Pedalò (pedal boats) and Mosconi (twin-hulled pleasure boats), timeless symbols of summer at the seaside, are still part of the common imagination of holidays on the Riviera: an authentic cultural heritage and an identifiable part of Romagna. Always present on the seashore, in the foreground of photographs and vintage postcards, they are still today the undisputed protagonists of summer fun: pieces of history that trace the profiles of a population closely tied to its sea and dedicated to fun.
The Moscone (twin-hulled pleasure boats) was the first to represent a true summer icon: the must-have for the holidays of entire generations. In the days of the tourist boom and bathers, the characteristic ride aboard the tiny, nimble rowboat was certainly something not to be missed: an ecologically friendly and fun way to enjoy the sea more intensely.
Along the Adriatic coast, a flourishing, colourful panorama of small boats and Mosconi: a lively crossroads of many “white spots in the middle of the sea” powered by the vigorous strokes of enthusiastic rowers, as described by Alfredo Panzini and many other authors and admirers of the Riviera’s sea.
Over time, the era of the Mosconi gave way to that of the more modern Pedalò (pedal boats): the small “Adriatic runabouts” with slides and diving boards, which, with a few quick pedal strokes, plough through the sea for the enjoyment of young and old! These practical, fun boats are still there, in all their various forms, on the shores of the beaches, ready to be rented.
Fashions fade away, but traditions endure; thus, Mosconi and Pedalòs today are still deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of the Riviera as elements of its panorama and genetic heritage: they are ever-present on the Riviera’s beaches for a souvenir photo or a bit of relaxing entertainment on the open sea…
