FROM THE MAINLAND TO THE LAGOON AND DOWN TO THE BEACHES OF THE ADRIATIC SEA

STAGE 1

(San Donà di Piave - Caorle, 50 km)

The itinerary described here spans the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, leading from the mainland town of San Donà di Piave—served by a major station on the Venice–Trieste railway line—to the lagoons between Caorle and Grado and the beaches of the northern Adriatic. It follows some outstanding cycling routes, including Piave Vecchia and the rivers Sile, Piave, Lemene, Tagliamento and Livenza, and offers the opportunity to visit several areas of significant environmental interest. The route is entirely flat, with paved sections alternating to long stretches on compact gravel.

In San Donà di Piave, the starting point is the 'San Donà - Jesolo' railway station, where you take via Baron, then via Sabbioni. Turn left at km 0.7, go straight at the roundabout of piazza dei Marinai (km 0.9) into viale della Libertà until (km 1.4) you turn left into via Jesolo, then right immediately after into via Ancillotto. In front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria delle Grazie (km 1.6), turn right into Corso Trentin, then continue straight until the bridge over the river Piave (km 2.1) after which you turn right into the segregated cycle path. Just after the bridge, follow the cycle path on the roundabout, which makes a wide bend and connects to the double track on the right bank of the river Piave (km 2.5). Continue until (km 4.0) you will find what used to be the former course of the river, Piave Vecchia: here, you climb up the embankment and cross the road into via Intestadura in the municipality of Musile di Piave. Shortly after, turn left (km 4.5) into via Piave Vecchia, which takes you back to the Piave Vecchia embankment (km 5.1). Here is the start of a beautiful double track on excellent, compact gravel along the old course of the river Piave, before its last stretch became the current course of the river Sile. The path ends at km 10.7 in Caposile at a characteristic metal bascule bridge, clearly visible on the left. However, we turn right and immediately go down towards the water and cross the pontoon bridge, after which we turn right then left (km 11.0) to take the unpaved cycling path towards Jesolo. The first part of the cycle path runs along the San Marco canal, which branches off the river Sile just before, then (km 13.9) it bends left to run along the right bank of the river Sile and continues being segregated until Torre del Caligo (km 17.8), after which it rejoins the road. At km 21.4 you arrive to the town of Jesolo (not the seaside resort) by a bridge on the Sile river, across which is the parish church of San Giovanni Battista. After enjoying a little break, take the 'Riviera' again for a short while, turn left into via Damiamo Chiesa (km 22.2), cross via Roma Destra and continue on via Loghetto. After crossing via Goldoni, at km 22.5 turn right into via Cà Gamba, on an excellent two-way bike path. You will pedal along safely for a couple of kilometres, always on the bike path on via Danimarca until the large roundabout on via Papa Luciani (km 25.2). The going is easy on the bike path, which bends left until the next roundabout (km 26.4). Continue on the right, then turn left again on the recent bike path on Viale d’Oriente. The Adriatic is but a few dozen metres south, should you fancy taking a 'dip' in the sea, or stopping to enjoy the view while sipping coffee. If you prefer to keep going, however, ride on the new bike path on Viale Oriente, then turn right at km 27.5 into via Garcia Lorca (the bike path ends abruptly and there is no information on possible future extensions), at the end of which turn right into via Corer. Connection to viale Belgio at km 28.3 is assured by a new bike path along a scenic pine grove. Continue in the shade of pine trees along the recent bike path until you cross viale Oriente again at km 30. You are now near the borough of Cortellazzo, just a few pedal strokes away. The bike path ends near the bridge on the Cavetta canal and in the summer months, the traffic on the next section is rather heavy. At km 32, cross the picturesque and historical pontoon bridge on the Piave river, and continue eastwards on via Revedoli, then at km 33.9, after climbing a ramp on the left, cross provincial road SP90 from Eraclea, with rather heavy traffic. At km 35.2, you will leave the provincial road, at last, and you can either get off your bike and walk through the scenic natural area called Laguna del Mort or turn left to head to the Eraclea Mare beaches.  If you decide to turn left at this point, you can continue east along a pleasant bikes-only path, then at km 36.4 take the fine bike path on via Lungomarina, at the end of which you turn left into via Marinella, and after 100 metres turn right into via della Pineta. Continue in the shade, past a few buildings, until km 38.2, where you must turn left into via Abeti and rejoin the provincial road (km 38.7), which is called via dei Fiori now. Turn right and take the wide bike path on the left side of the street, separated by a line of trees, and continue until the roundabout of via Selva Rosata, where the bike path ends. Continue on the road without any protection for about 600 metres, and near the entrance of the Villaggio San Francesco resort (km 41), take the bike path on the right, half hidden by vegetation, leading to Duna Verde, the beach resort in the municipality of Caorle. Now at a safe distance from the 'usual' provincial road, you ride through the small but noteworthy Park of the Dunes until km 42.1, when you rejoin the main road, now called viale Altanea, on a wide bike path until the borough of Valle Altanea, where the bike path moves over to via delle Rondini (km 43.9) then back alongside viale Altanea at km 45.3. After a couple of kilometres, always on a bike path, you cross the Livenza river and leave the provincial road for good, turning right into via Sansonessa, which also features a fine two-way bike path. If you turn right at the roundabout with via Strada Nuova (km 49.4), you can quickly reach the charming old town of Caorle, which has been listed among historic Italian fishing villages since 2017. The Cathedral, formerly the Bishop's seat, and its unusual cylindrical bell tower, both dating back to the year 1000, are well worth a visit.

Revedoli variant km 38.4 (to the junction with the main itinerary)

After crossing the bridge, you arrive in front of the church, turn right into Piazzetta Jesolo, cross Piazza 1° Maggio, turn left into via XXIV Maggio (km 21.8) then right into via Toscanini. At the crossroads with via Roma Sinistra (km 22.3) turn left into the segregated cycle path on the right side of the road, and continue until (km 24.6) you turn right into via Trinchet, then left (km 25.5) into via Castellana, which takes you through the peaceful countryside and to the right bank of the Piave (km 28.1). Here, climb onto the embankment and ride toward the bridge of Eraclea, which is not very far now and has segregated cycle ways. Cross the river, then turn immediately right onto the embankment road, which after a short while becomes restricted to pedestrians and bicycles only. You will then arrive at Revedoli (km 34.6), where you turn left onto the road that runs along the canal of the same name until the hamlet of Torre di Fine, in the municipality of Eraclea (km 36.4). Here, cross the canal on the adequate foot and cycle bridge, then turn right to ride back up on the opposite bank and turn left (km 37.7) into a narrow lane that takes you to via dei Pioppi - SP90, (km 38.4), the thoroughfare, where traffic is heavy and requires undivided attention.