Location is an approximation

Italian Adriatic

Five miles of sandy beaches
Leonardo da Vinci-designed harbour
San Marino and a relaxing boat ride

 
 
 
 

Stunning beaches

The soft sand on the shoreline of Cesenatico gently slopes into the Adriatic Sea. With five miles of sandy beaches, it is an ideal location for relaxing in the sunshine and then taking a dip in the crystal blue waters. At the northern end of Cesenatico you will find an attractive fishing village with a harbour designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Restored, traditional fishing boats float under the gaze of colourful renaissance buildings. Our hotel is at the southern end, in the area of Valverde. 

There will be plenty of time to relax by the sea, and you can also enjoy our optional package of three excursions, which takes us to explore the highlights of the area: San Marino with San Leo, Bologna, a lagoon boat ride and the underground world at Sant'Arcangelo.

 

San Marino and San Leo

The Republic of San Marino is a small independent state with spectacular views. Wandering through medieval alleyways we can visit the interesting sights including Palazzo Pubblico (town hall) and the two fortresses. We can also use local money to send a postcard with a distinctive San Marino stamp.

An impressive fortress looms over the village of San Leo; it is both a castle and a museum, housing weapons from the eighteenth century. There is plenty to see, including the Sacred Art Museum and the cathedral.

 

Beautiful Bologna

Arguably one of the best-looking cities in Italy, Bologna’s medieval centre is a jumble of balconies, fountains and 38km of porticoes. At its heart is Piazza Maggiore, a square that is flanked by the grand Gothic church of San Petronio and the majestic Palazzo dei Bianchi.

Scattered throughout the city are attractive buildings belonging to the university, and looming over it all are the Due Torri – Bologna’s own leaning towers.

 

Boat cruising and tunnels

New for this year, we will enjoy a boat ride on the Comacchio lagoon, which is home to flamingos. Our guide will also explain about the interesting history of the lagoon with its ancient fishing huts.  

At Sant'Arcangelo, a series of tunnels, caves and storehouses were built underground to enable the locals to store food and create escape routes during sieges. A guided tour will enable us to experience this intriguing hidden world. 
 

Explore the coastline

If you wish to explore more of the local area, Rimini is accessible by train in less than 30 minutes for around €7 return. This interesting town is on the coastline, offering the chance to feel the sand between your toes before exploring its prominent buildings, particularly the Tiberius Bridge, built in 21 AD, and Castel Sismondo.

Ravenna can also be reached by train for a similar cost and is world famous for its impressive mosaics throughout the city's churches. 

 

Relax by the sea

Cesenatico is the perfect base from which to explore Italy’s Adriatic coast, or just relax by the sea. We stay in the three-star Hotel Imperiale, which is family-run and has been welcoming Oak Hall groups for a number of years. It is only 150m from the beach, at the southern end of the town.  

For the August holiday we fly into Florence. The airport transfer takes around 2.5hrs. On the way home we will stop for around 3 hours to explore Florence. For the September holiday we fly to Bologna. The airport transfer is around 1. 5hrs.   

We will meet each evening for a helpful Bible talk and uplifting singing.

 
 

Dates/Prices

The cost includes return flights from London to Italy with British Airways (click 'View/Book' for flight details), airport taxes and charges, airport transfers, accommodation in a three-star hotel with air-conditioned, en-suite rooms for two, breakfast and evening meals while at the hotel.

Optional excursion package: £88

The deposit is £50 if booking more than two months in advance (plus single room supplement, if applicable).

For flight times, click 'View/Book'.

For details of independent travel, scroll down on this page

Availability Update:
AF42: 03.09 We have one place for a male sharing in a twin room. This is for someone who can arrange their own flights
 
  TripDatesPrice
AF42 - £87810 daysView/Book ->
Availability Key:
Independent Travel Remaining
Full but waiting list available
Place may be available on request
Places still available
A few places still available
 

Independent Travel

You can select to travel independently during the booking process (NB we are unable to book one way flights or change the date of travel).

Click on 'View/Book' above to see the independent discount and the cost for the optional airport transfer. Please note that we fly to Florence for AF35 and Bologna for AF42.

The airport transfer is booked to coincide with the group flights. Please note that the driver would not be able to wait if you miss the transfer.

If you are travelling independently but someone else in your party will use the group flights, please make separate bookings.

If you will meet the group at the hotel, the nearest train station is Gatteo a Mare and you can find train times on www.trenitalia.it

If there are any changes to the holiday, we would not be able to cover the cost of changes to your independent flights. We would therefore recommend booking fully flexible tickets or joining the holiday using our flights.