Veneto Slow Flow: Biking and Boating One of the Most Beautiful Italian Regions Linked by “Experiences”

By Massimo Terracina

Take a territory with great traditions, with the incomparable Venice right in the middle; add water, green fields, a magic atmosphere, history, hospitality and you will get Veneto, one of the most beautiful regions of Italy.

Land of Venice (https://www.veneto.eu/EN/Home/) is the international payoff, but in reality it is precisely this concept of "land" that makes it a unique destination to be discovered in small bites.

A long weekend, if you don't have a week, is a good start to discover a territory in which a group of little companies of "human dimensions” have come together and have given life to a network, for now, of 24 realities that cover everything that is possible to do in this wonderful area: “Slow Flow”, Veneto Waterways experience. (https://www.slow-flow.it/)

The fundamental concept around "Slow Flow" are the possible experiences between nature and culture that can be declined in a completely personalized way because everyone has different travel needs. And, above all, because they are accessible, malleable, authentically typical, the purpose of which is to make you discover the intimate and original side of the Veneto, showing you things that are not usually appreciated.

So let's set off to discover this area, from an old railway toll booth, near Treviso, Casello 104 in Morgano (https://casello104.eatbu.com/?lang=it) transformed into a restaurant and meeting point. From here, after an appreciable snack, take your bicycles, muscle bikes, being a collection point of the Venice Trail (https://www.venicetrail.org/) to ride the cycle path that connects Treviso to Ostiglia, a 70 km long green corridor that retraces the route of a former railway between waterways, countryside cultivated with corn, asparagus and radicchio, country churches, naturalistic areas, Venetian villas, all joined by the line of the cycle path equipped with refreshment points, rest areas, bike rental and traveler services.

You cross the regional park of the Sile river, passing through the splendid historic center of Treviso, following a cycle path around the city, and beyond, along the Sile greenway to discover truly unique panoramic views and appreciate a hidden pearl of this magical Veneto. At Casier sul Sile we leave the bikes, from the ”gravel” to the “mbk” at the Venice Trail depot, (www.venicetrail.org) which also offers kayak trips, closing the experience with a nice refreshing aperitif offered by the hospitable owner, Marco Piccinno.

It's time to make route on the boat landing spot at “Portegrandi”, where Captain Glauco Stefanato, one of the veterans of river navigation, from a family of boatmen, for 5 generations, on the "burci", the typical boats that sailed with their own load of goods, navigable canal, is looking forward to telling you seafaring anecdotes, while the always served “cicchetti” (sandwiches, snacks and wine) are waiting to be consumed as in every occasion. (https://www.navigazionestefanato.it/)

Altino is another important center of knowledge, starting from the museum: National Archaeological Museum, near the archaeological site of Altinum. It preserves the most representative historical finds of this Venetian and Roman center of great importance, active between the VIII century BC. and V century AD on the northern edge of the lagoon which will later become the city of Venice.

Together with the nearby archaeological site, it is included in the "Venice and its lagoon" world heritage site. (https://polomusealeveneto.beniculturali.it/musei/museo-nazionale-e-area-archeologica-di-altino)

Speaking of the lagoon, one cannot fail to embark on a voyage to discover this wonderful and extremely delicate ecosystem, from Portegrandi (Big doors, the gateway from mainland to lagoon) sailing down the Siloncello Canal. It is here you can spot pink flamingos and other lagoon birds among the grass along the banks, the intriguing island of Torcello, site of archaeological interest, located on the edge of an area of sandbanks, while Captain Francesco Burlando, at the helm of the “Bragosso”, the typical lagoon boat, offers coffee and "baicoli" the typical Venetian biscuits, to those who admire the panorama of a crystalline day and the island (Torcello) where only 12 people, currently, live…

Finally we arrive at the colored houses of Burano, so colorful painted because, as in a sort of visual "cadastre", the colours, all lively and different, serve to delimit the properties.

Massimiliano Zane could be waiting for you on the landing spot. In addition to being a connoisseur of the place, he is also the soul of the Laguna Fla group (https://lagunaflaline.it/) which offers guided tours of the islands of the lagoon by boat and, above all, a careful explanation of a tradition in decline, that of Burano lace, which Ludovica, his young daughter, carries on after generations of lace makers, rigorously by hand as the youngest one.

A precious and ancient art in which not only the dexterity of embroidery is practiced, but also the genius linked to the creativity of the models, designs and realization.

(https://www.isoladiburano.it/)

On the main street of Burano, calle (via) Baldassarre Galuppi, the busiest one, you can have a flash of "taste" in the Carmelina Palmisano pastry, an historic shop that produces traditional Venetian biscuits and cookies, such as bussolà, esse and moretti, in an very artisanal way.

And don't let yourself be intimidated: go around the crossroads, get away from the crowds and discover the pristine corners of this wonderful island that gives its best with the sun.

Among the experiences that are very popular in this area, one to do is certainly that of renting an easy-to-drive "house boat" to travel the lagoon independently and stop where it suits you best, on these comfortable and fun boats for families or small groups, which they do not require a boat license made available by Charter Boat. www.charterboat.it

After a hearty meal you can retrace the lagoon, the salt marshes (barene), see Torcello island (remember the one with 12 inhabitants) at sunset, and return to the mainland in Dolo to resume the exploration of the waterways on the Brenta river. Villas everywhere ... dine in a typical restaurant near the lock, to resume the exploration on the day after with a nice bike ride that will allow us to discover the beautiful Venetian villas, and other partners of the "Slow Flow" Consortium Veneto Waterways experience.

It could start from the "B&B Dimora Naviglio" (https://www.dimoranaviglio.it/) in Dolo, whose rear garden overlooks Brenta, the calm canal that represented the river communication route between Padua and the “Serenissima”.

Today the Riviera del Brenta is an urban area of the metropolitan city of Venice which extends along the banks of the Naviglio del Brenta. It is the ancient natural bed of the Brenta river: it branches off from the latter at the height of Stra and, flowing substantially from west to east, it flows into the Venice lagoon near Fusina.

It is an area of high historical-landscape value due to the presence of numerous Venetian villas, with a strong influence from Palladio.

It is here that you follow a slow pedaling guide organized by Travel & Bike" (https://www.travelandbike.it/) using the remote audio of Media Vox (https://www.mediavoxvenezia.com/) a another member of the "Slow Flow" consortium which also caters to foreign customers who particularly appreciate the area.

Pedaling gently you arrive at the Biofevari craft brewery, part of the Ape Agricola company that produces the precious  and rare “miele di barena” (sandbank honey). There are 4 varieties of the precious nectar embellished with this peculiar honey, another artisan product of the family. 

Then off to the last stop of the tour, in Vila Foscarini Rossi (https://www.villafoscarini.it/) you can visit one of the hidden pearls of the Brenta Riviera: the Shoe Museum in a setting from the past, the villa today part of the international group that also includes Louis Vuitton, wanted by Luigino Rossi, opened in 1995, on the 50th anniversary of the activity of a shoe factory that has collaborated with the most prestigious fashion brands in over seventy years of activity of the international scene. 

The Footwear Museum brings together a collection of over 1500 models of luxury women's footwear, produced by the shoe factory over the years, including unique, iconic and experimental pieces.

From Stra let’s leave again on another river boat with a great tradition, that of Captain Rudy Toninato (https://www.deltatour.it/) whose fleet was the first to count on a fully electric vessel, towards Dolo. In front of Villa Pisani, "the Queen of the Venetian Villas" perhaps the swan song of the Riviera del Brenta, whose construction, subsequent to those of many other villas in the area, was commissioned by the noble Venetian family of the Pisani, who had in Doge Alvise Pisani its most famous member, concludes a journey incredibly full of wonderful views, interesting and pleasant life stories, places steeped in history, to better understand the "Slow Flow" essence of this part of Veneto and its streets. waterfall.