A charming seaside resort on the Adriatic Coast between Ravenna and Rimini, only 5 km away from the historical centre of Cesenatico, easily reached by local bus.
Gatteo Mare is a clean and tidy and also lively seaside resort that offers a wide range of attractions for both adults and kids. The historic river Rubicone separates the village from San Mauro Mare.
The town is very quiet thanks to the pedestrian areas that make Gatteo Mare an ideal family holiday place.
Summer is the most recommended season for visiting Gatteo Mare.
From May to September your motto will be “fun and relax”: the pedestrian precinct is excellent for shopping; the beach, where children can play and swim peacefully, is calm and quiet thanks to a useful ridge of offshore rocks. At the Giardini Don Guanella you can relax and find the impossible among the market stands every Monday.
A holiday in Gatteo Mare is also fun. Thanks to the multiplicity of events organized by the staff of Gatteo Mare Summer Village, every summer Gatteo turns into ‘the greatest touristic village of the world’. Beach entertainment all day long, fun for kids at the Don Guanella Gardens and entertainment and music for adults in Piazza della Libertà in the evening will all amaze you!
If you are a fan of Liscio (ballroom dancing), you cannot miss the two weeks, one at the beginning of the season and the other in September, dedicated to this style of music, which has its origin here, given that the father of the Liscio, Secondo Casadei was born here!
10 km away, easily reached by car, is the historical centre of Gatteo. Founded during the Middle Ages under the name of Fundus Catei, the town was owned by the Malatesta who built a castle, the remains of which can still be seen today. Other important monuments can be seen in the centre: the Church of San Lorenzo, built in late 13th Century and San Rocco Oratory (1484), whose wonderful frescos have recently been restored.
One must certainly cross the river Rubicone: admiring the bronze bust of Julius Caesar, the memorable phrase “Alea iacta est”, the die is cast, comes to mind.
Gatteo’s cuisine is based on delicious fresh fish, which you can eat in the local restaurants, as well as the classical ‘piadina romagnola’ (typical bread from this region) and local wines such as Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Albana and Pagadebit. You cannot go back home without tasting a blue Adriatic anchovy dish such as saraghina, alicette or the famous homemade pasta.
Cantarella, a sweet pancake, typical of poor Romagna cuisine, to which a festival is dedicated every year, holds a place of honor in Gatteo Mare's cuisine.
In Gatteo there are many opportunities to practice outdoor sports such as cycling or beach volleyball, or fishing on motorboats. If you love gorgeous cities and ancient villages, you must absolutely go on an excursion in the surrounding areas. All summer long many events take place to liven up your evenings.
A modern sport centre, soccer and mini-soccer fields, gyms on the shore, beach volleyball and beach tennis are available at the bathing establishments. For nostalgic people there are also bocce ball fields.
Beginning in the early morning, to keep fit you can take part in the courses organized by the staff of Gatteo Mare Summer Village like muscle toning, aquadance and group dancing.
In June and September La Settimana del Liscio (ballroom dancing week).
La Notte del Liscio (the Night of Liscio Music) and La Notte Rosa (the Pink Night) are celebrated all along the coast, including in Gatteo Mare.
On August 14th, fireworks will amaze all the tourists.
A visit is recommended to the old cities of Cesena (19 km), in particular the ancient Biblioteca Malatestiana (Malatestian Library), to Ravenna (34 km), known for its mosaics, a UNESCO heritage site and to Rimini (15 km) famous for its beach and fun entertainment, but also for its prized monuments.
In Cesenatico (only 5 km) you can admire the channel-harbour planned by Leonardo Da Vinci and in San Mauro Pascoli (8 km) you can visit the birthplace of the poet Giovanni Pascoli.
In the hills there are so many beautiful villages, such as Longiano (20 km) and Sogliano (26 km) and also very ancient parish churches.
Don’t miss the famous fun parks like Mirabilandia (20 km) near Ravenna, Fiabilandia (25 km) and Italia in miniatura (14 km) near Rimini, and Aquafan (30 km) in Riccione.
