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

STAGE 2

(Caorle - Bibione, 50 km)

From the centre of Caorle we retrace our steps, or pedal strokes, from the old town to the roundabout with via Sansonessa, turn right into the fine bike path, and via a convenient underpass reach the large parking lot on the edge of town (km 1.5), also for camper vans. At this point we are faced with two options: either follow the new bike path on the right along the SP59 provincial road, which by now has turned into a single track (a detailed description follows), or continue on the left in via Strada Nuova-SP62. The two itineraries converge further ahead in the hamlet of Marango. Cycling through the parking area certainly needs improvement, but it should still be easy to exit it in either direction.

SP59 variant (9.4 km from the camper van parking area to the junction with the main route in Marango)

From the camper van area, head east on the bike path next to provincial road no. 59. Despite being relatively recent, the path already shows signs of poor maintenance; nonetheless, it remains rideable without major difficulty. The bike path ends at the bridge on the Riello canal (km 4.3), where you turn right (signalised crossing) into strada Riello, heading north-east. At km 7 you arrive in the hamlet of San Gaetano, on the banks of the Lemene river. Cross the river and continue upstream on the left bank until you rejoin the main itinerary in Marango.

Main route to Bibione (48.5 km from the camper van area to the Bevazzana bridge)

Continue on via Strada Nuova-SP62 from the camper van area (km 1.5), accompanied by the meandering Livenza river for several kilometres. We will cross the river twice: the first time a couple of kilometres after the start, on a characteristic bascule bridge, and the second time between the villages of San Giorgio and La Salute. After the first bridge, continue on the road until the Cà Corniani Estate, found on the left, and owned by Assicurazioni Generali, which provides a wide range of services for cyclists. From here, you can continue along an easy, compact gravel bike path for approximately 5 km. At km 8.5 you rejoin the Livenza embankment and continue on the road until the second bridge in San Giorgio di Livenza, which has a bicycle and pedestrian lane. After crossing the river, turn right into via Regadura and go along the left bank in the opposite direction. At km 12.7, leave the embankment and the Livenza for good, and turn left into via Olmo, then continue straight on via Sant’Antonio until the bridge on the Lemene river (km 16.4) just before the hamlet of Marango. Continue on the road, which requires undivided attention, especially in the summer months, and you will soon reach the 'Triestina' Provincial Road. Cross the Maranghetto Canal on a bicycle and pedestrian bridge, recently restored, which you access via a path next to the road. A few dozen metres after crossing the canal (km 18.8), turn right into an unsurfaced country road and you will enter an atmospheric natural area covering more than 30 hectares called 'Bosco delle Lame'. At km 22.2, you rejoin the provincial road again, although very briefly just to cross the Sindacale canal, then immediately turn right into via Canalon, which continues on the left as via Garibaldi. You are now immersed in a landscape shaped by land reclamation: former fishing lagoons have partly been replaced by farmland, nevertheless, the scenery still reflects a changing and distinctly atmospheric character. At km 23.7 you leave via Garibaldi, turn right into via Villaviera, right again into via Sindacale, and turn left after 500 metres on strada Villaviera. At km 28, turn right into a wide dirt road called Strada Alberoni, after about 1.5 km turn left and take via Brussa, which leads to the Valle Vecchia Regional Reserve. However, our itinerary heads slightly north, crosses the Villa pumping station, and continues next to Canal dei Lovi until a picturesque cycle-pedestrian footbridge (km 31.7). After the footbridge, continue for approximately 2.2 km on the grassy embankment of Canal dei Lovi, then turn left (km 33.9) on via dei Prati Nuovi, heading north. At km 36.6, continue on the right on a pleasant and safe tarmac lane, across the Cavrato canal on the Ponte della Bruna bridge, recently restored by the Municipality of San Michele al Tagliamento, and follow the bicycle signage to Bibione. In sequence, you will ride on via Terzo Bacino, via Valpelina, via dei Braccianti, and via Santo Falcomer (Coastal Road), where you can enjoy the view over the beautiful nature reserve of Val Grande, until the junction with via Pineda (km 48.5). If you turn right into the convenient bike path you can reach Bibione quickly (below you will find a recommended loop route to visit the seaside resort), whereas if you turn left into a useful pedestrian and bicycle underpass you can bypass via Pineda and continue northbound on the opposite side, always on a handy bike path. The bike path ends at km 49.3, where you take a sharp turn left into via Bevazzana, at the end of which you turn right into via Lignano towards the road bridge across the Tagliamento river, the natural boundary between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Bibione loop (12 km)

At the junction with via Pineda (km 0.0), turn right following the segregated bike path that goes up and down the flyover; when you reach the large roundabout to enter Bibione (km 1.3), follow the bike path on the right, and after 200 m cross the road on the bike crossing, turn right, then left into via Andromeda. Ride along via Andromeda until the waterfront road, via della Luna (km 3.3): here, take a left along the lido of the seaside resort, always on a well-kept, segregated bike path. After approximately 700 m (km 4.0) the bike path enters a park, bends left (km 4.4) then right (km 4.6), and turns into a fine, compact gravel path that crosses a wilder area of the coast, through lovely pine groves along the beach. You will then reach the Tagliamento lighthouse (km 6.5), the south-east end of Bibione. Continue on the left, and shortly after, at km 7.7, you go past the courtesy pier of the Tagliamento ferry, which offers a fast service to and from Lignano Sabbiadoro from the beginning of April to the end of September. The ferry carries up to 25 people and 25 bicycles. Keep going straight ahead, and at km 9.3 you are back on tarmac in via Capodistria, lined with tall maritime pines, at the end of which (km 11.1) you cross via Pineda again on the zebra crossing on the left. On the other side, take the same bike path you took on the way in, going right, up and down the same flyover and back to the crossroads you set off from (km 12.0).