Comacchio: A City to Be Savoured Slowly

Nestled between the lagoons of the Delta del Po and the Adriatic Sea, this city on the water holds a heritage of authentic beauty, far from the paths most travelled by mass tourism. Reaching it means choosing to stop — and letting yourself be surprised.

From Delta Open Air Resort, it takes very little to dive into this extraordinary world. A bike, a kayak, a simple stroll: any means will do when the destination is so rich in charm.

The City of the Trepponti and the Canals

The heart of Comacchio is one of the most distinctive historic centres of the Po Valley plain. Built on thirteen small islands linked by bridges, the city has a Venetian soul but a voice all its own — less frenetic, more intimate, genuine. Its absolute symbol is the Trepponti, the sixteenth-century five-arched bridge that dominates the junction of the canals: photographing it at sunset, when the orange light is reflected on the water, is an experience that stays with you. Getting lost among the lanes and canals of the historic centre is the best way to understand what it means to live on the water. The pastel-coloured buildings, the fishermen's boats moored beneath their homes, the scent of smoked eel drifting out of the shops: everything combines to create a unique atmosphere, impossible to replicate elsewhere.

The Cuisine of the Lagoon Valleys

Staying in Comacchio also means eating well — indeed, eating real food. The local cuisine is a direct child of the landscape: marinated or smoked eel, fish brodetto, clams from the Adriatic Sea, freshly baked coppia ferrarese bread. The restaurants of the historic centre serve dishes that change with the day's catch, often accompanied by wines from the Colli di Ferrara. For the most curious, some shops in the centre offer guided tastings of the traditional eel in saor, an ancient recipe that the fishermen of Comacchio have jealously guarded for centuries. It is one of those flavours you take home in your memory.