ECO EXCURSIONS

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 Stra and, flowing substantially from west to east, flows into the Venice lagoon near Fusina.

It is an area of ​​high historical and landscape value due to the presence of numerous Venetian villas. The focal point of the economy of the Riviera del Brenta area is the footwear industry (born as a consequence of the agrarian crisis of the late nineteenth century.

The waterway of the Naviglio played an important role as a communication link between the Venice lagoon and the Paduan area. The area is characterized by the presence of many villas, built between the 16th and 18th centuries by Venetian patrician families, which testify to the aristocratic power of the time. At that time the Riviera was only reached by moving by boat, while the current roads were built later. The Venetian nobles were transported on the river by a boat called “Burchiello” pulled by the banks by men, oxen or horses, while the goods were transported by boats called “Burci”.

Thirteen kilometers long, 210 meters wide, but with narrow streets and squares, rivalries of neighborhoods and passion for regattas, the island of Pellestrina is a miniature version of true and popular Venice.

 It is a small world where people still live old-fashioned, between slow rhythms and the eternal rite of “ciacole”.

Small villages with colorful houses that all line the lagoon, flower gardens and vegetable gardens, a couple of restaurants where you can taste the true lagoon cuisine, sandy beaches frequented only by the islanders, a peaceful promenade for walks and forty hectares of protected nature reserve . The island can be explored on foot or by bicycle: it is impossible to get lost, just follow the road that runs alongside the Murazzi – the fortifications that protect Pellestrina from the sea – and that connects the small fishing, vegetable and lace-making villages, where time seems to have stopped.

The Regional Natural Park of the river Sile covers an area of ​​4,152 hectares, included within 11 municipal territories distributed in the provinces of Padua, Treviso and Venice.

The area of ​​the springs is located between Casacorba di Vedelago (Treviso) and Torreselle di Piombino Dese (Padua), originating the longest resurgence river in Italy, 83.8 km, from the Resurgences, to the Adriatic Sea.

Despite the human presence, the area of ​​the park still maintains a fair level of naturalness thanks to the presence of hydrophilic woods along the course of the Sile and a widespread presence of spring springs. In all these environments, in the various months of the year, a series of very interesting observations can be made. The best period is constituted by the spring and summer months when the vegetation shows its maximum development. Even during the winter, however, important species of birds are observed which, migrating from northern Europe, stop in these protected areas of the Park.