The best gravel rides around Gruaro

Pleasant, shady route through the forest and along the dam. Lots of pure nature while cycling is certain.

Romantic cycle path along the dam through the reed belt with a view of many "Casoni". The route is more single-track than cycle path. Caution in the summer months due to the blackberry bushes, which easily overgrow the path and lay thorns that are disliked by bike tires.

Romantic cycle path along the dam, past the reed belt with views of many "Casoni". The route is more single-track than cycle path. Beware in the summer months of the blackberry bushes, which easily overgrow the path and lay thorns unloved by bike tires.

A perfect "a la Italia" branded cycle path with reddish gravel as a surface, the gravel not too fine and not too coarse.

Spilimbergo is a charming medieval village nestled on the right bank of the Tagliamento river, in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Internationally known as the "City of Mosaic", it preserves a prestigious artistic tradition that lives and is passed down in its famous Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli, a world reference point founded in 1922. Strolling through the historic center, you breathe an atmosphere of yesteryear, amidst elegant frescoed palaces, ancient towers, and the suggestive Castle, embellished by the colorful Palazzo Dipinto. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore, a Gothic masterpiece, houses precious 14th-century fresco cycles. Spilimbergo wonderfully blends the solidity of Friulian culture with the refinement of art, offering a perfect combination of excellent craftsmanship, history, and a welcoming enogastronomic tradition.

The historic center of Portogruaro, defined as the "little Venice of the mainland", develops elegantly along the banks of the Lemene river. The beating heart is Piazza della Repubblica, where the characteristic pillars of the Gothic brick Town Hall and the unusual leaning bell tower of the Cathedral of Sant'Andrea stand out. Strolling under the long medieval and Renaissance arcades, you can admire frescoed palaces in Venetian style that testify to the city's glorious commercial past. One of the most evocative views is offered by the Mulini di Sant'Andrea, located right in the city center, where the water wheels still turn above waters populated by swans. Here, wrought iron bridges and weeping willows create a romantic atmosphere that harmoniously combines monumental architecture with river vitality.

The archaeological area of Concordia Sagittaria preserves the remains of ancient Iulia Concordia, founded in 42 BC at the crossroads of the Via Annia and the Via Postumia. The site is famous for the Trichora Martyrium, a 4th-century early Christian building dedicated to the Concordian martyrs, and for the remains of the majestic Basilica Apostolorum. Strolling through the historic center, you can admire the Roman bridge, the thermal baths, and large sections of ancient road paving. The heart of the town is the Cathedral of Santo Stefano, flanked by the splendidly frescoed Byzantine-Romanesque Baptistery. The "Recinto dei Militi" area also testifies to the city's strategic importance as a Roman weapons factory.

The Casoni di Caorle are the iconic rural dwellings made of wood and reeds that dot the lagoon and the Isola dei Pescatori. These structures, dating back centuries, represent the heart of the ancient lagoon civilization: once they were the permanent or seasonal homes of fishermen, designed to be insulated from the cold and resistant to humidity thanks to the sloping roof and the absence of a central chimney. Today, in addition to being an identity symbol of the territory, many casoni have been restored to preserve the memory of a rural world also sung by Ernest Hemingway. Immersed in a protected landscape, they are reachable via picturesque cycling routes or boat excursions, offering a timeless scenario suspended between land and water.