The Donzella ring.
Porto Tolle, Taglio di Po.
T
he Po Delta is an almost unspoiled
natural environment, which has to
be crossed slowly to be discovered fully.
This easy excursion through the youngest
land in Italy initially follows the bank of
the Venice branch of the Po River, then
embraces the Sacca di Scardovari and
finally crosses the agricultural lands of the
Donzella Island, where the renowned Delta
rice is grown.
2
Mighty river banks
higher than houses,
pleasant sea breezes
and diffuse light are
some of the charms
of Ca’ Tiepolo in Porto
Tolle, starting point
of the excursion, in
the heart of the Po
Delta. Leaving behind
the last houses of the
town, we proceed onto the right bank of the
Venice branch, the main branch of the Po
River and follow it to Tolle.
Contemplate the leisurely flow of the waters,
and let your thoughts rise to the glaciers
of the Monviso Mountains, 650 kilometres
away, the source of Italy’s longest and most
important river.
When the Venice branch splits, follow the
bank of the Tolle branch almost until its
mouth, where Scardovari is located, a fishing
town and home of a major fish market.
After passing through Bonelli, a village with
traditional single-storey Delta houses with
large cubic chimneys, you reach the beach
and the tourist town of Barricata, frequented
3
during the summer by
tourists searching for
relaxation in unspoiled
nature.
Along the road bordering
the Sacca degli
Scardovari (4), we pedal
along in the company of
seagulls, woodcocks, terns
and grebes that dart about,
performing amazing aerial
acrobatics. In the summer, the air is charged
with sea scents and the horizon with the
pinkish tones of tamarisks. Humans have
always got the best from these amphibious
lands. The colours of the vast countryside,
reclaimed from marshlands during the
previous century, vary with the seasons, as
the green of the rice fields alternates with the
gold of ripe wheat. The reeds of the mudflats
and of the river mouth shoals give way to
the cabins of the Sacca (4). The fishermen
work here, primarily farming mussels, one
of the fine products of the Polesine. In the
Ca’ Mello Oasis, stop at the Veneto Region
visitor centre for precious information on the
environment, agriculture and fishing of the
4
Po Delta. Then, carrying on, there is the Val
Bonello Biotope. From here, continue back
and cross the Donzella branch of the Po in
Santa Giulia via one of the characteristic
boat bridges (3). Take a shortcut to the town
of Cassella, or complete the tour of the
Sacca di Scardovari. Once on the right bank
of the Donzella branch (2), go up river
to Ca’ Vendramin, and visit the Regional
Reclamation Museum (1) housed in a
pumping station from the previous century.
From here carry on to Ca’ Tiepolo, the
starting point of this unforgettable cycling
excursion.
IAT Rovigo
P.zza Vittorio Emanuele II, 20
Tel. +39 0425 386290
[email protected]
IAT Rosolina Mare
Viale dei Pini, 4
Tel. +39 0426 326020
[email protected]
IAT Porto Tolle
Largo Europa, 2
Tel. +39 0426 81150
[email protected]
Opening time:
June, July, August
Tuesday to Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 12:30,
Friday and Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 6:00;
September
Tuesday to Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 12:30,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday afternoons from 3:00 to 6:00;
October
Tuesday to Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 12:30;
1st November to 28th February
Tuesday to Saturday mornings from 9:30 to 12:30.
Ca’ Vendramin, Museo Regionale della Bonifica
March-October: Tuesday to Sunday mornings from 9:30
to 12:30 and afternoons from 3:00 to 6:00
Parco Regionale Veneto del Delta del Po
Via Marconi, 6
Ariano nel Polesine
Tel. +39 0426 372202
[email protected]
Route Information
Info bike
Lenght: 60 km; complete Sacca
di Scardovari route: 68 km.
Departure-Arrival:
Porto Tolle (town of Ca’ Tiepolo)
Via Matteotti.
Route conditions: excursion completely
on flat land and on low-traffic, sometimes
unpaved, roads. On sunny days, we highly
recommend sun protection.
Bicycle rental and repair
Porto Tolle
For information:
www.polesineterratraduefiumi.it
E3
Ciclovia
Anello della Donzella.
Car and bus parking
Porto Tolle, via Matteotti, near the Town Hall
Web
www.polesineterratraduefiumi.it
www.comune.portotolle.ro.it
www.deltaportotolle.it
www.prolocoportotolle.org
www.parcodeltapo.org
Via L. Ricchieri
detto Celio, 10
45100 Rovigo
Tel. +39 0425 386111
www.provincia.rovigo.it
nello della Donzella.
Exploring the Po Delta by bicycle.
© Photographs: E. Malaspina, M. Danesin, Province of Rovigo Servizio Turismo. Cartographies: R. Rossi CIRGEO Padova University, G. Zulian.
Editorial coordination: D. Gallo, P. Gatto Dipartimento TeSAF Padova University.
Po di Venezia
paved bicycle path
1
Tolle
Delta del Po
Porto Tolle
Po di Venezia
unpaved bicycle path
P
paved roads
unpaved roads
roads with traffic
iD
o nz
ella
2
Sacca di
Scardovari
Tourist information
point
Bicycle
assistance
P
Parking
Departure
3
Porto
Tolle
atteotti
Via G. M
detour on paved surfaces
Po di Tolle
d
Po
Scardovari
Vendrami
n
Sites of historical/
artistic interest
Sites of natural
interest
Moro
Via A.
Isola della
Donzella
SP 66
enziale
Via Tang
Museum
4 Partial distance
1
Po d
i Do
nzell
a
0
0.25
0.5
1:40000
1
km