The Grado and Marano Lagoon: among islands, salt marshes, and canals

In Friuli-Venezia Giulia, there is a universe suspended between water and sky, a mosaic of canals, salt marshes, and small islands that tell the story of a thousand-year relationship between man and nature. We are talking about the Grado and Marano Lagoon, where every glimpse becomes poetry.

Here, the lagoon opens onto the sea and creates an ecosystem that is unique in Italy. Although less well known than the Venice Lagoon, it is also very rich, especially from a historical point of view. As the name suggests, the lagoon is divided into two areas: Grado, which stretches between the mouth of the Isonzo River and the city of Grado, and Marano, further west, enclosed between the mouth of the Tagliamento River and the Stella estuary. These are two worlds that change with the tides, offering ever-changing colors, where nature reigns supreme. The shallow waters are populated by herons, cormorants, and pink flamingos.

As mentioned, the lagoon also bears a strong human imprint. It is home to ancient casoni, the typical dwellings of fishermen, built of marsh reeds and wood, which tell of a past of simple living. Many of these casoni are still visible, others preserved as silent witnesses to an amphibious civilization that has now been lost.

To reach it, you can depart from Grado or Marano Lagunare aboard small boats and glide along the canals until you reach the islands, such as Barbana, which is famous for its Marian shrine and has also been a destination for centuries-old pilgrimages.

The Grado and Marano lagoon is not just a place to visit, but a landscape to be experienced slowly, savoring every emotion and allowing yourself to be taken on an intimate journey through a lesser-known but very precious part of Italy.

Photo credits: Marcok - Licensed by CC 4.0