When you have in mind the idea of spending a few days exploring new bike routes, immersed in nature, there is a sea of proposals to search through. A vast expanse in which you need to navigate to avoid ending up with mundane experiences and many challenges. How can you start making sense of it all?
A good old friend, or information on the web, or consulting a guide. Yes, but if you don’t know the places well if you don’t actually know the people organizing the experiences, you end up doing the same four things that everyone does.
When you don’t know the destination that has piqued your curiosity, you may experience an unpleasant feeling of disorientation when planning a DIY trip. You risk only seeing a tiny part (no more than 10%) of the immense richness around you.
For those of us who love to explore the unknown, not being able to have an authentic and deep experience is a real disappointment.
The worst thing about planning a vacation with the idea of enjoying the slowness of biking and being by the water is ending up with a crowd of people on those well-trodden bike paths or on classic day trips.
In practice, it is often quite difficult to find precise and reliable information so that you can be sure you’ll meet people who have the time to welcome you, guide you, and show you the best of their land and wisdom. And in the end, the question arises: will I be able to truly experience something beautiful, enjoyable, and authentic?
Imagine being with a few people who share the same interests, and having an experienced guide at your disposal who listens to you and knows exactly where the right places and situations are to make you experience something truly special.
Imagine being able to ask all the questions you want and having time to focus on the aspects you want to delve into. Time to discover hidden, exclusive corners that you would never have seen otherwise.
Imagine having the opportunity to immerse yourself in the magic of the Po Delta, discover Chioggia, nature, and silence, and fully appreciate what you are experiencing.
Imagine taking part in experiential workshops, guided tours, and tastings that allow you to touch what would otherwise have been just a story, and by doing so, experience everything that is happening with intensity.
Pedal below sea level with birds slowly accompanying you.
Imagine meeting and chatting amicably with the locals, listening to their stories, perhaps in dialect, getting to know passionate people about their work, and talking to them as if they were lifelong friends.
Discovering their secrets, experiencing the emotion that arises from their passion, learning about traditions and wisdom passed down from generation to generation, and, in the end, savouring the intense taste of truly genuine food.
Let yourself be taken outside the city of Venice on a journey to discover its homeland in symbiosis with the lagoon and the waters of the Po, creating a cultural and natural oasis UNLIKE ANY OTHER.
Pedal along the Via delle Valli, watch the water flow placidly beneath you, the flapping wings of herons and flamingos in rhythm with each pedal stroke, accompanied by the same wind that brought them here from distant lands. Feel the effort transform into a sensation of pure freedom as the evocative landscape of the lagoon unfolds before your eyes.
You will discover a landscape that speaks of traditions passed down through generations, developed along these waterways: fresh water that nourishes the rice fields and then flows into the arms of the sea; saltwater that fills the nets of fishermen and the market stalls in the streets of Chioggia, where skilled chefs work gastronomic wonders with it.
Arrival and check-in at the hotel
Welcome aperitif with Venetian Cicchetti in a central bacaro
Overnight stay in a 4-star hotel or similar accommodation in the center of Chioggia
Wake up early to witness the arrival of the fishing boats and visit the fish market.
Don’t miss the chance to enter the historic “retail fish market” and the wholesale fish market square, renowned for its auction hall. An exciting journey among the people and ancient traditions, immersed in the characteristic dialect chatter and the lively daily routine.
Bicycle excursion along the “Via delle Valli”, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cycle paths in Europe.
Pedal below sea level, immerse yourself in the beauty of woods, valleys, and canals between the Adige and the Po di Levante, where wild nature merges with the ancient culture of “vallicoltura” (marshland farming). Through historical “casoni” and fishing valleys, you will feel the love and dedication of the people for this land that constantly faces the challenge of water and land. The flight of herons and the sound of ducks remind you of the extraordinary coexistence between humans and nature in this unique place. It’s an excursion that touches the heart and makes you reflect on the beauty and fragility of this special ecosystem.
Private cooking class and seafood dinner at a local restaurant
Discover the world of Italian cuisine with guidance from an expert chef. Explore their Sangiovese Metodo Classico rosé, aged for the last 6 months at sea, carried by the currents and winds that caress the waters beneath the restaurant’s stilt house. Prepare fresh pasta and a fish sauce, and for dessert, a delicious tiramisu. Then, enjoy a refined dinner featuring the dishes you created during the class.
Overnight stay in a historic Venetian Villa with a pool or similar accommodation in the Po Delta.
Navigation ‘The Island of Love and the Oasis of Bacucco’
A plunge into the liquid landscape surrounding the Goro Lighthouse and the Island of Love: aboard a silent boat, let yourself be rocked between the fresh waters of the Po River merging into the sea and the brackish waters of the Bacucco Lagoon. Observing the evolving coastline, marked by the Old Lantern, a 150-year-old lighthouse now immersed in the reeds, you’ll sail through an extraordinary ecosystem. In the brackish areas of the Bacucco Lagoon, thousands of birds coexist with the activities of fishermen who cultivate mussels and clams in one of the most valuable natural areas of the Park.
Lunch at a local restaurant
Guided visit to a local rice field and rice mill, and a culinary workshop with the prized IGP Po Delta Rice
Discover the rice cultivation process, from sowing to harvest. Po Delta Rice is a certified local product of quality, born in soils characterized by high salinity and mineral fertility. Go birdwatching and look for herons. With Elisa, try some typical rice-based biscuit and cake recipes and let yourself be guided in a tasting of rice-based delicacies, including biscuits, sweets, and beer.
Overnight stay in a historic Venetian Villa with a pool or similar accommodation in the Po Delta.
Transfer to the airport and departure
The travel itinerary may be subject to small variations based on causes of force majeure, climate, or organizational adjustments.
When confirming the trip – once the minimum number of participants is reached – any relevant changes and updates will be communicated
4 DAYS- 3 NIGHT
4* HOTEL oR SIMILAR with BREAKFAST
PARTICIPANTS FROM 6TO 12
1 night in a 4-star hotel in the center of Chioggia
2 nights in a historic Venetian Villa with a pool or a similar accommodation in the Po Delta
1 tour guide for a visit to Chioggia (2.5 hours)
1 boat trip on the Po Delta
1 guided tour of a local rice field and rice mill with a culinary workshop
1 private cooking lesson
1 excursion with a cycling guide
1 dinner at a local restaurant
1 seafood lunch at a selected restaurant
1 welcome aperitif
1 guided tour of a local rice field and rice mill with a culinary workshop
Bicycle rental
A local tour leader will accompany the group for the entire duration of the trip
The booking must be made at least 15 days before the trip departure date.
Payment is to be made via bank transfer in the following manner:
20% Down payment upon booking confirmation
80% Final payment due 30 days prior
by Openmind Travel Srl
Sede legale
Via Esperanto 2 – 11100 Aosta
Sede operativa
Via Bassi 60 – 35131 Padova
Ph. +39.0498256495
welcome@openmindtravel.it
P.IVA 05236340286
PEC:pec@pec.openmindtravel.it
Kamelion by Openmind Travel partecipa a:
Progetto finanziato con il POC
Regione del Veneto
Kamelion è un progetto
Openmind Travel Srl
Sede legale
Via Esperanto 2 – 11100 Aosta
Sede operativa
Via Bassi 60 – 35131 Padova
Ph. +39.0498256495
welcome@openmindtravel.it
P.IVA 05236340286
PEC:pec@pec.openmindtravel.it
Kamelion by Openmind Travel
partecipa a:
Progetto finanziato con il POC
Regione del Veneto