OLTREMARE park OF RICCIONE
The Oltremare Park, on the hills of the Adriatic city of Riccione (Emilia Romagna) was born from a project and, later, from an important investment by two entrepreneurial realities in the area: the Aquafan water park and the Dolphinarium of Riccione, a circular pool of 25 meters at the time the most famous structure of the Romagna Riviera, thanks to the management of Augusto Leandro Stanzani and Giuseppe "Carmelo" Caniglia, who passed away on Christmas day, at the end of 2019, at the age of 74.
Inaugurated in June 2004, this important architectural project presents for most of its total extension many green areas and outdoor areas. Initially managed by Narvalo srl, the company that managed the dolphinaria of Riccione and Cattolica, from October 2013 the park passed under the management of Costa Parchi SPA, the same in management also of the Aquarium of Genoa.
The Dolphins Lagoon
The Dolphins Lagoon (or Taras Lagoon) is definitely the park's greatest attraction.
This pool complex, designed according to current regulatory standards, recreates what may resemble the Dalmatian environment, with small lagoons and inlets and crystal clear water. The main tank, called main , has different backdrops (the deepest is 6 meters) and characterizes the center of dolphin life, training sessions, shows and visitors'observations. Behind the rocks that make up the central platform, there are the holding pool and the reproduction pool. These are two other smaller tanks that characterize the veterinary and training activities, including daily medical checks, interactions with trainers, acclimatization periods for new arrivals and the management of new births.
The Pianeta Mare area, a large area dedicated to the fauna of the Adriatic, also offers a splendid view of the dolphins lagoon. In an area of 30 square meters, it is possible to observe the cetaceans thanks to the presence of a central window, followed by two other, smaller ones, in the left direction of the lagoon.
The right-hand section, once open and accessible to the public, remains temporarily closed: in fact, another small window can be seen up to the observation of the reproductive tank with movable bottom, accessible only by qualified personnel.
Furthermore, a water filtering system guarantees the physical well-being of the bottlenose dolphins hosted, thanks to a continuous replacement of the water in the tanks, as well as proper care and cleaning by the staff.
