Grazie to local Tuscan Suzanne Talenti for this guide to Acqua Village Cecina!
Heading to the Tuscan coast and looking to cool off?
Do you love water slides?
Acqua Village in Cecina has 7 slides and 4 pools: it’s a clean, fun park and a great way to beat the intense Italian summer heat.
Here’s my guide to Acqua Village Cecina, which includes:
- features
- whether or you should visit
- when to visit
- how long to stay
- how to get your tickets
- how to get to Acqua Village Cecina
- tips for eating & drinking there
- where to sit and put your things while you’re at the park
- recommendations for visiting the park with kids, and my picks for slides by age group
I’m a cheerleader for Acqua Village Cecina because it has something for everyone, from small children who can’t even go on the slides, to adrenaline seekers like my husband. You’ll see families with babies, groups of teenagers, and adults having fun there.
In fact, Acqua Village Cecina is a summer tradition in my family– we’ve been going every summer since 2017.
Table of Contents
Acqua Village Cecina – Overview
Where is Acqua Village Cecina?
Acqua Village Cecina is a Hawaiian themed water park located in the beach town of Marina di Cecina or Cecina Mare, on the coast of Tuscany. In fact, the water park is about a 15 minute walk from the beach.
There are two Acqua Village water parks on the Tuscan coast: one in Cecina, and one further down the coast in Follonica.
Full Disclosure: I’ve only been to the Cecina location because a) Tuscans say it’s better and b) we’re partial to Cecina because my husband has been vacationing there every year since he was kid.
Acqua Village Cecina Features
- Clean, well-maintained park
- 7 water slides
- 4 pools, including a wave pool
- Pools are kept cool
- You don’t have to wear a bathing cap (unlike at most other Italian pools)
- 2 small water slides for young children (at Moku Children’s Island)
- Great options for kids who are too young for water slides
- Food and snacks for sale
- Plenty of shade
- Sun lounger rental
- Locker and safety deposit rentals
- Easy parking
- On-site store if you forget things like sunscreen, diapers or water wings
Should You Go to Acqua Village Cecina?
Sì! Yes! If you:
- are already in Tuscany, or on the Tuscan coast
- are looking for a fun way to cool off
- are a family with children
- are a thrill seeker
- need a break from art and culture
Skip it if you:
- want to go on an August weekend, and hate crowds and standing in lines
- are looking for a traditional Italian experience
When to Visit Acqua Village Cecina
Acqua Village Cecina is open every day 10 am to 6 pm from June 10 to September 10 (check the official website for up to date hours) except when there are dangerous weather conditions.
If you can choose, I recommend going on a weekday in June or September, when lines are usually not outrageously long.
If you can only go in July or August, try to go on a weekday. Keep in mind that most Italians are on vacation in mid August for ferragosto, so the park will be even busier then.
Read more about visiting Tuscany in the Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter
Learn about the Best Times to Visit Tuscany – Month-by-Month
How Much Time to Spend at Acqua Village Cecina
I think one day is the perfect time to spend at Acqua Village. In June and September, that’s usually enough time to do every slide, spend time in every pool, and relax in the shade a bit as well.
If it’s an extremely busy day at the park and there are very long lines, for example in August, you may not have enough time to do all the slides in one day. But you will probably still feel like one day was a fine amount at Acqua Village.
If you don’t really care if you do all the slides or not, or you want to go to the beach in the morning, then consider getting a half day ticket. You can enter the park after 2:30 pm, and still have plenty of time to cool off and have fun.
If you’ll be in the Cecina area for quite a while, and you’re a water slide fan, consider buying a monthly pass.
Good To Know: Usually the lines and pools thin out at about 4 or 5 pm, leading up to closing time. Sometimes 12- 1 pm (lunchtime) is also a good time to get on line and be in the pools.
How to Buy Tickets
Acqua Village Cecina is open from June 10 until September 10, every day from 10 am to 6 pm, except when there are dangerous weather conditions (check the official website for up to date hours). However, no matter what, tickets are non-refundable.
Online for a Specific Date
Buying tickets online are a great way to save time. You can buy them up until 11 am the day before you visit the park. The only catch is that you have to buy your ticket for a specific date (and tickets are non-refundable). Only full day tickets, and monthly passes can be purchased online.
Important: Make sure to buy your ticket for the Cecina park, and not its sister park in Follonica.
In Person on the Same Day
If you’re not sure which day you’ll go to the park, or your plans might change, you can buy your tickets in person at the park ticket office on the day of your visit (your ticket will still be non-refundable). It is also the only way to buy a half day ticket (at the time of writing).
Buying in person is definitely the safer bet, but I generally don’t recommend it because the line can be very long.
Eating and Drinking at Acqua Village
Acqua Village Cecina’s main food pavilion, Ristofood, has:
- a fast food counter with hamburgers, hot dogs, and french fries
- a self serve restaurant with pastas, meat dishes and salads
- a coffee bar with beer, potato chips and packaged ice creams
Around the park there are various food and drink kiosks devoted to:
- gelato
- frozen yogurt
- fresh fruit
- waffles
- cocktails
However, usually we bring the bulk of our own food, and a ton of cold water in a soft cooler. I recommend doing this not just to save money, but because we are not very impressed with the food quality at the park. Not too far from the park there are supermarkets (like Conad) and alimentari (small food shops) where you can get supplies and sandwiches in the morning.
Whether you bring or buy your lunch, you’ll probably want to buy some treats at the park. There is both scooped and packaged gelato, fresh fruit, waffles and frozen yogurt to satisfy your sweet tooth.
You can eat the food you buy inside, or at the shaded picnic tables outside the restaurant complex. If you bring your own food, you can enjoy it at the picnic tables by the Big Pool, by the Moku the Children’s Island, or at your umbrella.
Where to Sit
On the grounds of Acqua Village Cecina is a lot of space where you can set up a spot with your towels and make a home base for the day.
There are a lot of grassy areas with free umbrellas (first come first served), and palm trees for shade. You can rent sun loungers at the kiosk near the entrance to the park (€ 4/day, subject to change), or sit right on the grass.
There are also paved areas facing the Big Pool and Moku Children’s Island with umbrellas, and shaded picnic tables. These areas have chairs for sitting as well.
Choose a spot where you’ll think you’ll spend the most time. Do you want (relative) peace and quiet, or buzz? The grassy area between Fun Island pool and the Intrigo slide is relatively quiet. Loud music is blasted at the Big Pool during the wave parties, and loudspeakers broadcast Italian radio near the grassy area in front of the Ristofood pavilion.
What to Do with Your Stuff During Your Visit
If you’re worried about leaving your things unattended, the free umbrellas have rentable safe deposit boxes in them. Acqua Village Cecina also has lockers and safe deposit boxes near the entrance for rent. Pay for the safe deposit boxes, lockers and sun loungers at the kiosk by the park entrance.
We have never rented lockers or safe deposit boxes and have not had any problems with theft. Of course, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Do what makes you feel the safest and most relaxed.
Acqua Village with Kids
Acqua Village is a great place for kids! I’ve been going at least once a year since my kids were 1 and 3 ½. It’s clean, comfortable, and has plenty to do. It’s one of the few places where parents can have a ton of fun right along with the kids, because you get to cool off and splash around too.
The park seems big and overwhelming when you first walk in because of how it’s laid out. It’s actually quite manageable, and once you get your bearings you can walk from end to end in a few minutes.
The park is almost completely flat, and is great for strollers (on my last visit I saw a double with twins sleeping inside).
If you forget something crucial like diapers or water wings, there is an (expensive) store on-site at the park called Bazar. It also has small children’s bathing suits, sunscreen, candy and chips.
Keep in mind that smoking is allowed in the park’s green areas and by the umbrellas. This can be a nuisance if smoke bothers you and your children (just like at the beach in Italy). The grounds are kept clean, so that even if your umbrella neighbor’s smoke is in the air, there aren’t a lot of cigarette butts littering the ground.
Helpful Tip: The pools are highly chlorinated (thankfully). If your kid likes to spend all day in the pool underwater, bring goggles to protect their eyes.
Good To Know: There is at least one lifeguard at every pool. However, don’t trust them to notice if your kid is drowning – sometimes they are on their cellphones (this has gotten worse over the years). Make sure you are watching your kids at all times.
My Ride Picks by Age Group
Babies and Toddlers:
- Moku Children’s Island: shallow water is 0- 50 cm deep. There are two straight slides, and two curvy slides for small children (accompany really small children)
- Fun Island: shallow section. There’s a playground in the water with sprays and a small slide (accompany very small children)
- Wailele Relaxing lagoon: shallow water is 0- 40 cm deep. Watch out, the waterfalls are very hard.
- Big Wave Pool (Piscina ad Onde): the shallow part starts at 0 cm deep and gets gradually deeper to 1,80 m, just like a beach. Stay out of deeper water during the wave party, which is every hour on the hour).
Helpful Tip: Consider having small children wear water wings so they have more freedom when playing in the water and going on the slides.
Kindergarteners and young elementary schoolers:
- Wailele relaxing lagoon
- Moku Children’s Island: shallow water, two straight slides, and two curvy slides for small children
- Fun Island: shallow section and a jungle gym with sprays and a small slide
- Big Pool: shallow water gets gradually deeper. Be careful during the wave party (every hour on the hour)
- Pohaku: water slide with bumps (ends in 1,30 m deep water)
- Anaconda: a curvy water slide (ends in 0,90 m deep water)
- Intrigo: 2- and 4- person raft curvy slide (ends in 1,45 m deep water)
Older elementary schoolers:
- Pohaku: water slide with bumps
- Anaconda: a curvy water slide
- Intrigo: 2- and 4- person raft curvy slide
- Lua Pele Loko: volcano themed raft slide with dark indoor section. Must be 1,20 m tall.
- Lua Pele Waho: volcano themed raft slide with steep outdoor half pipe
- The wave party at the Big Pool (every hour on the hour)
- Deep pool at Fun island
Thrill seekers from middle school on up:
- Pohaku: lie down to go as fast as you can!
- Intrigo
- Lua Pele Loko
- Lua Pele Waho
- The wave party at the Big Pool (every hour on the hour)
- Deep pool at Fun island
- Twister: dark slide inside a twisty tube
High schoolers and adults who are young at heart:
- Everything, and:
- Kamikaze: Hold on to your mat on this 71 m long, vertical slide! 14 years old and up.
How to Get to Acqua Village Cecina
Public Transportation
There is direct train service to Cecina station from Pisa (if you’re coming from Florence, you’ll have to change trains in Pisa.)
At Cecina train station take the #1 Bus towards Cecina Mare (8 stops). It is then about a 300 m walk to the park.
You can also take a taxi from the train station, or walk to Acqua Village (it is about 2 km, or 25 minutes on foot).
Drive and Easy Parking
Driving to Acqua Village Cecina is convenient and there is a large parking lot right out front. It’s a municipal parking lot with metered parking, but it doesn’t break the bank.
There is also free parking in a field around the corner along Via Tevere.
Even though there is plenty of parking, on busy days it can fill up fast, so I recommend getting there before the park opens in July and August.
Where to Stay
Cecina is a beach town on the Etruscan Coast with a lot to offer people of all ages. There is a range of accommodation including campgrounds, apartment rentals, bed and breakfasts and hotels, and various price points. If you want to get to Acqua Village Cecina at opening time, Cecina is your most convenient option, especially if you’re within walking distance.
Among the other nearby beach towns, I’d recommend chichi Castiglioncello with its beautiful wide bay. Wine lovers will enjoy staying inland near Bolgheri and Castagneto Carducci.
Read about Visiting Bolgheri with Kids
What to Do Near Acqua Village Cecina
Beach – Cecina Mare has a long stretch of waterfront with beach clubs as well as a few public beaches where you can enter for free. There are restaurants, bars, fountains, and even children’s rides along the lungomare, or waterfront promenade. Part of it is closed to cars.
My favorite part of Cecina Mare is the Tombolo di Cecina Nature Reserve. It stretches for 5 km, with a flat path for walking, jogging and bike riding. It’s a great place to picnic out of the sun, and leads right to a long stretch of public beach.
You may want to read about Cecina with Kids
Cavallino Matto – Tuscany’s largest amusement park, Cavallino Matto is a local favorite of kids of all ages. It’s located in Marina di Castagneto Carducci, about a 25 minute drive from Acqua Village Cecina.
Parco Gallo Rose – Walk-through zoo park with over 130 animals, in the outskirts of Cecina.
Suzanne Talenti
Suzanne has been living in Italy for almost two decades. Based in Tuscany with her husband and two children, she uses her BA in Italian and Master’s in Gastronomy to teach about Italian food, culture and language, as well as organize food tours and events. She has over 15 years of teaching experience with students on two continents. Suzanne is always on the lookout for fun, interesting places to explore in Italy, ideally with a stop for yummy local delicacies along the way! You can find her at GettingToKnowItaly.