In the gentle rolling hills of the Veneto Region’s Treviso Province sits one of the most unusual places we’ve come across in Italy (or anywhere for that matter).
From the highway, Osteria ai Pioppi may look like your average roadside restaurant, but once you notice the gigantic car park, you start to wonder why it draws such crowds.
Hidden in the woods behind the restaurant is the secret to the places’ popularity. In between the trees, you’ll find a multitude of big and small amusement park rides.
Not that special, you say? What if I tell you that not a single one of those is powered by electricity? All the rides at Osteria ai Pioppi are mechanical and solely human-powered. Read on for everything you need to know about one of the world’s most unusual amusement parks.
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What’s the Story Behind Osteria ai Pioppi?
Osteria ai Pioppi is the brainchild of Bruno Ferrin, who founded the restaurant in 1969 and started constructing sculptures and small rides out of old metal parts as a hobby.
Over the years and decades, he kept adding bigger and more intricate constructions, and so the place successively grew from a small playground into the popular amusement park you can visit today.
Eating at Osteria ai Pioppi
The entrance to the park is free, as long as you first order something at the Osteria. As the place is hugely popular, they had to develop a certain system to keep things in order. Just pull a number, mark what you want to order on the small paper menus provided, and hand it to the people at the cash register.
There, you’ll pay and get separate paper slips for everything you ordered. Drinks, main courses and deserts can be collected from different counters. With the main courses, you’ll have to wait until your number plops up.
To be honest, we didn’t find the food to be that great. It’s mostly fast food fare (no regional specialities, here), but then again, you don’t really come here for the food. You can have a look at the menu here.
The Amusement Park at Osteria ai Pioppi
After your meal, you’re free to wander the park, which can be found behind the restaurant. The rides sit atmospherically in between the trees, and due to the outlandish constructions and the encroaching vegetation, the whole place has a certain post-apocalyptic air.
The attractions range from harmless playground rides for small children to adrenaline-inducing constructs that you’re only allowed to ride if you’re 18 or older. Some of the rides are pretty wild, with one being a cage allowing you to loop 360 degrees by peddling as if you’re on a bicycle.
There are also some very long slides, that require you climbing a tall, rickety ladder-tower before sliding down. Be prepared, though: you can (and should) grab a felt mat to ride on, but I still kept getting static energy shocks while riding down.
Stefanie and I especially enjoyed riding the “roller coasters”. To use these, you’ll have to push and pull the cart up the slope before entering, strapping yourself in and releasing the handbrake. We found the whole back-to-the-roots process of setting it up nearly as much fun as the ride itself.
We contented ourselves with about an hour to ride the most interesting-looking constructions and soak up the unique atmosphere, but altogether, you could easily spend a few hours here to try out all the wacky rides.
Practicalities
Osteria ai Pioppi Opening Times
For most of the year, the Osteria is only open on weekends and certain holidays. The exception is August, when it’s open from Tuesday to Sunday. The opening times of the park are 10AM to 7PM, while the restaurant is open from noon to 9PM. You can check the current opening times and dates here.
Osteria ai Pioppi Entrance Fee
The entrance to the amusement park is included with your meal. Just grab a bite at the Osteria and you can right away work off the calories on the rides. If you arrive before noon (when the restaurant opens), the entrance is completely free.
How to get to Osteria ai Pioppi
Osteria ai Pioppi can be found near the small town of Nervesa della Battaglia, about 25km or 15mi. north of pretty Treviso in Northern Italy’s Veneto Region. It can be reached by car in about half an hour from Treviso and in little under an hour from Venice.
Without your own set of wheels, you can still reach the Osteria by taking the bus from Treviso. At the time of writing, Bus 115, 116, 135 and 144 all stop at Nervesa. You can check the connections on this site.
Where to go next
Padua, Home to the oldest Botanical Garden in the World and some beautiful 14th Century Frescoes
Verona, city of Romeo and Juliet
Treviso, a charming small-town also known as “Little Venice”