Prehistoric Park, Rivolta d'Adda

Located along the left shore of the Adda river, the Prehistoric Park in Rivolta d'Adda covers more than 100 hectares of the land. The park itself is meant to help visitors travel back in time to giant lizards, huge evergreen ferns, and tropic climate. Apart from reconstructions depicting life before the Ice Age, the park boasts well-developed recreation infrastructure. The park is considered to be both natural and historical site thanks to region’s flora and fauna preservation.

The history of the park

The Prehistoric Park in Rivolta d'Adda was opened in 1978 after two years of preparation. Every reconstruction here consists of fossil remains and skeletons of ancient reptiles which were found on different continents. At first, small lizard models were created, later – full-length ones.

The exhibits of the Prehistoric Park

The Prehistoric Park in Rivolta d'Adda visitors can:

• See 50 reconstructions of different ancient inhabitants of our planet. These include dinosaurs, amphibians, pterosaurs, mammals and primitive humans.
• Get a better understanding if what fauna is like in this region. Here you can encounter rabbits, squirrels, foxes, badgers, salamanders and many other animals in their natural habitat. Park personnel also keeps donkeys, horses, goats, and sheep here.
• Find out more about forest and wetland ecosystem here. There are still rare endemic plants growing in the park including protected species.
• Visit the paleontological museum. It was opened in 2009 and houses collection of fossils and minerals.
• Unwind on picnic lawns, playgrounds or in cafes.

Fun facts

The park owns a hedge maze. Its walls are created with plants that grow to a height of almost 2 meters. It occupies a total land area of 1000 square km.

Visitors can also take a ride through the territory on a tourist train.

Opening hours: the park is open daily from 9:00 till 18:00, till 17:00 during wintertime. In 2018 it is open from 24 February to 11 November.

How to get

Rivolta Matteotti (Posta) bus stop is located within walking distance. Buses № К506, К510, К511, К512 pass through it. If you happen to be in Milan, take subway LINEA3 (yellow line) to San Donato Milanese station. It is an end-of-the-line destination, and that’s where you should take bus № К511, К512 to Vailate.

The admission fee amounts to 12 Euro, although there are discounts. The information is relevant for 2018.