Nature, warm welcome, sinuous sunsets to chase on a bike, along suggestive itineraries. The peninsula of Lignano Sabbiadoro, a seaside resort in Friuli-Venezia Giulia set among the hidden pearls of the Marano Lagoon, is a place that steals your heart.
It remains etched in the memory. Ernst Hemingway was fascinated by it and celebrated the beauty of these lands in the pages of his works Farewell to arms And Across the river and into the trees. For Hemingway this is “the Florida of Italy”.
Between the lagoon, the mouth of the Tagliamento and the Adriatic lies Lignano Sabbiadoro, a destination with a thousand surprises. Here the salt air caresses the faces of the visitors, the breeze shapes the landscape into small and large dunes and the territory tells a recent history but one that is careful to diversify and enrich its tourist offer.
Not only sea and “golden sand”, which gave Lignano its opulent nickname, but infinite possibilities to discover stages and corners of pure enchantment, pedaling on two wheels and breathing Friuli.
With the first edition of Sandy Wheels – Freewheeling Lignanoan event dedicated to the world of cycling, the area presents itself and its countless activities. Free hikes, boat and bike tours in the surrounding scenic areas.
And more paths to explore with a local guide or independently, reaching Grado and Trieste by bicycle on the Adriatic Sea Cycle Route.
You are spoiled for choice when it comes to cycling itineraries in Lignano Sabbiadoro and the lagoon. Die Qual der Wahl as German-speaking tourists, in love with the region, would say. The routes are designed for all visitors, from those who wish to pedal at a slow pace on flat terrain to the more adventurous, who do not stop at climbs and dirt roads.
There is something for all tastes and there is also no shortage of festivals and events organized throughout the year to add to the programme. These Friulian wonders are magnificent to visit even at the end of the summer, when the autumn cool greets warm-coloured deckchairs and umbrellas.
But it is in the summer months that Lignano and the lagoon become more precious, showing their gems in a different light. These are 5 cycling itineraries to discover these splendid locations and their breathtaking views.
Lignano by bike
You cannot arrive in Lignano and not immerse yourself in its streets, touching points of particular interest which have now become postcards of this location. The itinerary to discover Lignano extends over 17 km. We start from the cycle path along the seafront, where we can already savor the evolution that has taken place in Lignano Sabbiadoro.
The eyes admire the sea terrace, the third in the history of the city, the Hotel Marin, the first hotel in Lignano with its strategic position. Even the seafront hides its secrets, having been designed and built in concrete in the 1940s to serve as a landing strip for military aircraft and support the weight of war vehicles.
You reach the unmistakable red lighthouse, a point where the waters of the lagoon merge with those of the Adriatic in the suggestive cord of sandy islands. Along the itinerary you also encounter bunkers from the Second World War, near the houses of the very first fishermen.
The cycle path runs along the lagoon, making an intermediate stop at an enchanting panoramic point.
You arrive at the old dock, an ancient shelter from the elements for the fishermen of the lagoon and today a mooring for trawlers, to cycle towards Lignano Pineta, one of the “neighborhoods” of Lignano Sabbiadoro. The cycle path continues along the fascist-era Bella Italia area.
Cycling between the two rivers
The river associated with Lignano Sabbiadoro is the Tagliamento, but it is not the only one that shapes the peninsula. The Stella river flows into the lagoon, the stage of the nature reserve of the same name and home to flamingos, herons and birds of prey. One of the routes to learn about the local fauna and flora starts from Lignano Riviera, another “neighbourhood” that follows the course of the Tagliamento.
Known as “the king of rivers”, the Tagliamento was born in Api and has a particular significance for the region, having been a coastal river connection. Today, the river is not navigable in all its sections, but by cycling along it you get an idea of its historical and naturalistic importance.
The new cycle path connects Gorgo di Latisana and the small church of Santa Maria della Neve, surrounded by thriving countryside vegetation, which passes the baton to the Stella resurgence river and the elevated cycle path. The 45 km route ends in Aprilia Marittima before returning to Lignano.
Lignano Bike&Hike
The nature of Lignano Sabbiadoro is fascinating, especially if you consider that the appearance of the landscape has changed considerably over the years while retaining part of its authenticity. This is due to initiatives to preserve the identity of the place, encouraging the development of Lignano but at the same time creating paths surrounded by greenery.
The Lignano Bike&Hike route, structured in 12 km by bike and 3 on foot, retraces the mouth of the Tagliamento, crossing the pine forest and exploring the typical dunes of the area. Lignano was born as a seaside resort in 1903 when the potential of this location with its many dunes was recognised.
In the past, Lignano had 7 parallel dune belts. These cordons were interspersed with marshy depressions called “blades”. Today, the main dunes on the coast are delimited by walls and resist over time thanks to the roots of the trees in a scenario where native species alternate with non-native ones.
In the pine forest of Lignano, which is visited on this tour, you can admire black and maritime pines and squirrels. It is interesting to focus on the role that pine cones have had in shaping the appearance of Lignano.
It is said that the architect Marcello d’Olivo was hit on the head by a pine cone during a walk.
Observing it, he was struck by the base of the strobile, developing a spiral urban planning project that still preserves Lignano Pineta today. The tour continues towards the Pineda Sinistra dune forest, a treasure where the dunes reach 6 meters in height.
Lignano – Marano by bike and boat
The Marano Lagoon and its lively center can be visited without giving up on two wheels. The itinerary measures 40 km in total and requires preparation, featuring dirt and challenging sections.
Leaving the seafront, the Tagliamento embankment acts as a guide to the Gorgo. Precenicco awaits with its dirt road up to the cycle bridge over the Stella river and then the Muzzana forest, in the shade of its vegetation, with its unique and priceless habitats.
On the way back, by boat, you come across some houses, where time seems to have stopped. They are the casoni, part of the lagoon’s history. In these structures, so simple and perfectly integrated into the surrounding context, the fishermen stayed overnight, returning to the mainland after days of work. The boat ride allows you to observe the coast from another intriguing perspective.
Lignano – Grado by bike and boat
Once again the boat accompanies the bike, without however stealing the show, on this spectacular journey of colours, scents and flavors which has as its destination Grado, a treasure chest of the lower Friuli region. The Lignano-Grado itinerary is an excursion towards the essence of the hinterland.
We start from the Darsena of Porto Vecchio in Lignano, embarking towards Grado. From Grado you get back on the bike to reach Aquileia, an ancient Roman colony with the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, a UNESCO heritage site for its mosaics.
We continue in the direction of Strassoldo with its castle, a majestic point of reference, we pass Torviscosa, the city of cellulose, to land in Marano, where the boat and its captain take us back to Lignano.
The excursions, departing from the Beach Village, Office 7, take place on certain days of the week in the high season and must be booked. It is possible to receive more information on the services by consulting the official website of Lignano Sabbiadoro.
Be it by bike, taking part in the activities of Nordic walking, walking along the coast to taste a glass of Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Schioppettino or Refosco, Lignano Sabbiadoro continually gives the opportunity to be loved at first sight and (re)discovered in its varied and magical nuances.
