Sacile
A small town of Venetian palaces reflected in the Livenza river, once called the garden of the Venetian Republic.
Tour details
Guided tour
Grado lagoon and Barbana
Reed huts, herons and a sanctuary on the water
Half dayFriuli Venezia Giulia
Beyond Grado stretches a lagoon of canals, sandbanks and reed beds. A slow boat ride takes us into a landscape that seems untouched by time: the casoni, fishermen's huts of reed and wood, herons in the shallows, and on the horizon the bell tower of Barbana.
The story
For centuries fishermen lived in the casoni for whole seasons, with a fire in the middle of the hut and the boat tied at the door. Some are still used today, and they give the lagoon its unique silhouette.
Herons, egrets, cormorants and gulls keep us company. The slow, quiet journey lets you sink into nature and local tradition, far from the world.
On the island of Barbana stands a Marian sanctuary which, according to tradition, dates back to 582, when a statue of the Virgin was found in a tree after a storm. Every year, on the first Sunday of July, the boats of Grado sail to the island in the procession of the Perdon.
In pictures
What we'll see
- The casoniThe traditional fishermen's huts of reed and wood.
- Lagoon birdlifeHerons, egrets, cormorants and gulls among the reeds.
- BarbanaThe island sanctuary, a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
- The boat tripA slow, quiet journey along the canals of the lagoon.
A taste of Grado lagoon and Barbana
Back in Grado, taste the fish of the lagoon: grilled, fried, or in a boreto with white polenta, with a crisp glass of white wine.
Ready to discover Grado lagoon and Barbana?
Tell me your dates and group size, and I'll shape the visit around you. It can also be combined with a winery or another town on the same day.
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