In the heart of the thousand-year-old saltpans of Cervia you can find the “Stazione Sud” of the Park of the Po Delta as well as an important Visitor’s Centre for many tourists and nature lovers. Amongst these stretches of salty water an immense “pink cloud” has materialized in the last few years a fact so fascinating that one is struck by it. The pink cloud is a colony of pink flamingos that stop here to rest and refresh themselves during their long migration, with groups consisting of an average of 300 to 700 but sometimes reaching two thousand birds. Pink flamingos are not the only curiosity to make the saltpan a natural oasis just a few passes from the crowded beaches of the Romagna coast; many other rare species rest here too such as black-winged stilts, redshanks, Mediterranean gulls, shelducks, egrets, cranes and avocets, which have become the symbol of the station itself as they incredibly returned here a few years ago to remain after a long absence. The centre is nowadays one of the most important observation points for the study and census of bird migration along the Adriatic Sea and it is possible to make short visits and get in touch with this extraordinary environmental reality thanks to a path lined with information boards and a viewing tower. The centre is open from spring to autumn and the opening hours vary according to the season and guided tours which last one hour or an hour and a half are available. In addition it is possible to book guided tours for groups and school trips which include time spent in specially equipped audio-visual rooms as well as a picture gallery. During the visits students are given free information and educational material. 3 km from Hotel City - Milano Marittima
