Things to Do with Kids at the Lidi Ferraresi: Nature and Sports Just a Stone's Throw from the Beaches

There are places that manage to please everyone: those who love to relax on the beach, those who want a vacation surrounded by nature, and those who love sports. The Lidi Ferraresi are one such place.

Here you’ll find over 25 kilometers of sandy beaches, shallow waters perfect for children, pine forests offering shade on the hottest days, and stunning natural scenery that serves as the backdrop for every vacation. Just a few minutes from the sea lies the Po Delta Park, one of Europe’s most fascinating natural environments, where you can spot pink flamingos, explore canals and lagoons by boat, or cycle along hundreds of kilometers of bike paths.
From Lido di Volano to Lido di Spina, passing through Comacchio—the “Little Venice of Emilia”—this stretch of the Adriatic coast offers a unique blend of sea, nature, sports, and outdoor activities, making it particularly well-suited for family vacations.

In this guide, we’ve compiled a list of beaches, activities, excursions, and must-see spots to help you plan a vacation in the Lidi Ferraresi with children.

• The beaches of the 7 Lidi Ferraresi
• The Po Delta Park and the Salt Flats
• Boat Tours in the Comacchio Lagoons
• Cycling through the Po Delta Park
• The Mesola Forest
• Comacchio
• Information for a vacation in the Lidi Ferraresi

See also: Where to Stay in Romagna with Children

The Beaches of the 7 Lidi Ferraresi

The beaches of the Lidi Ferraresi are long stretches of light-colored sand bordering shallow waters—perfect for learning to swim! 25 kilometers of sandy beaches that slope gently into the sea and are part of the Po Delta Regional Park.
All seven of its beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag: Lido Estensi, Lido di Volano, Lido Nazioni, Lido Pomposa, Lido Scacchi, Lido Spina, and Porto Garibaldi
The 7 beaches of Ferrara are a more affordable alternative to the beaches of Rimini

Lido di Pomposa and Lido degli Scacchi

Lido degli Scacchi and the nearby Lido di Pomposa are family-friendly beach resorts. Focusing on family-oriented tourism has allowed this small town overlooking the Adriatic Sea to transform into a dreamlike oasis, ideal for vacations for both children and parents.
The hotels and campgrounds are surrounded by greenery and equipped with every comfort. The beach resorts offer complete peace of mind for parents thanks to lifeguards and entertainment staff who keep the children occupied.
The activities on offer range from literary contests to arcades, and every year the highlight among the events is the Summer Carnival, celebrated every August 8, during which the town’s “New Year” is celebrated with a parade of masks, music, and fireworks! It’s definitely a fun activity for kids—and, of course, for moms and dads too.

The nearby Pomposa Circuit is very popular with young people.
The karts are reserved for drivers 14 and older, but minikarts can be driven by children as young as 8; the circuit offers the option to drive your own vehicle or rent one on-site.

Click here to experience the thrill of a Ferrari lap on the Pomposa Circuit.
The ride is reserved for adults with a driver’s license, but during the two test laps with a professional driver, even children aged 5 and up can hop in!

Lido degli Estensi

Lido degli Estensi isn’t just the chicest and most fashionable spot in the area, beloved by young people who appreciate its many bars and clubs that are always open. In fact, the beach resorts are equipped to accommodate even the most discerning families. It’s ideal for parents who want shops and bars close to where their little ones are having fun. The marina at Marina degli Estensi isn’t far away and is perfect for families who love boats or boating in general.

Parents from the Its4kids - kid-friendly report that this area is regularly treated with mosquito repellent and is therefore also suitable for children allergic to mosquito bites.

Lido di Spina

Lido di Spina owes its name to the Etruscan city of Spina, but—at the same time—it evokes the shape of the pine needles in the surrounding pine forests! Among the Seven Beaches, it is the most residential, and it’s easy to find an apartment to rent in the characteristic row houses, making it convenient for families who prefer to spend their vacations in a home away from home. Located near the province of Ravenna, it’s the ideal spot for those who want to go on long walks through both Ravenna and Ferrara provinces.
Heading south, you’ll come across the Bellocchio Veins Nature Reserve; alternatively, you can take the bridge over the Logonovo Canal to reach Lido degli Estensi directly. Perfect for children who love to walk.

This seaside resort is a tribute to art: not only were some of the villas in the area designed by famous architects, but you can also stroll along streets named after great artists of the past. Remo Brindisi used to vacation there, and his summer home has been turned into a museum filled with masterpieces of contemporary art. Events and workshops for children are held there periodically.

The Po Delta Park and the Salt Flats

The Po Delta Park is one of Italy’s most important natural areas and one of Europe’s largest wetland systems. It stretches across Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, where the Po River meets the Adriatic Sea, creating a unique landscape of lagoons, canals, fishing valleys, pine forests, salt flats, and long bike paths.
Here you can spot pink flamingos, herons, black-winged stilts, and many other bird species, explore the area by bike along flat, safe routes, or take part in picturesque boat excursions through reed beds and ancient fishing huts.
Don’t miss a visit to the Comacchio Salt Pans, a protected oasis in the Comacchio Valleys, accessible only with a guide

Boat Tours in the Comacchio Marshes

If there’s one way to truly discover the charm of the Comacchio Marshes, it’s undoubtedly from the water. Boat tours allow you to venture into the heart of this extraordinary natural environment, navigating through reed beds, lagoons, and ancient fishing stations.
The most famous excursion is the one that leads to the traditional fishing huts, the distinctive structures used by the valley dwellers, guardians of a culture and traditions that have been passed down here for centuries.
While on the water, it’s easy to spot numerous species of waterfowl, including herons, cormorants, and pink flamingos, while environmental guides explain the history and delicate balance of this fragile ecosystem.

The excursions generally last between 2 and 3 hours and are particularly well-suited for families, as they allow you to explore the Valleys in a relaxed and engaging way, without having to tackle long walking trails.

Click here to book a boat tour to Scano Boa in the Po Delta Park.

Photo by Robert Fischer from Pixabay Comacchio

Cycling through the Po Delta Park

With over 600 km of bike paths, the province of Ferrara is one of the most bike-friendly areas in Europe.
All you have to do is choose one of the thousands of routes available and set off on your adventure.
In the spring, it’s wonderful to cycle along the Comacchio salt flats and spot the pink flamingos.
The roads are completely flat—some are dirt roads or unpaved paths, others are secondary roads with very little traffic, and still others are dedicated bike paths.

Among these, three routes are particularly well-suited for families; these are itineraries that follow secondary roads with light traffic, alternating with sections that are entirely dedicated to cycling, and can be completed independently.
1) From the Sea to the Comacchio Marshes, a loop of approximately 19 km. Along the route, you’ll ride alongside the Comacchio Marshes and Salt Flats, where you can spot pink flamingos
Download the bike path map: (attachment="/public/spec/48_20190131 Bike Map_Dal mare alle Valli 2020.pdf" title="Comacchio seaside bike path map"> From the Sea to the Comacchio Marshes(end of attachment)

2) Around the Mesola Forest , a loop route of about 52 km that will allow you to admire the Abbey of Pomposa, Mesola Castle, the vast Mesola Forest, and the villages of Goro and Gorino Ferrarese,
Download the cycling map: (attachment="/public/spec/48_2015 09 - Mesola_goro_pomposa_mesola.pdf" title="Bosco della Mesola bike path" alt="Bosco della Mesola bike paths" > Around the Bosco della Mesola (end of attachment)

3) The Park and the Sea, a route that starts from the valleys or the town of Comacchio, passes through all the Lidi, enters the pine forest between Lido Nazioni and Lido di Volano—where fallow deer roam freely— runs alongside the Gran Bosco della Mesola, and arrives in Goro, a well-known fishing town on the Adriatic and an important starting point for boat excursions in the Po Delta
Download the bike path map: (attachment="/public/spec/48_Between the Park and the Sea: From Comacchio to Goro bike map.pdf" title="Comacchio-Sea bike path map"> Between the Park and the Sea: From Comacchio to Goro (end of attachment)

Click here to rent bikes or e-bikes (including those with child seats) in the Po Delta area: Bike and e-bike rentals

The Mesola Forest

Just a few kilometers from the sea lies an enchanted place the Mesola Forest, a nature reserve that spans the municipalities of Mesola, Goro, and Codigoro.
This is home to the only native deer species on the Italian peninsula. It is the Dune Deer, and the Mesola Forest Nature Reserve is the perfect place to get to know it.
Here, you can explore the forest on foot, by bike, or on a tour in an electric minibus operated by the Carabinieri Forestry Corps, allowing you to get up close and personal with the deer.

The experience within the Reserve has been designed to be as inclusive as possible:
🌳 admission costs 1 euro per day (children under six are free),
🌳 the reserve features a trail with informational signs in Braille,
🌳 recycling bins, picnic areas, and an information center accessible to everyone.
The entire experience in the Reserve has been designed and organized to make visitors feel both welcome and responsible for the area.

Comacchio

Known as “Little Venice,” Comacchio is a beautiful town with narrow streets and canals, perfect for getting lost while strolling at a leisurely pace.
Don’t miss the Ponte Pallotta, better known as Trepponti, one of the town’s landmarks.
This bridge, dating back to 1638, served as the city gate for those arriving by sea through the navigable canals. The bridge was designed by architect Luca Danese at the behest of Cardinal Giovan Battista Pallotta, after whom it is named.

The Delta Antico Museum is particularly beautiful; it tells the story of the ancient Po Delta and the peoples who lived there.
Among other things, the museum displays the cargo of a Roman-era merchant ship. The vessel has preserved its entire cargo virtually intact: from navigational instruments to everyday objects, right down to the actual commercial cargo—an immense treasure trove of ingots, amphorae, and ceramics!

Photo by ellav from Pixabay Trepponti Comacchio

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Information for a vacation in the Lidi Ferraresi

Where to stay in the Lidi Ferraresi with children?

Families mainly choose Lido di Pomposa and Lido degli Scacchi, quiet resorts with wide beaches, shallow waters, and numerous facilities designed for those traveling with children. Lido delle Nazioni and Lido di Spina also offer many options for families.
See: Family-friendly hotels and resorts in the Lidi Ferraresi

Which beach is best suited for families?

Lido di Pomposa and Lido degli Scacchi are considered among the most family-friendly thanks to their well-equipped beaches, relaxed atmosphere, and numerous services dedicated to children.

Are the beaches of the Lidi Ferraresi suitable for young children?

Yes. The beaches are wide and sandy, and the sea has shallow, gently sloping waters that allow children to play and swim more safely.

When is the best time to visit the Lidi Ferraresi?

May through September is the ideal time for the beach. Spring and early fall are perfect for bike rides, visits to the Comacchio Marshes, and excursions in the Po Delta Park.