ALONG THE BACCHIGLIONE RIVER, FROM THE VENETIAN LAGOON TO THE HILLS

(Chioggia - Battaglia Terme, 51 km)

The itinerary that we have just described, which is part of the I-2 “Veneto Loop” regional itinerary, whose signposts we will often meet along the route, starts on the Adriatic coast at Chioggia and Sottomarina and follows the Bacchiglione river and its canals up to Battaglia Terme at the foot of the Euganean Hills. Also promoted by the Provincial Administration of Padua as “The Salt and Sugar Road”, this route actually follows the ancient river route once sailed by large wooden barges (the "burci", remains of which are also visible in Casier, along the Sile route), which carried local goods and commodities, such as trachyte from the hills, salt from Chioggia and sugar from Pontelongo. The route is entirely flat and suitable for all, mostly on minor roads or paved embankment roads and some compact gravel stretches.

Start from the maritime station of Chioggia and take Corso del Popolo, going through the entire historical centre of the “Little Venice”. After going through the historical Santa Maria gate (km 0.8), turn left immediately after the bridge (km 1.3) and take the scenic foot and cycle path that goes around the Lusenzo lagoon. After another, high-arched bridge (km 2.7), you soon come out on strada Madonna Marina (km 3.1), where you turn right and, after crossing the hospital roundabout, you take the long cycle path on via Padre Emilio Venturini, heading towards the hamlet of Brondolo. At km 5.0 you turn right into the parking lot next to the road, at the end of which is the foot and cycle underpass that goes under the railway tracks. On the other side, the cycle path continues up to the large roundabout under the flyover of SS509 Romea state road (km 5.4), which you go around anti-clockwise then leave, heading east. At the next roundabout (km 5.7), you exit east onto via Brondolo, and after 100 metres you take the segregated cycle path on the wide bridge. The end of the bridge (km 6.5) is also the end of the cycle path, so you carefully ride for about 1.8 km on via Brondolo next to the river Brenta until, at the Ca’ Pasqua roundabout (km 8.3) on the confluence of the Bacchiglione into the Brenta, you turn left, then right immediately after, and start riding up along the left bank (north) of the Bacchiglione, on a narrow yet decent paved road, essentially used entirely for soft mobility. You carry on, going past Ca’ Bianca, where you enter the province of Padua (km 11.7), then Brenta d’Abbà (km 20.0). In Correzzola (km 24.3), the seat of a Benedictine abbey, you cross the bridge onto the right bank, and remain there until you go through the centre of Pontelongo (km 27.7), an area where sugar has been produced for centuries. When you come out of Pontelongo, you go back onto the left bank, until you come to Bovolenta (km 35.3), where you cross both branches, and then start riding up the left bank of the Vigenzone canal, which branches off the canal in Battaglia Terme, and flows into the main course of the Bacchiglione precisely in Bovolenta. After the Biancolino drainage station, a fine piece of hydraulic engineering (km 42.1), the Vigenzone canal bends south, but you continue straight along the Biancolino canal until the hamlet of Pontemanco in the municipality of Due Carrare (km 44.1), where you cross it into via Ponte di Riva. At the intersection (km 45.0) you turn left, and shortly after, at the intersection with Provincial Road SP17 (km 45.5), you come to the Vigenzone canal again and enter the park along the canal, on the left bank, riding on compact gravel, with a beautiful view of the Euganean Hills in the west. You continue along the Vigenzone canal, which starts progressively bending towards the hills, go under the A-13 motorway (km 49.7) and come out of the park (km 50.6) on via Chiodate: take a left and you will enter the village of Battaglia Terme, on the Battaglia canal (km 51.0).

Possible detours

• Chioggia lies between stages GT2 and GT3 of the Green Tour loop.

• Battaglia Terme lies on the Euganean Hills Loop (RV10). Furthermore, from the Battaglia canal you can easily get to Monselice on one side and to Padua on the other (see stage 1 Rovigo-Padua of route RV11).