Romagna mountains and sea are full of green tourism opportunity

Green hoteliers are making sure that none of it goes to waste!

Angela’s family owns a couple of lovely hotels by the sea in the lovely Adriatic resort of Milano Marittima.

The hotels are so lovely, the food so good, the hospitality so warm, the position so great that it seems a shame to let any of this opportunity go to waste.

But the sad fact is only a tiny fraction of the potential of this exquisite offer is currently being made available. From the point of view of tourism businesses, such as Angela’s and tourists – it’s a great waste.

But Angela, and many other hoteliers are now doing something about it. Joining Green Tourism  is only part of their plan. 

The fact is that tourism in Romagna is concentrated on just two months (July and August) many establishments don’t even open until mid May and close mid September.

It’s not as though the only tourism asset that Romagna has is just the beach, like many other lido-style destinations.

The fact is that the whole of the territory is crammed full of potentially marketable top quality world-class tourism opportunities.

This undiscovered jewel, set between Venice and Florence, the Apennines and the Adriatic simply has it all.

From a cultural standpoint, the vast Roman legacy – including the great art cities of the via Emilia and Byzantine Ravenna – once capital of the Roman Empire – are added to by the proximity of Venice and Florence. All this culture is topped by the 300+ glorious soaring castles of the Malatesta dynasty and the powerful Este and Montefeltro families – even the Borgias, the Popes, the Venetians and Leonardo da Vinci have left their fabulous indelible marks.

Food and wine are as good (many say better!) than anywhere else in Italy. There are literally hundreds of top quality hillside vineyards to visit, olive groves galore, an enormous harvest of superb crops (in 1970 tiny Romagna was second only to California in the export of quality fruit). Amazing seafood is caught daily.

In every home and in every restaurant great food is cooked, served and eaten – fresh pasta made daily from local flours is the norm. In Romagna, cookery is an essential art, championed by each and every Romagnolo – not forgetting the ‘Father of Italian Cookery’ Pellegrino Artusi.

The natural heritage is no less immense. Great pine forests, superb lagoons, green rolling hills and statuesque mountains, lovely valleys, rivers and green fields and a glorious star-filled night sky, all unspoiled and welcoming.

The beach is, of course, fabulous and it’s been enjoyed by generations of Italians for over 100 years – but it’s just a part of the potential Romagna experience.

And Romagna’s trump card? To cap all of their wondrous country, there is something very special indeed. –  extreme hospitality! It is said that if you ask for a drink anywhere in Italy – they will give you water. In Romagna they give you wine.

Angela was born in Switzerland – a country with a massive tourism history, and she sees Romagna with objective eyes – clearly that’s why she is so passionate about the potential. So both she and her husband Piero are totally committed – Angela as president of a marketing group of hotels and Piero as president of the big local hotel association ASCOM

Angela and her family’s base is pretty special too – both have won silver awards from Green Tourism the Hotel Majestic is lovely – airy, warm, stylish, great food prepared from scratch daily (including a range of vegan and vegetarian offers). Breakfasts are on an airy patio looking over the beach and the hotel’s own beach club. Stylish, minimalist, marble-halled luxury.  Their other hotel, the Solemare  is no less welcoming – a superb family hotel with gardens and access to all the neighbouring Majestic facilities including the swimming pool and the great beach. There is, of course a kid’s club, beach sports, a beach bar. Everything. But above all the very best of Romagna hospitality including the very best of Romagna cuisine.

Of course, the massive diversity of the Romagna tourism offer is echoed by the diversity of accommodation offers. The great thing about this area is there are no chains, no commodity tourism, everything is according to individual tastes. And simply everywhere hospitality is extreme!

So if you are a vegan or a vegetarian, or like to have a complete cuisine you could try the, quite amazing, Green Tourism Silver awarded (we think it should be gold!) Villa Claudia

Although this little hotel is right on the beach in the pretty Adriatic resort of Bellaria – and with astonishing views and a lovely garden – cookery is king (or queen according to the lady chef!). There is a wonderful menu with a superb range of fresh local foods with a total commitment to the environment which comes directly from the owner – Pietro Giordiano. So bread and cakes are baked every day, fresh pasta made. Here you can be sure of quite astonishingly good food AND vegan and vegetarian choices.

A widely-travelled family – Pietro’s mum came to work in London in the 50’s and then they ran a restaurant in Switzerland – their roots are totally 100% local – the family were local fisher folk. And naturally, Pietro prides himself on his local supply-chain daily sourcing the best ingredients. The garden and the beach front are a delight.

Fancy camping or motorhoming?

One of the doyens of Green Tourism with a gold award – the Camping Marecchia  is totally rooted in its sensational environment. Just by the Marecchia River, close to the hilltop castle-town of Pennabilli, it uses its superb site to display great artworks of the local Renaissance man – artist, screenwriter, poet, political figure Tonino Guerra. A visit to the camping is sheer delight.

Not only a delight for visitors but a true benefit to its local environment, its fame as a green home from home has spread throughout Europe and guests come from far and wide to visit.

And the food! Of course, here, in the heart of Romagna, local, seasonal, traditionally-prepared food is very, very important, Naturally the restaurant serves the best – hand created delights for the palate.

Or camp by the beach! Piomboni Camping Village is in the pinewoods by the beach in the swish resort of Marina di Ravenna. It is another Green Tourism super silver-awarded site.  The family that owns it comes from Faenza and the young current boss – Luigi Carlo Laurenti truly loves his work bringing every day memories of his childhood holidays.

The pines (tall umbrella-style Maritime Pines) are important, he says and it is good to walk through the woods with bare feet to get the full experience. You can sleep in your tent, in your motorhome or there is a selection of up-to-the-minute bungalows for a fully-relaxing experience. After a day on the beach a barbeque with great local produce is a must!

Or posh self-catering? JustSuites  is Green Tourism Silver & smart! Architect-dream designed, right on the seafront. Cool café/bar. But more importantly – sensational suites with sensational views. So cool it’s chilly!

This is the place to go for an elegant break – at any time of the year with the sea and historic Cervia for company. Walk, use one of the free cycles for shopping or just chillax with your tablet!

Or why not choose an exclusive boutique hotel for an even deeper luxury and truly romantic experience? The 4 star Hotel Derby Exclusive in stylish Milano Marittima is comfort, luxury and class personified. This Green Tourism Silver-awarded hotel has some truly fabulous rooms and the hotel reeks of comfort.

The architect-designed building is just by the sea, naturally with its own beach, and has been totally transformed from when it was the first hotel on the beach in the 1950’s. Now its warm yellow art-deco exterior gives the lie to what’s inside – lots of delights for all the senses. Not forgetting the incredibly good cuisine (including vegetarian, vegan, celiac) served with style (naturally) in the elegant restaurant.

Or what about Hotel Mazzanti to have a nice holiday just by the seaside? As you enter the hall, you get immediately hit by the beautiful flowers on the reception desk and by the nice smell which is in every corner and room. Nice boutique rooms, with a separate living room and tv, a wonderful view on the sea from every room… What else! The hotel is managed by the youngest generation, Mattia, who studied in Switzerland and speaks perfectly German and English!

The hotel was built in 1956, standing alone on the beach (it was a big gamble then!) and grew bigger over the years – in size and in stars. Romagnolo cuisine and organic food is served, and at the same time embracing new dietary demands.  Now a four-star green hotel, Mattia has some new projects for the hotel which include getting the Green-Tourism Gold!

Or you can go for a family holiday with some very big plusses!

For example, the Green Tourism Gold Awarded Caribia in Pinarella where the pine woods meet the beach is one of very few hotels in the world with such a high green ranking. The hotel is absolutely committed to superb local, fresh, seasonal food and wine – even many of the wines are organic. In many parts of the world such cuisine is available but expensive. Here in this small hotel, just a stroll through the pinewoods to the sea – sensational, wholesome food comes as part of the family full board package.

The family are bakers – they’ve been doing it for a long time and they are very, very good. All their skills are now lavished on their guests, bread, cakes, biscuits and truly great, wholesome food. Local flour, local milk, local salt, truly local ingredients in all of their delicious menus.

One whole family, father, brother, mother, grandparents, kids – totally devoted to giving other families great, green, natural holidays.

The hotel Green Tourism Silver-awarded Hotel Giuliana  in Cervia is cool. Cool and airy and in a lovely park with a swimming pool.  Of course it’s got solar panels, and environmentally-friendly air conditioning, but it also has sumptuous buffets and truly great local food.

Pretty much all the rooms are enormous – in particular the junior suites and the hotel is as relaxed as can be, the thought of relaxing in the enormous patio by the pool with a spa and Jacuzzi at hand, in a tree-surrounded area makes you relaxed just by thinking about it!

How could you get more happy to be down-to-earth than at the Green Tourism Silver-awarded Hotel Granada  in the pretty chocolate-box resort of Bellaria. The owning family are local farmers and they know farmers. Built the hotel themselves as a warm haven for families to enjoy a great rest with fantastic food. Yet another family owned, family-run hotel catering for families.

With the emphasis on catering! Here you will enjoy 0km food,  3 daily menus, food from the local farms, home baking and delicious breakfast jams. Fabulous fresh premium local cuisine at family-friendly prices.

Just like the Hotel San Remo delightfully situated also in leafy, sandy Bellaria, also Green Tourism Silver-awarded. A budget-priced hotel with sensational local food – run by the same family since 1954 and catering to the same families year after year.

Yes… home-made pasta every day, home baking, sensational local food, Romagnolo hospitality. Wholesome, fresh, natural – truly great food at budget prices for demanding families.

Want to find out more about Green Romagna? Green Romagna riviera – land of blue, gold, green and now silver

US Travel agents say Romagna we adore:

Deep green hotel offers 360 degree care:

Romagna leads the green tourism way for Italy:

Italian garden city by the sea:

Valere Tjolle

New industry Italy green guide out: HERE

Green masterclasses series unveiled for autumn: HERE

Green tourism battle lines are being drawn: HERE