Osteria & Parco Ai Pioppi

DESCRIPTION
The osteria hiding an amusement park: the story of Bruno Ferrin.

Geographic Location
Osteria Ai Pioppi is located in Nervesa della Battaglia, in the province of Treviso, in eastern Veneto. The site stands on the Montello, the low hill that dominates the left bank of the Piave River, not far from the border with Santa Croce del Montello. The exact address is Via VIII Armata 76. The grounds, covering approximately 6,000 m², are surrounded by a dense broadleaf woodland – linden, maple, ash, acacia and plane trees – which provides shade and coolness during the warm season.

Hike
Parco Ai Pioppi is a one-of-a-kind experience: an amusement park completely free of electricity, where every attraction works thanks to the physical effort of visitors and the laws of physics – gravity, inertia, motion. The roughly fifty attractions include swings, slides, spinning carousels, adventure trails and even a small roller coaster: all built by hand, from iron and wood, by a single person over more than fifty years.
No ticket is needed to enter the park: admission is free for all guests of Osteria Ai Pioppi, where a simple purchase at the bar or restaurant is all that is required. The park is open on weekends and public holidays from spring to autumn; in August it opens daily, every day except Monday. In bad weather both the osteria and the park remain closed; for weekends it is advisable to book in advance, especially for groups. Dogs are welcome on a leash, while picnicking inside the park is not permitted.
The most wonderful feature of this place is the collective dimension of fun: since nothing works on its own, children, parents and grandparents must work together to set the rides and equipment in motion. Pushing, pedalling, running, balancing – a playful alliance is born that breaks down every generational barrier.

History and Curiosities
It all began with a simple idea and a plot of land rented for one hundred thousand lire a year. Bruno Ferrin, who worked as a yeast salesman for bakeries – with early-morning starts and free afternoons – suggested to his wife Marisa Zaghis that they open a frasca, a small outdoor tavern. He found a poplar grove on the Montello, between Nervesa and Santa Croce, and on 15 June 1969 he opened the doors: a handful of sausages hanging from a tree, a demijohn of white wine and one of red, four tables among the trees.
The leap towards the amusement park happened almost by chance. The first rides for the children who visited the osteria appeared: first a swing, then something more elaborate. And so, year after year, Bruno's workshop became the laboratory of a park unlike any other in the world.
The philosophy has remained unchanged: no electricity, no motors, only physics and creativity. Every attraction exploits physical laws – gravity, motion, force, inertia, dynamics – and is an extraordinary example of ingenuity and passion, especially considering that all of this is the work of a single person.
Curiosity: the name Ai Pioppi refers to the original poplar grove, now replaced by trees of various species planted and tended by Bruno himself over the decades.

ITINERARY
Osteria & Parco Ai Pioppi form a single complex.

EXCURSION DATE
April 4, 2026

AUTHOR'S SUGGESTIONS
The best time to visit is spring or autumn.

SAFETY TIPS
Wear closed-toe shoes and behave appropriately on every attraction.
Remember that the emergency number is 112.

EQUIPMENT
Comfortable clothing suitable for outdoor physical activity is recommended.

USEFUL LINKS
https://www.aipioppi.com/it

HOW TO ARRIVE
From Treviso: take the SS13 then the SP248. Approximately 25 km.

PARKING AREA
GPS Coordinates: 45.843615, 12.180634

Parcheggio interno

Mappa del parco

Iniziamo con i giochi di riscaldamento

Gli scivoli

Incontro con il sig. Bruno

Zona osteria

Si mangia

L'uomo vitruviano

Si scede con il bob

Ingabbiati a pedalare

Tutto senza elettricità

La gabbia

La centrifuga

Si gira copia

Il giro della morte