Lidi di Comacchio
The Lidi di Comacchio or Lidi Ferraresi is a collective name for seven bathing beaches on the Italian Adriatic coast , east of Comacchio , in the province of Ferrara , all of which are fractions of the Comacchio municipality. They include 149 commercially operated beach operations called Bagni ( bagno , Italian: bath), some of which also house restaurants. Due to their large area and intensive tourist use during the summer months, the seven beaches are among the most important on the Adriatic. The local population of the seven beach towns is around 5,000.
Geographical location and transport links
The seven sandy beaches with a total area of around 250 hectares extend along the Adriatic coast over a distance of around 23 kilometers, making them one of the largest summer recreation areas in Europe. In the south, south of Lido di Spina, the beach area of the Lidi di Comacchio borders on a nature reserve, which in part already belongs to Ravenna, in the north on the Po of Volano.
From north to south there are the five so-called
- Northern beaches ( Lidi Nord , Bagno 1 - Bagno 83)
- Lido di Volano (Bagno 1 - Bagno 17)
- Lido delle Nazioni (Bagno 19 - Bagno 36)
- Lido di Pomposa (Bagno 40 - Bagno 50)
- Lido degli Scacchi (Bagno 51a - Bagno 61)
- Porto Garibaldi (Bagno 62 - Bagno 83)
and the two
- South beaches ( Lidi Sud , Bagno 1 - Bagno 64)
- Lido degli Estensi (Bagno 1 - Bagno 29)
- Lido di Spina (Bagno 30 - Bagno 64)
Between the north and south beaches runs the Magnavacca Canal (Canale Magnavacca) , access to the fishing port of Porto Garibaldi and the Marina degli Estensi (marina of Lido degli Estensi), which can be crossed near the beach by means of a small passenger ferry with bicycles can be. Motor vehicles must take the detour via Strada Romea, which borders Porto Garibaldi to the west, in order to be able to get to the other side of the port. Lido degli Estensi and Lido di Spina are separated from each other by the Logonovo Canal (Canale Logonovo) , over which three motor vehicle bridges lead.
In the eastern hinterland of the seaside resorts are the lagoons of the Valli di Comacchio (near Lido degli Estensi and Lido di Spina) and the Valle di Bertuzzi (near Lido di Volano), which are part of the Po Delta Nature Park . They are therefore part of the UNESCO World Heritage .
The Lidi di Comachio can be reached by motor vehicle via Strada Stratale 309 Romea (SS 309 Romea). Air- conditioned public buses commute between the Lidi di Comacchio and Ravenna , Ferrara and Codigoro . The nearest commercial airports are in Venice , Bologna and Rimini .
history
The development into a large holiday area on the Adriatic began with the fishing port of Porto Garibaldi, where at the beginning of the 20th century private entrepreneurs initially set up the three bathing establishments Apollo (today Bagno 72), Nettuno (today Bagno 75) and Esperia (today Bagno 78). were founded: There the bathers were given umbrellas and deck chairs and offered other services. The development was supported by the fact that around the same time in the Po Delta near Volano and further south a reforestation program was tackled in order to curb erosion by the sea with the help of planted pine forests. The fresh sea air, mixed with the aromatic pine scent, was extremely appreciated by bathers. The first three service companies mentioned in Porto Garibaldi were originally simple wooden barracks. They were destroyed during a severe storm surge in 1927, but were soon rebuilt with a more stable construction.
When the economic boom set in after the Second World War , the influx of tourists - also from abroad, especially from Germany - increased steadily. The beach facilities were expanded and new holiday apartments and other accommodations for tourists were constantly being created. Today (2009) the beaches are mainly used by Italians from the cities and residential areas of the hinterland looking for relaxation.
Infrastructure
There are more than 60 hotels, 10 campsites and holiday villages set up in pine forests, around 30,000 rentable holiday apartments with a total of around 120,000 beds, numerous entertainment and sports facilities and other services.
With the exception of the old fishing town of Porto Garibaldi, most of the holiday resorts are new, spacious and large-scale housing estates with lots of green, which were designed on the drawing board according to modern urban planning principles. They each consist of smaller and larger villas, larger residential complexes with condominiums, some hotels, business districts, restaurants and facilities for sports and games. Sufficient, free parking areas for passenger cars are available in front of and near the beaches.
A total of six ambulance stations are available for non-urgent medical care, which are open either in the morning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or in the afternoon from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A one-off fee of € 15 is charged for outpatient treatment (2009) Doctors are available to tourists for home visits at all seven locations; for a medical home visit there is a fee of € 25. The nearest hospitals are in Comacchio and Lagosanto.
The municipality of Comacchio levies a special tax, known as ICI, on locals and foreigners who own residential property in the Lidi di Comacchio, which is used to continuously improve the infrastructure and to beautify the appearance of the places, in particular by means of garden architecture measures.
The bathing resorts in detail
The seven Lidi all have wide sandy beaches, on which Bagni run by private service providers are lined up. Between these commercial beach areas, where umbrellas and deck chairs can be rented, there are free beach areas where bathers are allowed to put up their own parasols.
Lido di Volano
Lido di Volano is the last bathing beach opened up for tourism. The place named after the Po estuary ' Po di Volano' (Po di Volano) borders on a shady pine forest of about 20 hectares, which is suitable for long walks. A four-kilometer-long, shady forest path runs parallel to the beach through the forest, which is under nature protection, and is also easy to drive on with bicycles. The quiet place is particularly appreciated by families with children. Lido di Volano has a pier about a hundred meters long . The pier is used by sport fishermen who lower funnel-shaped fishing nets from there into the Adriatic and pull them up again after a few minutes.
In the nature reserve south of Lido di Volano, wild horses that have been imported from the Camargue are kept in extensive enclosures . The enclosures are not accessible to tourists, but you can sometimes see the mold from a distance. A colony of flamingos has settled in the lagoon area near Lido di Volano and they overwinter there.
Pier of Lido di Volano, with hobby fishermen holding nets hanging on metal frames into the sea.
South of the beach of Lido di Volano, seen from the pier.
Northern beach section of Lido di Volano, seen from the pier.
Delta Camargue wild horses in the nature reserve near Lido di Volano.
Lido delle Nazioni
Lido delle Nazione is next to Porto Garibaldi and Lido degli Estensi one of the three largest bathing resorts in the Lidi di Comacchio. There are wide streets, lots of greenery and numerous shopping opportunities. The beaches can be easily reached from the promenade and with slides, swings and freshwater swimming pools offer a wide range of play and entertainment options for children. For adults looking for relaxation, there are massage institutes and a thermal bath in which bromiodine tincture water is used.
According to the place name, most of the streets in the village are named after existing (Viale Francia, Viale Germania) or former nations (Viale Unione Sovietica, Viale Jugoslavia).
The site includes the artificially created salty inland waterway Lago delle Nazioni , in which eels and mullets live and on the surface of which coots, little grebes, kingfishers and other bird species can be found. All kinds of water sports events are often held on the water. It has become common practice to hold the Italian Triathlon Championships there every year .
In Italy, Lido delle Nazioni is a place steeped in history, because here - at a place called ' Pialazza ' or ' Pialassa ' - on August 3, 1849, the Italian folk hero and state founder Giuseppe Garibaldi landed with his ship, on which his dying are also landed lying partner Anita was. With her he hid in the Garibaldi Hut (Capanno Garibaldi) , a former garden shed that is still preserved today and can be visited.
At the northern end of the village there is a one-and-a-half kilometer long pine forest running parallel to the beach, which is followed by an approximately one kilometer long coastal strip that is used as a nudist beach.
South of the beach of Lido delle Nazioni.
Northern beach section of Lido delle Nazioni.
La Baracchino fish fry at the northern exit of Lido delle Nazioni.
Forest path in the nature reserve between Lido delle Nazioni and Lido di Volano.
Lido di Pomposa
The place is named after the nearby Pomposa Abbey , a former Benedictine monastery that was an important cultural center with a pan-European presence in the Middle Ages. Lido di Pomposa was created on a cleared area on which a magnificent pine forest, bordering the dunes on the sea side, had previously stood. Its clearing and the leveling of the dunes had lamented nature lovers, including the writer and poet Giosuè Carducci , who wrote: “dileguanti vie su la marina tra grigie arene e fise acque di stagni” (paths that disappear along the coast between gray sand and stagnant pond water ).
Not far away began the ancient Eliceo Forest, an area where rosé wine is grown and pressed, which the locals like to drink with fish and eel dishes.
In the vicinity of the town center there are some modern holiday villages that are equipped with every comfort for tourists. The place is well suited for families with children looking for relaxation.
Lido degli Scacchi
Before this seaside resort, located between Porto Garibaldi and Lidi di Pomposa, was built, a group of simple houses stood here on the seashore. From Strada Romea, some shady avenues led to the sea. In the course of the expansion of the settlement into a seaside resort, the transport network was expanded to include the 'Acciaioli' panoramic road and a few other roads, but much of the old trees have been preserved.
There are restaurants, shops, facilities for sports and games, and a large space for concerts.
Beach hotel in Lido degli Scacchi.
Beach section in Lido degli Scacchi.
Porto Garibaldi
Porto Garibaldi emerged from a fishing village on the Magnavacca Canal ( Canala Magnavacca ), which gradually developed into a port. There used to be a fortress with two defense towers at the port entrance. Originally the place was called Magnavacca , after one of the two defense towers of the fortress. By Municipal Council of the municipality of Comacchio ( Commune di Comacchio ) of 13 April 1919, the town was named in honor of the Italian state founder Giuseppe Garibaldi in Porto Garibaldi renamed. During the Second World War , the port facilities and neighboring buildings including the church were completely destroyed by Allied aerial bombs. However, the port was soon rebuilt. In 1949 Porto Garibaldi received a new church further away from the port; she has no organ yet.
Along with the port of Goro, Porto Garibaldi is one of the most important fishing ports in the northern Adriatic. The port is connected inland with the Po di Volano via the Canale Navigabile, which can be used by ships up to 1,350 GRT and which passes Comacchio and Ostellato . Compared to Goro, the port is considered to be considerably more expandable. The fish delivered by fishing cutters is reloaded directly into refrigerated trucks at the port and shipped across the country or temporarily stored in a cold store. The port also has berths for tourist excursion boats, which can be used for organized tours in the Po Delta region, and for boats equipped for tourist deep-sea fishing. The port is also used by sailing and motor yachts.
Porto Garibaldi has an old infrastructure with satisfactory services for both locals and tourists. There are a number of retail stores, several supermarkets and restaurants. A large weekly market takes place once a week. There are several doctors on site.
At the northern exit of the village, a large beach area has been left free that has not been leased to commercial lido operators and where bathers are allowed to put up their own parasols.
Port of Porto Garibaldi as seen from the bridge of the SS 309 Romea towards the Adriatic Sea.
Selling freshly harvested mussels, oysters and other marine animals straight from the fishing boat on a Sunday morning at the port of Porto Garibaldi.
Offer of fish and other marine animals on a fishing boat at the port of Porto Garibaldi.
On Seafood -Speisen specialized restaurant "Il Gran Fritto del Marinaio" at the fishing port.
Fish fry "fel Porto" at the fishing port.
Porto Garibaldi beach boulevard lined with wooden planks.
Lido degli Estensi
The place is named after the Este family from Ferrara , who had a summer palace known as Casette di Magnavacca built here in the 15th century , which no longer exists today. Along with Lido delle Nazioni and Porto Garibaldi, Lido degli Estensi is one of the three largest seaside resorts and has a long shopping street and promenade where tourists go for a walk in the evening.
Northern area of the Estensi promenade, with the 'city gate' built around 2000 for decoration.
Middle section of the main shopping street, Estensis, as seen towards the north. On the left a rental shop for bicycles, pedal vehicles and electric vehicles.
Southern area of the Estensi promenade, with a second 'city gate' set up around the turn of the millennium for decoration.
Weekly market on Saturday morning in Lido degli Estensi.
Traditional restaurant and pizzeria Il Ragno in the north of Lido degli Estensi
Tre Ponti fish fry on a bridge over the Logonovo Canal in the south of Lido degli Estensi.
Newly laid out, long and sufficiently wide footpaths and bicycle paths, which are covered with red-brown tiles, run between the residential area and the beach operations. At the southern end of the bathing beach of Lido degli Estensi there is a freshwater outdoor swimming pool with a gigantic giant slide for the entertainment of the children. During the evenings, especially on the weekends, various musical events for young and old take place on the beach. It can then happen that the music and the announcements of the dance masters or disc jockeys can be heard in the residential areas until midnight.
Near the port there is the sports center (Centro sportivo) Medusa , which has three hard tennis courts with carpeting made of green synthetic fibers. The sports complex also has a football field with small goals and high outdoor nets for football players. Beach volley tournaments take place on the beach. There are numerous restaurants on site, including the long-established Il Ragno pizzeria, which is appreciated by the locals, and the beer garden of the Irish Pub , which is popular with younger holiday guests in the late evening hours.
A few years ago a large, modern marina, the Marina degli Estensi, was built in Lido degli Estensi .
Estensis new marina, Marina degli Estensi .
Tennis courts and indoor tennis center in the Centro Sportivo Medusa on the beach of Estensi.
View of the large-scale entertainment event "Luna Park" on a festival meadow in the north of Lido degli Estensi in the evening
Historic building in the Comacchio saltworks in the hinterland bordering Estensi.
The Canale Logonovo between Lido degli Estensi and Lido di Spina, with a landing stage for an excursion boat (in the picture at the back left).
Lido di Spina
Lido di Spina is named after the lost Greek-Etruscan port and trading town of Spina , which - as extensive archaeological finds show - existed a few kilometers west of Comacchio until the first decades AD. The modern Spina is a pure residential area without a typical town center, which consists largely of holiday homes, a few hotels, restaurants and a few retail shops. Lido di Spina has the only discotheque in the vicinity of Porto Garibaldi and several other locations on the beach that are frequented by younger people in the evening. Loud music can often be heard there in the evenings. However, the place is so spacious that very quiet accommodations can be found there, where there is no excessive noise pollution during the night. The place is therefore also popular with families with children as a holiday destination and is considered the most relaxing bathing resort of the Lidi di Comacchio , which is also said to have the best water quality.
Spina has two shady campsites hidden in pine groves, one near the beach and another on the southern outskirts, which borders the nature reserve in the south. On site is the nationally important museum for modern art Casa Museo Remo Brindisi , in which works by important European, American and Asian artists are exhibited. There are also cultural events there.
A bird's eye view of the western part of Spina, with the Comacchio lagoons in the background.
Tennis courts at the Il Travone sports center (with floodlights).
Museum of Modern Art and Cultural Events Center Casa Museo Remo Brindisi .
Offers for physical activity
At the Lidi di Comacchio there are numerous opportunities to do sports actively. The offers range from mini golf to beach volleyball, tennis, horse riding, sailing, archery and aviation with ultralight aircraft to deep sea sport fishing. In Spina there is the well-tended tennis facility Il Travone with eight sand courts and floodlights, where open tournaments are held and where a tennis instructor recognized by the Italian Tennis Association is available. There are other tennis facilities in Lido degli Estensi ( Centro Sportivo Medusa ) and in other seaside resorts.
Web links
- Comachio beaches and cultural activities in the Ferrara area, with maps. (multilingual, also German)
- Sights in Comacchio.
- Site plan with road map.
- Nature and culture in the Po Delta Park.
- Satellite image (Google Earth).
- Marina degli Estensi
Footnotes
- ^ Maurizio Paiola: La Casette di Magnavacca - una Delizia Estense ritrovato , Grafis edizioni, Casalecchio di Remo (BO) 1995, ISBN 88-8081-041-3 . On page 33 of this brochure a map of the Po Delta from 1599 is reproduced in extracts, on which the pleasure palace is marked as a ' casette '.
Coordinates: 44 ° 43 ' N , 12 ° 14' E