Ravenna is Italy's most child-friendly town, according to the 2006 edition of environmental association Legambiente's annual survey.
The Adriatic coastal town beat off stiff competition from Pesaro, Parma and Turin - the only big city in the so-called 'Magnificent Four' - to take the top spot. But Legambiente stressed that no Italian city is fully responsive to the needs of children and the survey's 'excellent' category remained empty as a result.
The ranking also suggests that councils in southern Italy are failing their youngest inhabitants.
Only one southern town, Caltanissetta, made the top 10; Naples, the south's biggest city, dropped 35 places from 18th last year to 53rd this; and four of the five bottom towns were in the south: Messina, Agrigento, Crotone and Catanzaro. The environmental association found that these four, along with the Alpine town of Aosta, were inattentive to children's needs and gave them an 'insufficient' mark - the Italian school rating that a student is failing.
The survey, which examined 103 cities, assessed the opportunities children have to take part in the life of the community, the facilities available to them and the cultural initiatives which involve them. These factors were then crossed with data on traffic,
public transport, parks and green areas, pedestrian-only zones and cycling tracks.
"It's important to look at the city from a child's point of view," said Legambiente Director General Francesco Ferrante.
"If we improve services for young people, we build the conditions for a general improvement in the quality of life at the same time.
"Unfortunately, not every city manages to implement with seriousness and continuity the commitment to involve children in the management of public life and make them citizens to all effects. That's why we come back at the start of every year to
stress the importance of dialogue with children and young people and call on everyone to work for a more constructive future."
Behind the top four were Florence, Pistoia, Ferrara, Siena, Piacenza, Ancona, Caltanissetta and Genoa, which all earned a 'good'
mark.
Rome dropped from 10th place to 17th, while Milan was not ranked because it did not provide Legambiente with data, after getting an 'insufficient' mark last time. Venice and the southern city of Taranto also failed to hand over the necessary facts and figures. Ravenna, a pleasant town that plays host to Dante's tomb and was the capital of the Western Roman Empire for a spell
in the 5th century AD, was praised for a series of child-friendly initiatives.
These include the setting up of a children's consultation council and meetings to hear out young people's views on environmental matters, as well as children's libraries, a DIY toy museum and children's sections at many museums for adults.
