Travel mums: Rimini + Bologna
Here we go - travel mums vol. 2! I didn't let the failed flight to Poznan, Poland discourage me (see the article here) and insisted on a girls' trip with Nina only. This time, I invited Niki and Hynek to join me in this contraption, and the flights to Italy fit our schedule and price. The vision was clear: 3 days, 3 nights, where we would enjoy coffee for €1.50, gelato, pizza, pasta, playgrounds and the sea, all without frantically ticking off the sights, in short, let the little ones have the fun. I'll tell you right away that we're arriving at the airport with a full complement of people, so finally a success, yay! Let's get to the details...
Flights and transport
Ryanair tickets with children to Italy have the advantage that you don't pay family seating = a mandatory fee to sit next to the child (€8 one way). Italy is the only country in Europe that refused this nonsense... too bad others didn't join in. However, for the two flights Prague-Rimini and Bologna-Prague I paid less than €120 for myself and Nina.
Rimini
This small town on the Adriatic coast in the Emilia-Romagna region actually turned out to be a super choice for single mothers with children... I'll explain:
- short flight - the flight takes only about 1 hour 20 minutes, so you basically spend more time at the airport than on the plane and the kids don't even get bored
- easy transfer to the centre - at the terminal you can get on bus 9 (ticket in the ticket machine € 1.50, in the bus € 2 - both can be paid with a card) and in about half an hour you will get off at Rimini main station. The city itself can be easily circumnavigated on foot without having to use additional public transport or renting a car. Note: children are charged for public transport here not from X age, but from height - specifically from one meter.
- there is ‘nothing’ here - much exaggerated, of course, but I mean that the historical centre itself is small and nothing here provokes you to ‘want to see this and that’. Plus, this trip isn't really about us... see next point...
- children's activities - you will find playgrounds at every beach bar here = by the seaside everywhere. In the middle of the city I would definitely mention Parco XXV aprile and Parco di Piazza Luigi Ferrari. The big highlight then is the sea itself and the sand on the beach.
|
|
Where to stay in Rimini?
I choosed Hotel St Gregory Park, which I can recommend with a clear conscience. It is located in a quiet area just a few meters from the white sand beach and a few meters from Parco Briolini, where you will find shade and children's activities. The hotel has a swimming pool in the garden and its own children's playground with seating + in case of bad weather there is also an indoor play area. I would especially highlight the breakfast, which for me was a great luxury, yum! Two nights in a double room with a balcony and breakfast cost Nina and I a cool €108.
Just watch out, Hotel St Gregory Park is separated from the main promenade with the Lungomare beaches by a water channel, and if you want to visit these parts, you have two options. Either you have to walk all the way around to the Ponte della Resistenza bridge, which adults probably don't care about, but with kids it can be tedious. Or you can use the ferry that connects the two banks. It runs in season (May-September) from morning to evening, see info here. Alternatively, my other tips for accommodation in Rimini as follows:
- cheaper: Hotel Italia Boutique or Hotel Fedora Rimini - both simple, well rated hotels near the beach, priced under €60 for a double room
- more expensive: Amsterdam Suite Hotel & SPA or Hotel La Gradisca - nice modern accommodation in a super location at a reasonable price
What to do in Rimini?
Looking at it from a practical point of view, the main beach of Rimini, Lungomare, is divided into many small numbered sections. The way it works is that the higher the number, the further away from the centre the beach is. However, everywhere offers basically the same thing. There is no charge to enter them, you just pay for renting sunbeds. But they take up so much space that there is only a small strip between the sea and the sunbeds for non-paying visitors. And that fills up very quickly in high season. Alternatively, there is a third option = visiting a free beach without sunbeds and service. You can find the specific sectors listed here. We had the closest beach from the hotel, San Giuliano, where the kids played in the sand, the sea and the playground, and we only paid the bar tab, without sunbeds.
|
|
2) Sightseeing - Rimini's historic centre is not very big and the interesting places are quite close to each other. I'd say you'll be fine with half a day to explore it. I'd consider the highlights to be Piazza Cavour, Castel Sismondo, Piazza Tre Marti with the Astronomical Clock, Malatestiano Cathedral and the Arco di Augusto city gate.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Next, don't miss the stone bridge of Ponte di Tiberio and the adjacent San Giuliano district with its colourful and ornate houses. It's a pleasant walk along the canal, where you can also check out the bridge from the Ponte di Tiberio Observation Deck. From the bridge itself, you will have a nice view of the city and the Parco XXV aprile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
3) Attractions (for kids) - you can certainly tempt smaller kids to the classic playgrounds in parks and by the beaches, but where to go with bigger ones? If you're on the main promenade, the Ferris wheel at the end of it, La Ruota Panoramica, offers views of the sea and harbour. For tickets, expect to pay €10 for an adult and €7 for a child aged two to ten, more info on the official website here.
In the centre, as part of the XXV Aprile Park, the more adventurous natures could have fun at the Rimini Avventura rope park. And if you're willing to move slightly away from the centre, check out the Fiabilandia theme park located by the airport or, on the other side of Rimini, the Italia in Miniatura park.
|
|
4) Day trip to San Marino - I initially considered it, but in the end it seemed unnecessary to waste our time yet to move outside Rimini. But if you'd be staying longer, it's not too difficult. San Marino, one of Europe's mini-states, is easily reached by bus leaving from the main station. In particular, the route is served by two companies - Benedettini and Bonelli, for both, you pay €14 for a return ticket (again, children are charged by the metre). Anyway, I have one more trip to Rimini in mind, including car rental, and I'll definitely include San Marino in that :)
|
| Zdroj: Winalist - https://www.winalist.com/blog/italy-wine-region/san-marino/san-marino-vacation |
Bologna
And how did we spend our day here? Before noon we get off at the main train station and drop off our bags at our accommodation (see info below). We reward Hynek and Nina's patience on the train with a stay in the playground at Parco della Montagnola and move on to the historic centre. On the way, of course, we can't miss Bologna's must see - the window overlooking the Finestrella di Via Piella water canal.
|
|
We will visit the largest square, Piazza Maggiore, with the Basilica of San Petronio and Due Torri, the symbol of the city. They are also called the two sisters, the taller of which, the Torre degli Assigneli, measures an impressive 97 metres. Interestingly, they both lean a little, but this is not as noticeable as, for example, the notorious Leaning Tower of Pisa. We take shelter from the heat for a while in the former stock exchange building, the Salaborsa, which now serves as a library, and walk through the Mercato de Mezzo with its adjacent streets full of fresh delicacies. Alternatively, another of Bologna's markets you might be interested in is the even more modern Mercato delle Erbe.
|
|
|
|
You can even get there on foot, even through the longest arcade in the world! If you start your walk in the centre, you will walk about 5 km, of which 3.5 km will be through this archway. Just beware, of course it is all uphill, where you will climb stairs and more stairs, so definitely not for strollers and sore knees. The church at the top itself is free to enter (apart from the holy services detailed here), and if you have a return ticket, you can then get on any of the other trains going back into town.
|
|
|
|
Upon our return, we just concentrate on replenishing caffeine, getting dinner and slowly moving to our accommodation. Of course, we stop again at the playground in Parco della Montagnola, where we are shocked by the incredible number of people. Ugh, where does the historic centre go. Anyway, the centre of Bologna is really bad with playgrounds, so it's not surprising that everyone gathers on this patch. Then there's the Parco 11 settembre 2001, which was an unnecessary walk for us.
Getting to the airport - we use the fastest (only 8 min. journey!) and probably the most expensive option - the Marconi Express train. It runs regularly every 7-15 minutes from the main station and a one-way ticket costs €12.80 (kids 5 and up). Feel free to buy it online in advance as you don't enter the exact departure time, or at a ticket machine or use a contactless card/mobile when you go through the terminal. A cheaper alternative for airport transport would be the Q bus, which costs €4 and takes about 40 minutes.
|
 |
Where to stay in Bologna?
Once you start looking for accommodation in Bologna, you'll find that the price level here is a bit higher than in Rimini, for example. Another reason not to spend too much time here :) In the end, we chose Manarooms Masini, where we had two separate bedrooms and one bathroom. Absolutely ideal. In addition, the location of this apartment was also ideal, as it takes about 5 minutes to walk to/from the train station and you can reach most of the sights in about a quarter of an hour. We got the price down to €135/night for everyone. Other tips for accommodation in Bologna as follows:
- cheaper: comfortable pension B&B Chez Moi or well rated Dopa Hostel - many types of rooms with private or shared bathroom, depending on the price
- more expensive: Frame Bologna or Liberty House - both beautiful hotels right in the city centre
If this information has helped you to save some time or money or both, you can "invite me for a coffee" and contribute to the running of Travel with Donuts :) account number / QR code: 1257951017/3030
Žádné komentáře: