Getting there is easy, August is the hard part

Bologna is where Italy crosses itself. The Autostrada del Sole from Milan and from Florence, the Adriatic motorway towards the coast, the road to Padua, the Brenner motorway coming down to Modena: anyone moving around Italy sooner or later passes through. For a holidaymaker that is a convenience, provided you pick the right day.

By car and motorhome

For the riviera you leave the Adriatic motorway, which runs parallel to the coast: Rimini north and south, Riccione, Cesena, Cesenatico, Ravenna. For the Ferrara lidos you come from the north and then along the Romea. For the Apennines you leave the Via Emilia and climb, and there the roads narrow: the Cisa and Cerreto passes can be done with long vehicles, others less so, and it is worth looking at a map rather than the satnav.

The days to avoid are Saturdays in July and August, when the stretch between Bologna and Rimini queues for kilometres, and the Sunday evening return. Leaving on a Tuesday changes the holiday.

By train

The old line follows the Via Emilia and stops in every city; the Adriatic line runs along the coast and stops in the seaside towns too, which makes it possible to arrive by train a short walk from the campsite. Bologna is the high-speed station: about an hour from Milan and from Florence, a little over two from Rome.

By plane

Bologna has the largest airport, linked to the station by a monorail. Rimini and Forli mainly serve seasonal flights to the riviera. Hiring a car at any of them is straightforward, while motorhome hire offers few options and is best arranged in advance.