Nature

National and regional parks, protected areas and nature reserves, a territory running from the Adriatic Sea to the Apennines, and a variety of ecosystems that are unique in Europe: Romagna has a varied and valuable natural heritage.

On the western side, along the Tuscan border, lies the Foreste Casentinesi national park, a reserve of woods, streams, waterfalls and paths to be covered on foot, by mountain bike, on horseback or, in winter, on touring skis and snowshoes. The park includes the imposing Ridracoli dam and its lake.

On the same side lies the Vena del Gesso regional park, running from the Sillaro valley to Brisighella. A silver-grey ridge crosses this stretch of the Apennines, forming the longest and most imposing gypsum outcrop in Italy: 25 km long, with an average width of 1.5 km. Some very striking paths start here, among them the Sentiero degli Abissi and the Sentiero dei Cristalli.

To the east, from the plain towards the Adriatic, the Po Delta regional park covers 54,000 hectares that are home to 374 vertebrate species, 297 of them birds. It is an ecosystem protected for its plant and animal biodiversity, an unusual landscape shaped by the coexistence of nature and human work. Pine woods, salt pans and canals can be crossed on foot or by boat, for the liveliest sport in these parts: birdwatching.

Finally, the border between Romagna and the Marche is marked to the west by the Sasso Simone e Simoncello regional park, a harsher, tougher landscape best taken on by mountain bike or on horseback, thanks to a dense network of bridleways.
An entertaining alternative to a classic walk are the adventure parks in the woods: Sky Park at Novafeltria, in the province of Rimini, San Marino Adventures and CerviAvventura, with zip lines, rope bridges, lianas and crossings.