Milano Marittima: the history

Milano Marittima was founded back at the beginning of last Century and has become since than one of the preferred holiday destination in Italy, because of the environment and of the hospitality.





In 1873 the Municipality of Cervia started to invite ist first guests to Cervia, also thanks the opening, in 1884, of a first railway stretch between Ravenna and Cervia.

Back in 1907, an agreement was reached between the Municipality of Cervia and the Maffei Family from Milan who received a large piece of land north of Cervia upon which, in exchange, they had to build some villas, parks and gardens so as transform the area into a new holiday resort which was then called Milano Marittima.











On 1st June 1911 born a Public Limited Company named "Milano Marittima" thanks to a group of 10 Milanese citizens. Between them Napoleone Tempini (president), Aldo Tagliazucchi, Giovanni Facheris,  Alberto Redenti, Felice Bianchi, Giuseppe Galli, Garbis Dilzizian, Lino Barbetta and the painter Giuseppe Palanti.



.
Palanti was assigned the leadership of the project. The urban plan of Milano Marittima refers to the well-known practices of garden-city neighbourhoods' design for low-income housing and for middle-class tourism, following the ideas of Ebenezer Howard.

In 1913 the Society built the first three cottages and the following year four more between them the Giuseppe Palanti's villa. All these cottages were in the hearth of the pinewood and in liberty style. In few years Milano Marittima became a new  middle-class beach resort.


In 1927  Cervia became " resort for health and tourism", thanks also the celebrity of Milano Marittima. Since that year the locality started to buid a large number of villas and hotels. On 30th June 1930 was founded the "grand Hotel Cervia".

During the italian fascism governement, Milano Marittima, became a resort for italian mass tourism with an increase of hotel industry and children summer houses such as Colonia Magenta assigned to fascism young girls from Como,  Colonia Naviglio Grande and Colonia Valcamonica; in 1938 was built the Colonia Varese that could hold more than 800 places.

The town is also well known for its Spa. The beneficial effects of Cervia’s health spa has been known for centuries and the centre has been visited by many people over the years just like the new structure, which was built in 1961 next to the verdant centuries-old pinewood, and only a short distance from the golden, sandy beach.

"Selva e mare"--‘forests and sea’ was the first theme used to publicize the spa at the start of the century and today is still considered the winning formula of the city.

In the second World War Milano Marittima assert itself as more and more appreciated touristic resort thanks to its strenght points: the environment, spa and wellness and its fascinating look.





Crediti fotografie: pixeldreher (1 e 2), Leo Prati (4)