Ravenna · Italy
Theme Parks on Italy's Adriatic Riviera
The Riviera Romagnola has four big parks within an hour of Rimini: Mirabilandia for coasters, Italia in Miniatura for the mini-Italy landmarks, Aquafan for slides and Oltremare for animals. Two of them share a car park in Riccione, so a stay of three or four days can cover all four without long drives.
Search “parchi divertimento Rimini” and the same four names come up, and for good reason: they are the only big parks on this stretch of coast, and they cover four different kinds of day. Rimini sits in the middle, Riccione is just south of it, and Ravenna is about 40 minutes up the coast. Base yourself in any of the resorts in between and every park is within an easy drive or a bus ride.
Three of the four (Italia in Miniatura, Aquafan and Oltremare) belong to Costa Edutainment, the group that also runs the Aquarium of Genoa. That is why you will see combined tickets for them. Mirabilandia is run separately by Parques Reunidos and has its own combos with its Mirabeach water park.
| Park | From the city/resort | How to get there | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirabilandia | About 40 min from Rimini by car | Train to Lido di Classe/Savio, or SS16 | Coasters, teens, Halloween |
| Italia in Miniatura | Viserba, north Rimini | Bus 8 from Rimini station | Families, first-time visitors to Italy |
| Aquafan | Riccione hill, by the A14 exit | Bus 58 from Riccione station | Slides, hot summer days |
| Oltremare | Next to Aquafan | Bus 58, same stop | Animals, younger kids |
The four parks
Mirabilandia
Mirabilandia is the heavyweight: Italy’s most coaster-heavy park, at Savio south of Ravenna. iSpeed launches you to motorway speed in about two seconds, Katun is Europe’s longest inverted coaster, and Ducati World adds a duelling racing coaster. The Mirabeach water park next door has its own ticket or a two-day combo. Plan a full day, more if you add Mirabeach.
Italia in Miniatura
Italia in Miniatura is the “mini Italy theme park” people search for: scale models from all 20 Italian regions, from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to St Peter’s, plus a section of European landmarks. Venice in Miniature has been fully renovated, and there are rides and indoor extras between the models: a Pinocchio area, a panoramic tower, the Esperimenta science pavilion and a 7D cinema. It’s half a day to a full day, depending on your children’s attention span.
Aquafan
Aquafan is the Riviera’s best-known water park, on the hill above Riccione. The slide list runs from the Kamikaze and Black Hole to Extreme River and the M280, the biggest attraction the park has built. There are separate splash zones for small children and a quieter relax area. It opens only for the summer and adds a few late-night openings in July and August.
Oltremare
Oltremare is the animal park next door, built around a dolphin area, a birds-of-prey and falconry zone, a parrot area and a farm. It also has outdoor play areas, a canoe route and a life-size Kronosaurus. The pace is slower than at the ride parks, which makes it the easiest of the four for grandparents and toddlers.
A one-day plan
If you only have one day and you’re staying around Rimini or Riccione, use the Riccione hill, where two parks share one car park and one bus stop:
- Morning: Oltremare. Arrive for opening, check the presentation times at the entrance, and see the dolphins and the raptor flight before the midday heat.
- Lunch in the park, or a picnic in the car if you drove.
- Afternoon: Aquafan. Walk across, change, and spend the hottest hours on the slides. Queues for the big slides ease after about 16:00 as beach-goers head home.
Check the combined ticket options before you buy two singles. Doing Mirabilandia and anything else on the same day doesn’t work: it’s a full day on its own.
If you only have time for one
- Teens and adults: Mirabilandia, no contest. Nothing else in Italy matches its coaster line-up.
- Families with children under 10: Italia in Miniatura. It’s easy to reach by bus, has no queue-heavy rides and gives children something to remember from the Italian cities they haven’t seen yet.
- A hot August day with mixed ages: Aquafan.
- Animal lovers, or a cloudy day: Oltremare.
Fiabilandia in Rivazzurra di Rimini, open since 1965, is the other name you’ll see on local billboards. It’s a small park aimed squarely at young children.
Seasons and timing
The whole Riviera follows the beach calendar. Late July and August fill every resort on the coast, and any rainy beach day sends extra crowds into the parks. June and early September give you the full programme with shorter queues.
- Aquafan is summer-only: in 2026 it ran from early June to early September.
- Mirabilandia, Italia in Miniatura and Oltremare open from spring into autumn. October weekends are Halloween season, Mirabilandia’s busiest event.
- Winter: Italia in Miniatura opens on selected dates outside the main season at winter prices. Check the calendar before you plan around it.
For more parks around the country, from Gardaland on Lake Garda to Rome’s Cinecittà World, see the Italy destination hub.
FAQ — Theme Parks on Italy's Adriatic Riviera tickets
What are the best theme parks near Rimini?
Mirabilandia near Ravenna is the big coaster park, Italia in Miniatura in Viserba di Rimini is the miniature park, and Aquafan and Oltremare sit side by side on the hill above Riccione. Fiabilandia in Rivazzurra is a smaller park for young children.
Where is the mini Italy theme park?
Italia in Miniatura is in Viserba, on the northern edge of Rimini. Bus 8 runs from the forecourt of Rimini station to the park, and drivers leave the A14 at Rimini Nord.
Are Aquafan and Oltremare next to each other?
Yes. Both parks are on the Riccione hill beside the A14 Riccione toll booth and share bus 58's Aquafan–Oltremare stop. They are run by the same group, which sells combined tickets.
Can you visit Mirabilandia from Rimini without a car?
Yes. Regional trains on the Rimini–Ravenna line stop at Lido di Classe/Savio, a short hop from the gates, and seasonal buses link the coastal resorts. By car it is around 40 minutes from Rimini.
When are the Rimini parks open?
Aquafan is a summer park, roughly June to early September. Mirabilandia, Italia in Miniatura and Oltremare run longer seasons from spring into autumn, with Halloween events in October. Check each park's calendar before you book.
Which Riviera park is best for small children?
Italia in Miniatura and Oltremare suit under-8s best: no height limits on most of the day, plenty of shade and short walks. Mirabilandia's headline rides are aimed at teens and adults.
Guide last updated: October 2026.