The Po Delta, a vast protected wetland straddling Emilia-Romagna and Veneto, offers a landscape of lagoons, levees and canals with no real equivalent elsewhere in Italy. Comacchio, a former lakeside city often nicknamed “little Venice”, makes the most practical starting point for exploring the area by bike with the family.
A loop between lagoons and levees
From Comacchio, the route skirts the Valli di Comacchio, brackish lagoons classified as a nature reserve, before reaching the coast near Lido di Volano or Porto Garibaldi. Expect around 30 km for a full loop, on entirely flat terrain alternating dedicated cycle paths with towpaths along the canals.
Pink flamingos, present in numbers in the lagoons for much of the year, can be spotted directly from the route, with no detour or specialist gear needed — one of the rare places in mainland Europe to see them in the wild.
Getting the ride right
The flat terrain suits a trailer or bike seat from a young age. Wind, common in this open lagoon landscape, can make some stretches more demanding than expected — worth checking the forecast before setting off.
When to go
April to October, with spring and autumn preferred for the best birdwatching, as migratory birds pass through the lagoons.
Good to know
Comacchio, with its canals and historic bridges, offers a decent choice of accommodation for the area, with convenient access to the neighbouring Adriatic coast beaches to extend the stay.