great place to understand how important the sea was to Cesenatico. A special moment of the year is the Christmas period, when sacred sculptures are placed on sailboats on the canal, creating a unique nativity scene. Illuminated ships with this unique sea crib create an amazing atmosphere.
Address: Via Carlo Armellini 18

Spose dei Marinai - a monument to the family looking for the fisherman's return

On the promenade by the canal, at the exit of the port in Cesenatico, on Piazza delle Spose dei Marinai, there is a monument of a fishing family looking for their father returning from fishing. The figure shows the figure of a woman and children waiting for the fisherman to return. It is a symbol of the families of this fishing village and the women living here, who have been struggling all their lives with uncertainty about the fate of their husbands, fathers or sons going fishing.
Address: Piazza Spose Dei Marinai

Ponente Pier

The pier of Ponente is a kind of promenade, very pleasant, leading along the canal, on the west side, directly to the sea. It's a beautiful place to walk. There are fishing huts with nets.
Address: Mar Mediterraneo

Capanni da Pesca - fishing huts

Capanni da Pesca are characteristic wooden structures standing by the water in the port, by the pier. In the past, these fishing huts served as a shelter for fishermen and a place to catch fish using nets lowered into the sea on special structures. Today, they create a very photogenic landscape surrounded by the canal and the sea.
Address: Viale Lungomare Ponente

Piazza delle Conserve

Piazza delle Conserve is one of the most atmospheric places in the city. A charming alley decorated with crochet decorations, in the form of octopuses or jellyfish leads to the square. In the heart of the small square there is a former ice house — a special tank in which snow and ice were stored, used to store food. This is a simple but brilliant example of ancient cooling methods before today's refrigerators were invented.
Address: Piazza delle Conserve

Casa Museo Marino Moretti - museum house of the poet Moretti

Casa Museo Marino Moretti is the home of the poet Marino Moretti (1885-1979), located on the shore of the port of Cesenatico, by the bridge. This is the original building where Moretti was born and raised. Currently, it houses a museum with a collection of personal documents and works by the artist.
Address: Via Marino Moretti 1

Spiaggia di Ponente and other beaches of Cesenatico

The beaches in Cesenatico are one of the city's greatest assets. They are wide, sandy and very well developed. They extend on both sides of the canal, on a large length. There are sun loungers and umbrellas, as well as beach bars and restaurants. On the west side, Spiaggia di Ponente invites you. The descent to the sea is gentle, even perfectly flat, and the bay is shallow, with clean water. Ideal for families with children. The beaches are clean, full of interesting shells that you can admire on the spot and are well prepared. This is a typical Italian standard of leisure on the Adriatic Sea.

Monumento Garibaldi - Monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi

The Giuseppe Garibaldi Monument is one of the most recognizable places in the city. Garibaldi was an Italian revolutionary who helped unite the country. The monument commemorates his journey in 1849. In Cesenatico, you will also find Garibaldi's second performance at the canal - Monumento ad Anita e Giuseppe Garibaldi. Anita was a Brazilian wife and comrade in arms of Giuseppe Garibaldi.
Address: Monumento Garibaldi, Via Aurelio Saffi, Piazza Carlo Pisacane
Monumento ad Anita e Giuseppe Garibaldi, Piazza Ciceruacchio 14

Parco Acquatico Atlantica Cesenatico - Atlantica Water Park

Parco Acquatico Atlantica Cesenatico is one of the most interesting water parks in the region. The most distinctive element is the huge blue whale, around which you can swim on inflatable wheels. The park has a slightly old-school atmosphere of Italian water parks, but this is what adds to its charm. Atlantica Water Park offers:

pools of varying depths
numerous slides of different heights
"artificial river" on which you swim on tires
play areas with attractions for toddlers
relaxation zones and bars
scene

Address: Piazza Marco Polo 4

Grattacielo di Cesenatico - the highest skyscraper of the Riviera

Grattacielo di Cesenatico is a characteristic skyscraper from the 1950s. Twentieth century. It is a symbol of the modern part of the city. It stands on the Adriatic coast and is currently the highest point on the horizon of the entire Riviera. It was built in 1958 and was the tallest skyscraper in Italy until 1960. Later, it was named the Pirelli skyscraper in Milan.
Address: Piazza Andrea Costa 4

Additional attractions in and around Cesenatico

Chiesa di San Giacomo, Via Giordano Bruno - Church of St. James
Murales del porto canale, Via Fiorentini 38 - the mural "View of the canal port" was created in 1975 by the painter Walter Masotti, later it was renovated several times, retaining pastel colors and painting style
Spazio Pantani, Via G. Cecchini 2 — a museum dedicated to Marco Pantani - a legendary Italian cyclist born in Cesenatico
Monumento a Marco Pantani, Viale G. Carducci 188, - a monument commemorating the famous cyclist, one of the most important Italian athletes in history
Mercato Ittico - Fish Market, Viale Carlo Matteucci 31 - fishermen from Cesenatico continue to sell fish at the fish market. It is best to get here early in the morning, after finishing fishing. The attraction is the autumn fish and seafood festival "Il Pesce fa Festa", celebrated in Cesenatico at the turn of October and November
Piazza Costa - a square overlooking the sea surrounded by a historic Grand Hotel and a skyscraper, on holiday there is a panoramic Ferris wheel
Pier di Levante - promenade over the canal on the eastern side
Porto Canale in the evening - nightlife, concerts and events
Madonna Del Mare - statue of Mary in the sea
Ponente Park, Viale Giuseppe Mazzini 182 - park by the beach
Library in Cesena
Mirabilandia - an amusement park with rollecoasters and family attractions for people of all ages, reminiscent of our Energylandia
Mosaics from the middle of the first millennium in Ravenna - Byzantine mosaics from the UNESCO List
Comacchio called "little Venice" with canals and bridges that delight with a calm, intimate atmosphere

Accommodations in Cesenatico

We visited Cesenatico and the region of Romania (Romagna) with Ravenna in the central place at the beginning of June. We slept in Cesenatico Camping Village located in this charming village, by the sea. Every day we enjoyed the charms of the place — we cooled in the pool, walked on sandy beaches full of shells and discovered other corners of this unique part of Italy. In the campsite Cesenatico Camping Village there are:

pool with slides and bar
gym
playground
restaurant and shop
houses of different standards

Our cottage had 3 bedrooms, including 1 with a double bed, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen, a large terrace and a private parking space. As part of our stay, we also had the so-called half board, i.e. breakfast and dinner. The beach is only a few hundred meters away. It is an ideal place for both families and people looking for a comfortable holiday close to nature.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

What and where to eat?

As befits a fishing village, Cesenatico is famous for its cuisine based on fresh fish and seafood. Local trattorias and modern restaurants, often located right by the canal, serve fish dishes and Sangiovese wine, which is the pride of the region. In addition, the traditional romagnola piadina is very popular in the region. It is a kind of sandwich in which you can find tomatoes, arugula, mozzarella, buffalo cheese or salami, at will. The tasty Vagabondi piadline run by the Pantani can be found in the eastern part of the town, at Viale Torino. There are plenty of restaurants by the canal, on the west side more elegant and exclusive, while on the east side there are more ice cream parlours. Apparently, we recommend the best ice cream in Cesenatico, i.e. Cremeria Da Vinci at Via Baldini 7. They are actually delicious, they are by the canal, but in a side street and interestingly, they do not offer espresso, only ice cream. Pistachios (pistacchio) made a sensation, fantastic. This ice cream parlor is open even during siesta. By the canal itself, we also ate tasty ice cream at Puro & Bio at Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi 55. Here, Sicilia ice cream was delicious. As the Italians say, there must be gelato, there is no day without ice cream!

Rent a car

Exploring becomes much easier when you have your own means of transport. You don’t have to worry about buses or taxis, and you can plan each day your way. The search box below will help you find the right car – right where your journey begins.

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you have already visited this attraction, it is also worth visiting several other interesting ones places nearby. Within a radius of 100 kilometers you will find many interesting places places that can diversify your stay in this part of Poland.

Cesena in Italy, distance: 14 km
Comacchio in Italy, distance: 57.6 km