The best cycling routes in Riserva Naturale Regionale Della Valle Cavanata

La Diga di Grado, officially Lungomare Nazario Sauro, is one of the most fascinating seaside promenades in the Adriatic. Originally built by the Austro-Hungarians to protect the historic center from storm surges, it has been transformed into an elegant belvedere suspended between the blue of the water and the city's architecture. The pedestrian path connects the Costa Azzurra beach with the port entrance, offering a breathtaking view that on clear days stretches from the Julian coast to the peaks of the Alps. Frequented at all hours of the day, the dam is the ideal place to admire the sunset or breathe in the salty air, representing the open-air living room where the city's history meets the power of the sea.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Aquileia is a masterpiece of inestimable historical value, known primarily for housing the largest early Christian mosaic in the Western world. Dating back to the 4th century AD, this extraordinary floor work covers over 750 square meters and narrates, through colored tesserae, biblical scenes such as the cycle of Jonah and complex symbolisms like the struggle between the rooster and the turtle. Beyond the mosaics, the Basilica is an architectural palimpsest where the Romanesque style blends with Gothic and Renaissance elements. Of great suggestion are the Crypt of the Frescoes, with 12th-century Byzantine paintings, and the Crypt of the Excavations, which allows walking over the remains of the ancient Theodorean structures. The majestic bell tower, which dominates the Friulian plain, was built in the 11th century using marble recovered from the Roman amphitheater, a symbol of the indissoluble link between the imperial city and its Christian heritage.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Aquileia is a masterpiece of inestimable historical value, known above all for housing the largest early Christian mosaic in the Western world. Dating back to the 4th century AD, this extraordinary floor work covers over 750 square meters and narrates, through colored tesserae, biblical scenes such as the cycle of Jonah and complex symbolisms like the fight between the rooster and the turtle. In addition to the mosaics, the Basilica is an architectural palimpsest where the Romanesque style blends with Gothic and Renaissance elements. Of great suggestion are the Crypt of the Frescoes, with Byzantine paintings from the 12th century, and the Crypt of the Excavations, which allows you to walk over the remains of the ancient Theodoric structures. The majestic bell tower, which dominates the Friulian plain, was built in the 11th century using marble recovered from the Roman amphitheater, a symbol of the indissoluble bond between the imperial city and its Christian heritage.

VIEW OF THE PATRIARCHAL BASILICA OF AQUILEIA. But be careful not to miss the small medieval bridge right on the cycle path

Pleasant, paved cycle path along the canal and through the city.

There is a fantastic peace

As of March 2026, the stretch of road along the embankment is closed for reconstruction and is not accessible by bike. You have to stay on the road below, which unfortunately is lower than the embankment, and you lose the view of the sea.

A striking, symbolic stone right next to the cycle path. Coming from Grado, the stone depicts the heraldic animal of Aquileia.