Level of difficulty 3 |  Gastronomy 2 |  Length 10.5 km |  Time 2.5 - 3 hours

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Grado's lagoon gives us the possibility to paddle on lonely waterways to one of Italy's most famous pilgrimage sites while gazing at the Alps. Far away from the tourist infrastructure, entertaining hours of meditative paddling and a monastery completely surrounded by water await us.

General information

• Grado Wikipedia
• Friuli Venezia Giulia tourist information
• Grado tourist information
• Climate
• Wind, waves, weather

Navigation rules

Even if this area is sometimes much quieter (in terms of boat traffic) than other lagoons in the upper Adriatic, we recommend staying away from the middle of the waterways to keep a safe distance to boats and ships.

Dangers and risks

The start at the Hotel Oche Selvatiche goes over a small embankment, which is covered by bushes and some thorns towards the water. However, there are some paths, which lead to the water. In a pinch, a path has to be trampled out first (but usually this shouldn't be necessary).

The small rocks on the shore are slippery, so be careful. It is best to put each SUP in the water by two people.

Around the island Barbana there is sometimes brisk boat traffic (motor boats). Keep to the side but be careful not to be pushed out of the waterway into the shallow water by boat waves. When in doubt, it is best to cross the waves on your knees.

Always paddle around Barbana with a view of the bottom of the lagoon, as the water level is very low.

At the back of the monastery (eastern shore of the island) flat rock formations can appear directly under the board (depending on the line of travel). It is best to stand slightly towards the nose of the SUP when circling the island so that the fins are a little higher and do not drag on the ground. Slow pace is advisable here anyway.

Directions

Many roads lead to Grado. The easiest way to get to the starting point of this SUP tour is by car, either from the northwest via Strada Regionale SR 352 across the lagoon or coming from the northeast via Via Monfalcone SP 19.

Trains do not go to Grado, but to Cervignano, a small town on the mainland, 18 km north. From there you have to take a regional bus to Grado and walk a few minutes from the bus station on Piazza V. Carpaccio to the starting point of the SUP tour.

There are also always cheap private rideshares and national busses.

Parking

In front of the Hotel Oche Selvatiche and at the end of the gravel road there is a parking lot. We asked the hotel staff if we could park our car here and got the nod. However, it doesn't hurt if you kindly ask for permission yourself. To get into the water you have to look for a suitable path over the small enbankment.

Tour

Head north from the Hotel Oche Selvatiche and zigzag around the Valle Panera towards the monastery island of Barbana in a star-shaped manner. Once around the island and south of Valle Panera back to the start.

Length

10.5 km

Time

2.5 - 3 hours

Start and landing

At the Hotel Oche Selvatiche on the shore of the lagoon.

SUP rental

ASD Kite Life Grado
Via delle Pleiadi 1, 34073 Grado
Phone +39 (0)347 4896077

Island hopping in Grado's Lagoon

In Grado's tourist office we were told that you could only paddle the stretch between the town's two beaches (although paddlers can also be seen on the beaches). For this reason, a more exciting destination is needed and Grado's Lagoon is just right for us. This seemingly endless expanse of water is broken up by dozens of larger but also tiny islands, some of which are also built on and lushly overgrown. A lot of destinations can be approached here along the marked waterways.

Dating from the 6th century, the pilgrimage church on the small island of Barbana can also be seen from Grado or its access road to the mainland as it is still clearly visible from a distance of 3 km. Today, however, we want to explore them up close.

To do this, we drive by car from Grado taking the Via Monfalcone and passing by Grado Pineta and after that by the Golf Club Grado. Immediately after the golf club you go over a bridge at the end of which a gravel path leads to the Hotel Oche Selvatiche on the left. We are allowed to park here and enter the lagoon over the small embankment directly from the gravel path. Although getting started is a bit difficult because of the bushes and the slippery stones on the shore, it cannot take away the anticipation of this 11 km long tour.

Between the Canale Zemole and the Canale di Primero lies an approximately star-shaped landscape with a diameter of two kilometers - the Valle Panera, a mixture of reed landscape and mainland, which is penetrated by countless small canals. Every 400 to 500 m the coastline makes a sharp change in direction, so that a vague star shape can be made out when viewed from above. We want to circumnavigate it and briefly go for a spin towards the Santuario di Barbana located southwest of the Valle Panera.

Here in the canals, far away from the sea, the water has little current and waves are only made by the motor boats, which pass by at regular intervals. That's why we recommend paddling within the marked boat routes in the fairway, because only then will you be sure to find sufficiently deep water.

We start at the Hotel Oche Selvatiche, turning right and heading north. The panorama here is simply unique: Mediterranean lagoon landscape in front of us with seabirds and fish jumping out of the water in front of our boards. In the hazy background the Carnic as well as the Julian Alps rise and round off the diverse Alpe-Adria Region. Although everything can only be reached by water, there are small farm buildings, fishing barracks and boat docks everywhere on the small islands of the lagoon. The (casoni) are cute and worth seeing. Many are covered with thatch and usually serve as farm buildings, but sometimes also as lovely weekend cottages.

The 90 km² lagoon is considered one of the best-preserved wetlands in the Mediterranean and is fascinating, among other things, due to its constantly changing play of colors. Every time of year, but also every time of day, is characterized by unique color combinations of water and flora. For this reason alone, the lagoon is always worth a trip, because its face is constantly changing.

The circuit is a lot of fun because you never know what's around the next bend and it's never straight ahead for long. After the first right-hand bend behind the hotel, there is a left-hand bend with a smaller fork in the road to the right. Follow the signs (Venezia/Trieste) to the left in the direction of Venice and after about 2.3 km you will come to another fork in the road. You can already see the church tower of Barbana on the left behind the small houses on the horizon.

Here too, first turn left, paddle through between the boat docks, and then immediately right into the canal, which leads directly to Barbana. Since the monastery island is now constantly in our field of vision, we only have to follow the marked fairway. This last kilometer is quickly overcome and we land at the boat dock in front of the monastery. Traffic is heavy as the church is one of the most popular pilgrimage churches in Italy. There are already a few canoes and a SUP on the shore - so we are definitely not alone here.

Circumnavigating the Franciscan monastery, off the official access route, we come across shallow but quite navigable water. According to legend, the origin of the pilgrimage church dates back to the year 582 when a storm flood set in and the islands began to form. A statue of Mary was washed ashore near the huts of the hermits Barbanus and Tarilessus. In gratitude that the storm had spared Grado, the officiating Patriarch of Aquileia commissioned the construction of a church building. Barbanus, his monks and their successors took care of the Marian sanctuary that was washed ashore for centuries.

After circumnavigating the island, we head back north along the channel and we now paddle to the right at the boat docks and cottages we passed earlier in order to zigzag back to the starting point by the hotel. The last kilometer leads past the Golf Club Grado., which is known for its maritime atmosphere. It would be interesting to know how many golf balls have already gotten buried in the mud under our boards. We'll never find out but will definitely come back here as the lagoon still has many beautiful faces to explore.