Have you ever wished you could stop time? Feel the wind on your skin, the intoxicating scent of the sea blending with millennia of history, the silence settling lightly over stretches of water?
Set off from Grado as the sun paints the water gold, ride across a bridge suspended between sky and sea, where every breath tastes of freedom and the horizon merges with your most beautiful dreams. Reach Aquileia, where every stone tells stories of emperors and ancient civilisations, then return through landscapes of rare beauty.
A flat loop between Grado and Aquileia: lagoon, Roman history and reclaimed landscapes.
Where the Sea Meets History: Your Journey Between Grado and Aquileia
This is one of the most evocative routes in the Upper Adriatic: a perfect mix of Roman history, lagoon nature and rural reclaimed land. The ride is completely flat, about 45–50 km long—ideal for a trekking or gravel bike.
Here is the recommended itinerary for your loop tour:
1) Start: Grado ➔ Aquileia (about 11 km)
Leave from Grado town centre following the Alpe Adria Cycle Route (FVG1).
• Translagoon Bridge: you’ll ride across the bridge that crosses the lagoon, with views of casoni and Barbana Island.
• Belvedere: once on the mainland, continue on the protected cycle path alongside the regional road to the heart of Aquileia.
• What to see: recommended stop at the Basilica and the Roman mosaics.
2) Aquileia ➔ Terzo di Aquileia ➔ Fossavecchia (about 12 km)
Instead of returning along the same road, head inland to start the eastern loop.
• Take the back roads east towards Terzo di Aquileia.
• Follow signs to Fossavecchia: canals, rows of poplars and rural silence. This is the reclaimed-land area, where the land “challenges” the water.
3) Fossavecchia ➔ Fossalon (about 15 km)
Continue south-east following the embankments of the reclamation canals.
• You’ll reach Fossalon di Grado, a rural village founded between the 1920s and 1930s.
• Nature: here you skirt the Valle Cavanata Nature Reserve. A detour to the visitor centre is recommended: a birdwatching paradise (flamingos and swans are regulars).
4) Return: Fossalon ➔ Grado (about 10 km)
The final stretch takes you back towards the Golden Island.
• Ride along the embankment that separates lagoon and sea.
• You’ll pass by Grado Pineta: from here a convenient urban cycle path takes you straight back to the centre, closing the loop.
Here is the recommended itinerary for your loop tour:
1) Start: Grado ➔ Aquileia (about 11 km)
Leave from Grado town centre following the Alpe Adria Cycle Route (FVG1).
• Translagoon Bridge: you’ll ride across the bridge that crosses the lagoon, with views of casoni and Barbana Island.
• Belvedere: once on the mainland, continue on the protected cycle path alongside the regional road to the heart of Aquileia.
• What to see: recommended stop at the Basilica and the Roman mosaics.
2) Aquileia ➔ Terzo di Aquileia ➔ Fossavecchia (about 12 km)
Instead of returning along the same road, head inland to start the eastern loop.
• Take the back roads east towards Terzo di Aquileia.
• Follow signs to Fossavecchia: canals, rows of poplars and rural silence. This is the reclaimed-land area, where the land “challenges” the water.
3) Fossavecchia ➔ Fossalon (about 15 km)
Continue south-east following the embankments of the reclamation canals.
• You’ll reach Fossalon di Grado, a rural village founded between the 1920s and 1930s.
• Nature: here you skirt the Valle Cavanata Nature Reserve. A detour to the visitor centre is recommended: a birdwatching paradise (flamingos and swans are regulars).
4) Return: Fossalon ➔ Grado (about 10 km)
The final stretch takes you back towards the Golden Island.
• Ride along the embankment that separates lagoon and sea.
• You’ll pass by Grado Pineta: from here a convenient urban cycle path takes you straight back to the centre, closing the loop.
Useful tips
Bring a good supply of water and sun protection. The sections along canals and reclaimed land are very exposed to sun and wind (which can be a friend or an enemy depending on direction).
Grado → Aquileia → Terzo di Aquileia → Fossavecchia → Fossalon → Grado (loop). Points of interest: Translagoon Bridge, Basilica of Aquileia, rural reclaimed land, Valle Cavanata Reserve.
In short
An ideal experience for those looking for a smooth, scenic route: lagoon, history and nature in one ride. If you like, I can suggest farm stays or typical places to eat around Fossalon for a lunch break.
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