Bike tours Lignano-Bibione-Caorle
1. Lignano cycle route
A city route that touches all the three points of Lignano, each with its own peculiarities: in Sabbiadoro you’ll find Art Nouveau villas, a historic promenade and a route parallel to the lagoon; in Pineta, the ancient church of Santa Maria del Mare, the Hemingway Park, the villas of Marcello D’Olivo and the extraordinary spiral shape of the streets; in Riviera a promenade that, characterized by lush Mediterranean vegetation, leads to the mouth of the Tagliamento river. Don't miss the ride along the Litoranea Veneta (Venetian coastline).
2. Marano Lagunare
River and lagoon waters alternate with a countryside characterised by rows of vineyards and orchards. You first go up the embankment that runs along the bend of the Tagliamento river, then through the countryside to Precenicco, and cross the Stella river to descend to Marano Lagunare, an ancient fishing village. In the summer months, it is possible to return to Lignano with a ferry that allows you to load your bikes on board. The 45-minute crossing lets you savour the beauty of the lagoon and watch egrets and herons.
3. The ascent of the river Stella
Riding along the cycle path that leads to Aprilia Marittima, you'll reach Via Capo Nord where a dirt trail begins which, along the Marano lagoon and the mouths of the Stella river, leads to the church of Santa Maria della Neve, in the town of Titiano; crossing a lush countryside, you reach the Casali del Mol from where you’re able to access the city centre of Latisana following the road signs. As picturesque background for the return trip to Lignano, the embankment of the Tagliamento river.
4. Strassoldo (+ Alpe Adria)
You embark at the Old Port of Lignano (Viale Italia) and in about 45 minutes of crossing you reach the fishing village of Marano Lagunare. Following the road signs for Carlino first and then for Cervignano del Friuli, you arrive at the splendid medieval village of Strassoldo which, kept between waterways and centuries-old plants, is now divided into the Castello di Sopra and the Castello di Sotto (the Upper and Lower Castles). From here you can take the Alpe Adria cycle route that runs from south to north throughout the entire Friuli Venezia-Giulia region, offering unique landscapes and views.
5. GiraTagliamento
GiraTagliamento is the cycle path from the town of Bevazzana to San Michele al Tagliamento. It dives into unspoilt nature, among green meadows crossed by dirt trails that climb up to the banks of the Tagliamento river. The vegetation is characterised by alders, ferns and white willows. The river environment is the natural habitat of birds such as the common moorhen and the mallard.
6. Adriatic Walk in Bibione
If you walk this route every day (you can safely take an hour), you burn approximately 1,785 calories per week. A few?
That's the equivalent of about 4 hours at the gym!
And you can indulge in a hearty portion of extra ice cream afterwards.
7. Bibione's internal cycle path
It is a cycle path that, from east to west, connects the city through a charming and unexpected forest: crossing wooden bridges, you can admire maritime pines, oaks, ilexes, primroses, heathers, different varieties of orchids and the ‘Lino delle Fate’, whose spread is limited to sandy coastlines only; identifying it will be simple thanks to its long silver-coloured feathery ridges.
8. The lighthouse and pine forest of Bibione
A ring route in the pine forest east of Bibione, to discover a naturalistic oasis that has remained intact. The route winds through the fossil dunes on the sea and the river banks, covered by spontaneous vegetation, slipping into the thick pine forest that between March and May gives the spectacle of a splendid spring flowering. You can admire species of local fauna such as birds, green lizards and rare tortoises.
9. Cesarolo's ring
Shorter than the GiraTagliamento route and therefore also suitable for less trained cyclists, this route perfectly combines the two charming souls of Bibione's hinterland: that of the productive countryside, characterised by rows of vineyards and fruit trees, with that of the river environment, characterised by unspoilt vegetation and home to many bird species.
10. Terzo Bacino and the fishermen huts
From the access bridge to Bibione to the west, you cycle along a road that flanks the Litoranea Veneta waterway and the lagoon habitat on one side, on the other, the open countryside of Terzo Bacino with its history of rural culture that continues to this day. To admire the typical fishermen huts, continue towards Prati Novi taking the dirt road to the embankment that separates the mainland from the lagoon.
11. Brussa and Vallevecchia
Discover a strip of land reachable from Bibione by boat, which still offers the same lagoon suggestions that so fascinated the American writer Ernest Hemingway during his hunting trips. It is an authentic immersion in the peace of the countryside and the wonders of nature that leads to the ValleVecchia Nature Education Centre.
12. Vallevecchia
Reachable by boat from Bibione, the ValleVecchia, recognised by the European Union as a Special Protection Area and a Site of Community Importance, is home to the largest non-urbanised sandy beach in the upper Adriatic. It can be visited riding along long dirt roads that, extending for over 10 km, allow you to observe the lake and agricultural areas, together with the flora and fauna that characterise them. There are over 150 species of birds recorded by ornithologists. Hikers are guided by road signs that allow them to discover this extraordinary environmental kaleidoscope.
13. Portogruaro Giralemene
There is one element that links Caorle to Concordia and Portogruaro: the deep bond that the three centres have with the Lemene, a river that has always paced the rhythm of life and contributes to their economy. From the suggestive Fishermen Island, in Caorle, another route opens: the path that, along the Lemene river, leads first to Concordia Sagittaria, an ancient Roman colony of the first century BC, and then to Portogruaro, an elegant town defined by Ippolito Nievo as the "Little Venice of the Mainland".
14. Caorle
From ValleVecchia, following the signs for Marango and San Gaetano, you can reach the beach of Caorle. It is the ancient fishing village that represents the true heart of the town, still today characterised by brightly coloured houses and small streets. History, art and food and wine traditions all to be discovered on your bike trip. To understand the close link between Caorle, the ancient fishing tradition and the lagoon, go back to the Nicesolo canal, where the houses are characterised by "scales", typical fishing nets.