Lido di Savio, Ravenna: Beach Guide for Families

Where Lido di Savio sits

Lido di Savio lies on the Adriatic coast of Emilia-Romagna, between Ravenna and Milano Marittima, and is the southernmost of the nine lidi that belong to Ravenna. That position makes it a beach base with a city behind it: Ravenna's mosaic monuments are inland, and the wetlands and pine woods of the Po Delta begin to the north.

Think of it as the quiet end of the Ravenna riviera rather than a Milan Marittima-style resort. You get the beach amenities and the summer events, but the pace is calmer, which is why families with young children tend to settle here for a week rather than pass through for an afternoon.

Getting there from Ravenna and around the lidi

The resort sits on the coast road that links Ravenna's lidi, with Ravenna itself inland and Milano Marittima and Cervia to the north. Lido di Savio's own tourist portal is the place to look for local transport and travel information before you set out.

Coming by car, the coast road runs the length of the lidi and gives the simplest access to the resort's beach front. Bus services along the Ravenna lidi connect the resorts with the city, and the local tourist office can give you the current line and season; summer timetables often differ from winter ones.

If you are touring the Ravenna coast, the lidi run in a near-continuous line and are easy to combine. Lido Adriano lies to the north towards Ravenna and the Po Delta, so it pairs naturally with a day out along the coast road from Lido di Savio.

The sand and the water

The beach runs for about two kilometres and is sandy throughout, with a seabed that slopes away gradually so that small children can play at the water's edge in safety. The water is clean, and the beach holds Blue Flag status, the international award given to beaches that meet standards for water quality, facilities and management.

Because the shelf is gentle, swimmers who like deep water need to wade out some distance before the bottom drops away, which is good news for paddlers and less exciting for confident swimmers. The equipped stretch of beach is the natural choice for a family day, with the sand kept in order and the facilities to hand.

Shelter, shade and the pine woods behind the sand

The two historic pine woods of Classe and San Vitale run behind the lidi and are the answer to the midday heat. They offer walks on foot, by bike or on horseback, with picnic and rest areas and open space for children to play, so you can move from beach to shade without getting in the car.

On the beach itself, the equipped frontage is where you find the organised sand and the shade of beach establishments. For a quieter corner, head for the edges of the two-kilometre frontage away from the busiest bathing concessions, where there is more room to lay out towels and set up your own umbrella.

Facilities and beach establishments

The beach is described as fully equipped, with beach establishments along the sand and a high concentration of hotels right behind it. That means a family day here is a matter of hiring a spot on the equipped beach and using the bars and services that come with it, rather than carrying everything from the car.

Sunbed and umbrella prices, opening dates and any booking arrangements are set by the individual establishments, so ask at your hotel or the nearest bagno when you arrive. The tourist portal for the resort is the best starting point for accommodation and local services.

How busy it gets and when to arrive

Lido di Savio is busy but not overwhelming in high summer, and July and August bring the biggest crowds along with the events calendar. Arriving in the morning gives you the pick of the equipped beach and a parking space before the day-trippers arrive from Ravenna and Milano Marittima.

The resort's summer calendar includes food festivals and nature events in the area, and Ravenna's own summer programme of evening events and guided monument visits draws people into the city. If you want a quiet beach day, pick a weekday and avoid the weekends when the lidi fill with Italian families.

Best time to go

The swim season runs through the summer months, when the Adriatic is at its warmest, and the beach is at its best from late spring through early autumn. July and August are the hottest and busiest, with the beach establishments in full swing; June and September give you warm water with far more space on the sand.

Families with small children often prefer the shoulder months because the sun is less fierce and the beach is calmer. In high summer, plan your beach time for the morning and late afternoon and use the pine woods for the middle of the day.

Nearby beaches to combine

The Ravenna lidi form a chain along the coast, so you can try a different beach each day without moving your base. Lido di Dante, north of Lido di Savio towards the Bevano river mouth, sits at the edge of the Po Delta park and is a good pairing with a wetland walk or a birdwatching trip. If you are weighing up other stretches of the Adriatic, the beaches in Trieste offer a very different, rocky-and-gulf setting for comparison.

North of Lido di Savio, Marina Romea sits among the pine woods near the mouth of the Montone, and Casal Borsetti is a smaller, low-key lido that suits a quieter afternoon. Both are close enough to reach in a short drive along the coast road.

Pairing the beach with Ravenna, Mirabilandia and the pine woods

Ravenna holds eight UNESCO World Heritage monuments, and in July and August the Ravenna Bella di Sera programme brings evening events for families to the historic centre, with guided Mosaico di Notte visits to the mosaics. A beach morning followed by a city evening makes a good split day.

Mirabilandia, the big theme park of the Romagna riviera, is within easy reach, and in summer it stays open late with music and light shows. The Casa delle Farfalle at Milano Marittima, a butterfly house with tropical species and a garden trail, is another good non-beach outing for children.

The Po Delta wetlands north of the resort, including Punte Alberete, the Boscoforte peninsula and the Ortazzo and Ortazzino, offer guided visits and birdwatching on cycle routes. Combine a morning on the sand with an afternoon in the pine woods or the wetlands when the beach is at its hottest.

Practical kit for a family beach day

Bring water shoes for the walk across the hot sand, high-factor sun cream for the exposed equipped beach, and a light long-sleeved layer for the children in the middle of the day. A sun umbrella is useful if you take a spot at the edge of the frontage rather than at an establishment.

Pack a refillable bottle and a cool bag for snacks, and plan a late lunch in the shade of the pines if you are staying through the afternoon. Cash or a card for the beach establishment is sensible, since sunbed and umbrella charges are set by each bagno and quoted on arrival.

Plan Your Visit

Lido di Savio works best as a family base for a week on the Ravenna coast rather than a single stop: gentle sand for the children, Blue Flag water, equipped beach establishments and pine woods for the afternoon. Pair it with Ravenna's mosaics, the wetlands of the Po Delta and the bigger beaches up the coast for a varied trip.