A sea of emotions

For tourists and visitors, Cattolica is at its best from spring right through to October, reaching a peak in the summer when the hospitality industry is working at full capacity. However, there are numerous hotels and restaurants open all year round. This is an elegant town; a fact that can be seen by taking a walk along its tree-lined streets, with shops and welcoming bars and restaurants where to stop for an aperitif or an ice-cream, or by taking a rest in one of the many recently upgraded squares, adorned with fountains. Cattolica certainly knows how to entertain its guests. Free time and evening hours are always packed with events, exhibitions and feasts. Each season, the Regina Theatre and Arena has an excellent programme of events. During the summer, in particular, open-air concerts and shows attract considerable interest thanks to their originality. The former Pellegrini Hospital (1584) houses the Regina Museum, which documents the pre-history and history of Cattolica, with particular reference to the Roman-Republican period and the town’s seafaring traditions. The multi-purpose cultural centre in Piazza della Repubblica, which during the summer becomes the Arena della Regina, is a futuristic building designed by the architect Pier Luigi Cervellati who also designed the theatre, the first built from scratch in Italy since the end of the Second World War. Also worth visiting is the old harbour, where traditionally the fishing fleet is moored. Lining the square, with its characteristic boat-shaped fountain in the centre, are a number of bars and restaurants.