It’s done, we’re going to Cattolica for 5 days! Highway A 14, exit Cattolica – San Giovanni – Gabicce. Arrived!
Next year maybe we’ll come by train, the central station is very convenient.
Day One
Full sun. In the morning we realise that colours and scents are not the usual ones, the scent of the sea and the warm sunlight flood the whole room.
Today is a sea day. A nice swim regenerates us, children are having fun collecting clams called “poverazze” and putting them in an improvised bag.
Still with damp skin, we lie in the sun, while the little ones build a sandcastle on the shoreline; the animator approaches them and proposes a treasure hunt, seeing their happiness we could not say no.
After lunch we relax and then back to the beach. We sign up for the bocce tournament, the water aerobics lesson, group dances, and why not also the piadina workshop.
Time passes quickly, selfies, laughter and new friends.
Day Two
Today‘s cloudy. In the morning we go to the Aquarium.
The 1930s building of the Aquarium is very interesting, buildings are in the shape of ships sailing the sea, hence the name “Le Navi”.
We follow the different visit paths, each marked by a different colour. Children stopped for a long time in front of the shark tank, I thought they were frightened but instead they put their hands on the glass as if to caress them. We had been told that the Cattolica Aquarium is the second largest aquarium in Italy, now we know why.
After lunch, we take a ride on the little tourist train and we reach Gradara. The village is a real gem. We visit the fortress, the walkways and then we saw the raptors show.
Day three
Sun’s shining.
We go to the beach early, 8.30. Sun and sea bathing, chatting, reading, playing games.
In the afternoon we hire bikes and slowly ride along the cycle path that follows the coastline.
For dinner piade and cassoni at the kiosk by the sea.
Day four
No matter if the sky is cloudy or not, we wake up very early this morning. We go to the harbour and we wait for the return of the fishing boats. Their coming back is a spectacle, each boat is accompanied by seagulls waiting for some discarded fish. We realise we are not the only ones, other people have decided not to miss this unique opportunity.
After wandering around the town for a while and acquiring some useful information at the Palazzo del Turismo, we head back.
Afternoon still on the beach, at sunset yoga class for us and marine biology workshop for the children.
After dinner we decide not to miss the opportunity to see the show of Cattolica’s famous Dancing Fountains in the splendid Piazza Primo Maggio with the symbol of Cattolica at its centre: the Fountain of the Sirens.
Day five
Morning. Luggage ready.
I don’t know why but we are continually delaying the time of departure, none of us is ready to leave Cattolica. There are still so many things to do: the aperitif on the boat, the descent into the hypogeum, the visit to the museum, the excursion to the San Bartolo nature park, the tasting of Miacetto, the typical sweet, the photo in front of the Fountain of the Sirens, the Jazz concert in the gardens of Roosevelt Square, the Pink Night fireworks, those of the August bank holiday.