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

(San Donà di Piave - Eraclea, 41 km)

This itinerary in the Eastern part of the Veneto starts inland in San Donà di Piave – an important station on the Venice-Trieste railway line – and reaches the Venetian lagoon and the beaches of the Adriatic, making full use of beautiful cycling routes such as Piave Vecchia, the Sile and Piave rivers, as well as offering the option of visiting many places of great natural beauty. In addition to all that, the sea resort of Eraclea Mare is also the starting point to venture into the easternmost part of the Veneto coast until the border with Friuli marked by the Tagliamento river. 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 and 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 over the bridge, you 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 you will find (km 4.0) 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, you 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 massive works carried out by the Venetians turned its last stretch into 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, you turn right and immediately go down towards the water and cross the pontoon bridge, after which you 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 a place called Torre del Caligo (km 17.8), after which it rejoins the road. At km 21.4, you arrive to the town centre of Jesolo (not yet the seaside resort) via a bridge, across which is the parish church of San Giovanni Battista. From here on, there are two alternative options, which both take to Revedoli, across the river Piave. The first one we'll describe is less direct, but also less exposed to traffic. So, you've come to the bridge: cross it to face the church, turn right into piazzetta Jesolo, then turn left (km 21.8) and right into via Toscanini. At the intersection 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 quiet countryside 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 lanes. Cross the river, then turn immediately right onto the embankment road, which after a short while becomes restricted to pedestrians and bicycles. 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, you cross the canal on the adequate foot and cycle bridge, then turn right to ride back up on the opposite bank until you turn left (km 37.7) into a narrow lane that takes you to via dei Pioppi (km 38.4). The thoroughfare is rather busy and requires undivided attention, but your destination is now near. Indeed, at km 39.7 you reach the entry point to the amazing Laguna del Mort, the wilderness area at the former mouth of the Piave, whereas if you turn left you immediately arrive at the beaches of Eraclea Mare.

An alternative path from Jesolo to Revedoli. Let us now describe the other route from Jesolo to Revedoli. This alternative route from the bridge of Jesolo to Revedoli di Eraclea is more direct than the former one (9.3 km against 13.2), but at the moment it is less protected from traffic. You must continue after the bridge for 200 m on the right bank of the river Sile, crossing the foot and cycle bridge, then continue for a further 300 m on the left bank. After that, you should turn left and continue for 400 m in via Damiano Chiesa, via Loghetto and via Ca’ Gamba, then turn left again into via Alfieri and right into via Cavetta di Marina. This is a very long and straight road that follows the Cavetta canal for a little less than 6 km until Cortellazzo. Here, you turn left and carry on for 1300 m into via Massaua, then cross the river Piave on the pontoon bridge on the right, carry on for 1 km and you arrive in Revedoli. From here the route is the same as above.

Possible detours

• The section between Caposile and Jesolo is also covered by stage GT1 of the main Green Tour loop.

• It is possible to go directly from San Donà di Piave to the mouth of the Piave in Cortellazzo by following the path on the right bank of the river Piave. This is a double track that is not always in excellent condition, but is still ridable and very enjoyable.

• From Eraclea Mare you can continue on regional itinerary I-3 “Via del Mare” to Caorle and Bibione, until you come to the regional boundary with Friuli Venezia Giulia marked by the river Tagliamento. In addition to the cycle route over the Bevazzana bridge crossing the regional border, in the summer the two seaside resorts of Bibione and Lignano Sabbiadoro are also linked by a ferry service, which also takes bikes.