Around the Adriatic Sea 2026: Acquaviva – Trieste

The photos of the cycle route are listed in reverse chronological order. Those of the towns are listed chronologically. Information about the location is included in the title and/or description.

Eva Van Tulden

26 Aug: Acquaviva – Marina de Montenero – Torino di Sangro (35.5 km – 310 m elevation gain)

I’m on my way! After spending a few days in Acquaviva I’m staying with my sister to make the final preparations, and as of today I’m back on my bike for a few months — barring any setbacks.

For someone from the flatlands, it was quite a challenging ride to start with. The first 15 km after Acquaviva were fairly gentle, but as I approached the village of Montenero, which sits atop a hill, the going got tougher and on some of the steeper sections I had to stop for a moment in the middle to let my legs recover.

There was also virtually no shade along the route where I could stop for a break and have something to eat, so I found myself tackling that tougher section feeling empty and hungry. Not exactly ideal for exerting myself.

In the end, I left my bike by the side of the road and walked a fair way into a ploughed field to sit in the shade of a tool shed. With my backside on the wheat stubble, it wasn’t exactly comfortable. But the half pizza — a leftover from the night before — and the lukewarm water tasted heavenly in the shade.

I’m not religious, but the shrine to Maria Santissima just on the outskirts of the village Montenero Bisaccia It was a godsend. After the long climb in the midday sun, there was a little tap in the car park where I could cool my overheated head. Heavenly, and probably holy water too. The church was open, so I was able to take a relaxed and quiet break in the coolness. Silence isn’t always easy to find in Italy, as I’ve already discovered. Mary is very kind to slow travellers (there’s also a Maria Santissima walking route).

After Montenero It was mainly downhill towards the sea, with, right at the very end, a quiet gravel track through low-stemmed orchards lined with reeds.

I arrived at Molise campsite It was siesta time, so I had to wait a while. The receptionist said it was €23 all-inclusive. When I went to pay two hours later – as I wanted to leave early the next morning – her colleague charged me €18. I didn’t complain.

At around 8 pm, I went for a swim. The sea wasn’t exactly refreshing – I reckon it was about 30 degrees. The cold beach shower, on the other hand, certainly was, so I was able to sit down to my evening meal feeling refreshed.

I’m back on my bike for charity; after every post, you’ll find my usual plea for a donation.

On this occasion, I am supporting the International Campaign for Tibet Europe, because the human rights situation in Tibet is becoming increasingly dire, and action to counter this is all the more urgent. China is a steamroller that spares nothing and no one. Who will be next, after the Tibetans, the Uyghurs, the Inner Mongolians, the Hong Kongers…?

Our Lady of Bisaccia

27 Aug: Marina de Montenero – Torino di Sangro (28.7 km – 140 m elevation gain)

I got out of bed at 6 am, but by the time I’d finished getting ready and was on my way, it was nearly eight again. I’m not exactly the quickest in the morning.

The ride was mainly flat, with about two-thirds of it along a quiet ‘vía verde’. Even so, after about 15 kilometres, I could already feel the fatigue setting in. The reason was obvious: there had been entertainment at the campsite until midnight, with loud, boomy music playing the whole time and a shrill female voice shouting all sorts of things in between.

The campsite guests were playing a sort of competition: at long tables with about 15 cups at each end. The participants had to bounce a ping-pong ball into one of the cups on the other side, and once they’d done that, that cup was ‘out’. I suppose they were competing to be the first to get all the cups ‘out’, as I didn’t stay to watch for long. I do wonder why this had to involve so much noise. The holidays are almost over here; the Italians probably want to let their hair down one last time during these final days.

After 28 km, my energy levels were too low, but luckily I found the affordable Belvedere Campsite (€18). One campsite used to charge €35, but it had a large swimming pool with little palm trees.

Whilst I was pitching my tent, I wanted to charge my phone, but it wouldn’t respond at all. It didn’t work when I plugged it into a socket at reception either. It must have overheated, I thought. I left it in the cooler reception area for a while, but the reassuring ‘charging’ icon still didn’t appear. It was only when I switched it off and restarted it that it came round. That phone suffers even more from the heat than I do…

This campsite seemed quieter than the last one, so I was hoping for an earlier and better night’s sleep. It wasn’t to be. Around 10 pm, someone started playing the guitar and singing, and before I knew it, people were singing along and clapping after every song. Again, it went on until midnight. But this singing was more pleasant to listen to than yesterday’s noise and screeching. And my earplugs managed to muffle it a bit better, so I slept a little better, but I still didn’t get up at six o’clock….

Via Verde – former railway bridge

28 Aug: Torino di Sangro – Lido Riccio (31.2 km – 150 metres of elevation gain)

1) Heaven

From Le Morge Lido in Torino di Sangro, the Ciclovia Adriatico along a beautifully landscaped ‘via verde’ right next to the coastline. It is, quite literally, a green, tarmac-surfaced two-way cycle path. Along the way, you pass beach coves and see wooden fishing huts on stilts in the water.

To the little town Ortona Everything went like clockwork. Just before Ortona, there was another tap where we could get a drink. We had to queue for a bit to get to it. A headwind provided some much-needed cooling, as from around eleven o’clock it became scorching hot again. I even started to consider cycling a bit further than the planned campsite. Quite a bold move.

The Ciclovia continued to follow the coastline and passed just below Ortona. After cycling through a fairly long, wonderfully cool tunnel — through which I cycled very slowly to enjoy the coolness — I suddenly found myself on a busy little beach with a beach bar. It was only accessible via a steep flight of steps or the long tunnel!

I asked a local whether cyclists had to cycle up those steps, but at the end of the beach there was another tunnel, albeit without any lighting. I walked through it, because there was a sign at the entrance saying ‘works in progress’ and I didn’t fancy bumping into anything in the dim light of my bike lamp.

Beyond that tunnel, I found myself on a gravel track next to a small, secluded beach, where I came across a group of cyclists. They were on their way to COP31 in Antalya (Turkey), the 31st UN Climate Change Conference, taking place from 9 to 21 November. Cyclists from all over the world are currently making their way to Antalya to show that it can be done using an eco-friendly mode of transport. It was a really lovely, warm encounter. They appreciated the fact that I’m a member of @Gvk in Belgium and said they’d once cycled to a climate event in Brussels in the company of GvK members.

After that lovely encounter, I felt re-energised, but if I’d known what lay in store for me, I would have taken the country road in Ortona instead of the via verde.

2) Hell

To get back onto the road from the little beach that ended at a rock, I had to cycle uphill along a gravel track with three sections with a gradient of +20%. On the first slope, I was still able to cycle as far as 10 metres from a less steep section, but then my wheels started to spin and I had to get off. Even with the brakes clamped on, the bike slid back down. I had to brace my feet firmly to pry it upwards, slowly, step by step.

After a few dozen metres on flatter ground, the second climb with a gradient of over 20 per cent followed. I first stopped in the shade of some reeds by the roadside to recover from the initial exertion. I could feel – and see on my sports watch – that my heart rate was far too high. Probably because of the heat.

After giving it some careful thought, I decided to take my three rear panniers off for the second section and carry them up separately. It was quite a long slope and I wanted to avoid them sliding downhill. But walking up and down four times carrying a fair bit of weight in the midday sun (35 degrees) was no walk in the park either… After this exertion, I took another long rest and drank plenty of (by then warm) water to replace the fluids I’d lost through sweating.

And then came a third incline. In total, it took me nearly 1.5 hours of hard work to cover the 500 metres of gravel track.

On the way, we passed several beachgoers, but not a single one of them thought to give the bike a push or help carry a pannier. Perhaps I should have asked, but I didn’t dare, in that heat…

So if I’d known that… but then I wouldn’t have met that great COP21 group. I suppose it was meant to be.

Naturally, I stopped at the nearest campsite, which, thankfully, was only 3 kilometres away. I didn’t fancy pitching the tent straight away – it was 2 pm and scorching hot. I sat on the terrace for two hours, completely knackered, catching my breath, drank a few half-litres of cool water, ate a packet of salty crisps, and by then I’d pretty much sweated it all out, so I posted about yesterday’s ride on Facebook.

After pitching the tent, a long float in the warm sea and a cold shower on the beach, I felt refreshed enough to have something to eat. But whilst out walking, I realised it would be best not to get up early on Saturday after all, so I decided to take a rest day. Listening to your body…

The first calf-biter I managed to land a partial hit on.

29 Aug: Ortona

Rest day on Arcobalena campsite at Lido Riccio. I urgently needed to stock up on food, but there isn’t a single grocery shop at Lido Riccio. I could either go to a supermarket 6 km further on, or 4 km back to the town of Ortona. Why not combine this with a short visit to the town, I thought. To do that, I’d have to climb yesterday’s infamous hill again, but as I’d be on a normal road and travelling light, it shouldn’t be too bad. However, it turned out to be two climbs: just before Ortona there’s another valley which I first had to ride into and then back out of.

First, I walked past the Aragonese Castle, which overlooks Ortona Bay. It dates from 1452 and was built by Alfonso of Aragon. From that vantage point, you can also see the ‘via verde’ alongside the coast, which, a little further on, leads into the tunnel.

It wasn’t until sunset that I went for a swim. After the cold shower, the sweating had stopped and I felt refreshed as I headed into the evening and night.

I’ll be getting up early tomorrow to cycle about 40 kilometres. In this heat, that seems far enough to me.

Aragonese Castle in Ortona (1452)

30 Aug: Lido Riccio – Torre del Serrano (35 km – 70 alti)

An easy ride, but still a bit of a scare…
This morning I was already out on my bike just after seven. A ride as flat as a billiard table, apart from one graceful bump at Pescara Afterwards. With a slight headwind, running along the beach the whole time, one Lido after another. Early morning joggers and cyclists on the street. And then the beachgoers with their parasols and picnic bags, starting their lazy day with a coffee at the Lidobar. Everything went just as planned.

At Monte Silvana It was market day and I decided to have a quick wander around. I always enjoy local markets. When I’d finished and went to fetch my old phone, which I use for navigation, I couldn’t find it anywhere… I’d sat on a kerb at the market for a moment to look at some campsites further down the road. Had I left it there and forgotten it? I broke out in a cold sweat, because although I do have a new phone, it still feels reassuring to have a backup with me.

I checked ‘Find My’ on my new phone and saw that the phone was on a street I hadn’t been to. I rushed over there and sure enough, there it was: in a small car park next to a block of flats. A girl had found it on the street and picked it up. They were still standing by their car. I was so relieved! And how handy that ‘Find My’ app is. Up until then, I’d only ever used it at home when I’d misplaced my phone. It also has a sound function that works even when the phone is on silent.

By then it was already around 11 o’clock and the temperature had risen to uncomfortably high levels. At the nature reserve Torre Serrano I found a quiet campsite in the woods by the sea and checked in. Hopefully there won’t be any entertainment here, as I only managed to sleep for less than five hours again last night. And I can really feel it whilst cycling.

Pescara seafront: the pigeons prefer to bathe by the statue.

31 Aug: Torre del Cerrino – Martinsicuro (39.7 km)

A monotonous route, but a better day’s cycling

More of the same today, but this time without a cold sweat. One long straight stretch alongside the sea, the occasional bridge over a river, all the while following the beach with all its lidos and, very occasionally, a stretch of natural beach – though these were usually rough, pebbly beaches.

A rather monotonous route, but it has to be said: the Ciclovia Adriatica It’s a safe and well-maintained/well-signposted cycle route. Well done!

The good news today: this was the first day I’d got my ‘normal’ cycling legs back. On the previous stages, I’d felt weak and drained, and after a good 20 km I was almost knackered. I felt like sitting down on every bench I passed. I also almost always stopped earlier than planned and had to sit for a long time to recover and cool down before I could start pitching the tent.

I could have cycled further today. The only difference was that the temperature stayed below 30 degrees (29). Would those 5 degrees less really make that much of a difference?

Wooden bridge over the river, Ciclovia Adriatica

1 September: Martinsicuro – Fermo (42.6 km – 80 metres of climbing)

A leisurely cycle with a touch more nature.

The route got off to an unusual start today: first Martinsicuro cut across to join the busy SS16 provincial road behind the town. This is to cross the Tronto River to get there. Fortunately, it was only about five kilometres.

After that, it was a peaceful paddle along the Ciclovia Adriatica. Today, the route took us past a number of kilometres of beaches without lidos. That brought some welcome peace of mind after all the hustle and bustle of the beaches we’d passed earlier.

At Grottamare there was a statue of a little boy with seagulls, created by Pericle Fazzini from 1986. Fazzini was born here in 1913. He was a renowned and highly acclaimed Italian expressionist painter and sculptor. In the village, which lies against a hillside, there are seven sculptures by Fazzini. (https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pericle_Fazzini)

This was followed by the more scenic and peaceful stretches of coastline, as can be seen in the photos.

Around midday, I felt it was getting too hot again and decided it was time to stop, so I turned into a campsite.

Grottamare: The Boy with the Seagulls < Pericles Fazzini (1986)

2 September: Fermo – Porto Recanati (35.8 km)

Today I wanted to go to a campsite in Sirolo cycling, in the Conero Nature Reserve. That village is situated on the side of a hill, and this would mean a steep climb of +100 metres in altitude over the final few kilometres.

To make sure I could actually get in and wouldn’t be climbing up there for nothing, I rang them first. It was a wise move, because they were indeed fully booked and, as they put it, didn’t have as much as two square metres free for a small hiking tent.

So I stopped at the last campsite before the climb, Bellamare Campsite. It wasn’t as bad as I’d feared: the busy coastal road doesn’t run between the campsite and the beach but curves around it in a wide arc, and the ever-present coastal railway line doesn’t pass through here either. At previous campsites, the trains used to thunder past, so to speak, right next to your ear. So it looks set to be a quieter night, unless there’s another rowdy entertainment programme taking place between now and midnight. But I haven’t seen any announcements yet.

I’m allowed to do that every now and then, because I feel like I’m starting to build up a sleep deficit again, as I get up at 5.30 on days when I go cycling.

What’s more, there’s a brisk sea breeze — which, incidentally, I’ve been battling all the way — so my spot will be midget-free. Yesterday, I was literally almost eaten by those miniature monsters with their sharp, biting little teeth.

My little tent’s really taking a beating in this wind. Luckily, I’d brought enough spare pegs (‘piketten’ as they’re called in Antwerp) to secure every loose cord or loop to the ground. Hopefully I won’t end up taking off in it tonight.

If the campsite’s claims about peace and quiet are true, I’ll stay here for an extra day or two to have a proper rest.

Incidentally, today’s route wasn’t exactly pleasant: we were constantly cycling past rubbish bins from beach huts, along long stretches alongside the busy SS16 coastal road, and through a number of very narrow tunnels under the railway line…. Work still needs to be done here on extending the Ciclovia Adriatica.

Porto Recanati

3 September: Rest day at Camping Bellamare (Porto Recanati)

A productive day off in Bellamare Campsite.

What did I do?

9 hours’ sleep (instead of 5.5 hours).

That felt good!

1 hour of abdominal exercises and yin yoga.

That did even better.

Hand wash

. That was necessary

Swimming 400-metre lengths in the pool

. That was refreshing and relaxing.

Making a short video about the COP31 cyclists

. That’ll be a lovely memory

Scroll through a string of emails

. That’s my ‘work’ whilst cycling.

And then it was time once again to crawl into the freshly washed sheet bag

Tomorrow’s ride will be a tough one, with around 500 metres of elevation gain.

No sweat today, so no appeal for sponsorship. I’ll be back tomorrow with my almost daily plea

Bellamare Campsite

4 September: Numana – Senigallia (46.6 km – 410 metres of climbing)

The second relatively tough day of climbing, but we only had to push our bikes on the flat sections.

As expected, it turned out to be a tough ride with one long climb and one moderate one.

First, a 240-metre climb from sea level over 5 kilometres. The first 1,500 metres of Numana to Sirolo were the toughest, with long sections of +8 %. It was a bit of a struggle for my legs, but I managed it without bike push.

Along the way, there were lovely views of the sea and the villages nestled against or on the hills. This was followed by just over 3 km of gentle climbs of up to 5%, which I climbed smoothly and non-stop in my low gears.

After a pleasant, gentle descent, there was a second, shorter climb of 90 metres in altitude over 2 km, with no particularly steep sections.

All in all, this ride has given me a bit more confidence ahead of the Balkan Route, although I’ll regularly be facing twice the amount of climbing there.

On entering Ancona I stopped at the first café for a cappuccino. Just as I was about to set off again, two enterprising young women had arrived with a mobile dog grooming van. The little white poodle they were blow-drying didn’t look all that happy.

From Ancona, I had to cycle 10 km along a perilous stretch of the busy SS16 coastal road, squeezed between the traffic and the railway line. I switched my brain off and pedalled hard. Fortunately, the headwind from last week had changed direction and I now had the wind at my back.

After those 10 km, Komoot directed me towards the parallel ‘Via Lungomare’ on the other side of the railway line.

Phew, I thought, finally a quiet road again… but after 1,500 metres of tarmac, it suddenly turned into a unsuitable for cycling A path strewn with loose boulders. According to two women, it would take about 500 metres to get through, so I started pushing my bike along it. It sank an average of 8 to 10 cm into the boulders. It was gruelling, sweaty work; I had to stop regularly to catch my breath. Strangely enough, the only people on that stretch of coastline were tanned men, who watched my exertions with pity….

After that stretch, there were another 6 easy kilometres with a tailwind until Cortina Campsite. A far too expensive campsite (€27) for such ramshackle facilities — no internet, very poor mobile reception, the railway line just 50 metres from your pillow…. Compared to yesterday’s campsite: €21.50 with a quiet location, a 20-metre swimming pool, free Wi-Fi, a good restaurant, a well-stocked little supermarket….

After my swim, it turned out that the shower (with an electronic tag) wasn’t working either. I had a cold shower using the bidet spray — those things are quite common here — in a toilet.

I never actually do this, but I’m going to write a bad review about this campsite. €27 for a cycle camper with such poor service is a rip-off.

Sirolo

6 September: Fano – Rimini (50.6 km – 180 metres of climbing)

My legs feel better today! It’s amazing how you can feel that right from the very first pedal strokes. Just as well, too, because I’ve got 50 km ahead of me, with a climb of 180 metres in elevation right in the middle. And I can’t stop any earlier because I’ve booked a little hotel.

The ride was a bit more enjoyable today. Your physical condition probably does have an impact on how you see the world. Yesterday I felt flat and found everything ugly or unpleasant. But here, one is already happy with a separate cycle path between the railway line and the SS16, with a view of a green hill to the left and, to the right, through the railway fencing, a view of the sea.

For Pesaro There was a long beach cycle path, where we once again had to weave our way through the beachgoers.

Just past Pesaro, the climb began, covering 1,900 metres, with one steep section sweatband.

After the descent, I found myself in Cattolica —What a name! — a bustling, fashionable little coastal town. Everything there seemed to me to be more about fun and entertainment than Catholicism….

I popped in for my (late) morning coffee and a glass of fresh water.

Then on to Rimini. The stretch of coastline between Cattolica and Rimini is much more upmarket than the section before it. The beaches are completely packed with parasols and beachside entertainment. I was curious to see that stretch from the air and found this video on YouTube.

Although this is a string of apartment blocks and upmarket hotels, it said in Riccione Suddenly, a dilapidated building appears. It’s strange that property developers haven’t snapped it up, as the land here must be incredibly expensive.

The same thing happened as I drove into Rimini: four large, dilapidated buildings, connected by ‘little bridges of sighs’ and bearing the inscription ‘Bologna’. With the help of ChatGPT, I found out that:

* The Colonia Bolognese was built in 1931–1932, to a design by the engineer Ildebrando Tabarroni.

* It was intended as a holiday camp for children from the Bologna area. The complex could accommodate around 1,200 children.

* It consists of four large pavilions, linked by a central corridor measuring no less than 169 metres.

* During the war, the complex also served other purposes, including as a military hospital. After the war, it once again became a children’s holiday camp.

* From the late 1970s onwards, the complex fell into disuse and began to fall into disrepair.

The architecture is far less typically fascist-rationalist than that of some other settlements along the coast. The use of red brick, arched windows and terracotta details is clearly in keeping with the architectural tradition of Bologna and the surrounding area. (End of Chat GPT)

This holiday camp reminded me of the Nazi holiday camp on the island Rugen, but it is much larger and stretches for several kilometres along the coast. Those derelict buildings were quite eerie.

The little hotel @€30 wasn’t too bad. A clean, small single room with a shower and toilet. After a refreshing shower and drying off with a large bath towel instead of my little camping towel, I fell asleep for 1½ hours in a ‘coma-like sleep'.

‘In the evening, I went for a little stroll through the town. More on that in a future post.

Cattolica

6 September: evening walk in Rimini

Through a park alongside the ruins of the Roman amphitheatre, then on past the ‘Domus del Chirurgo (2nd century AD) to the The Bridges of Tiberius and Augustus, which was completely wrapped up. On the other side of the Tiber was a pond with pleasure boats and a large square where a festival themed ‘The Return of Buffalo Bill’ was taking place. Again, with the usual loud music.

Back along the Fellini Museum. Tomorrow, Monday, is their closing day, so I’ll have to give it a miss.

Via Piazza Cavour, with a statue of Pope Paul V, I made my way back to my hotel, stopping off on the way for a salad in a cosy little restaurant.

A relaxing evening, and it was nice to go for a bit of a walk again.

Arch of Augustus

7–8 September: Rimini to Ravenna via Cesenatico

At last, a lovely ride along quiet paths.

7 September: Rimini – Cesenatico (30.4 km)

The same coastal and seaside scenes as in recent days: lidos, marinas and fishing harbours, and still plenty of activity everywhere. In Cesenatico It’s a street lined with large holiday homes for young people, and there was still plenty of foot traffic and entertainment there.

8 September: Cesenatico–Ravenna (39 km)

Today, everything changed and things became much quieter. It’s over Cervia I drove through the Po Estuary Regional Park.

Komoot classified the route as ‘difficult’. As most of it was unpaved, I was expecting impassable loose sand and the like. Nothing of the sort, thank goodness! On the first section through a leafy pine forest, I had to weave my way between protruding roots, but there was no loose sand. And at last I heard birds singing again instead of just the screeching of seagulls. A real relief.

Then along long, straight and gently sloping gravel paths through farmland and past small canals lined with large landing nets. If they’re all used, there won’t be many fish left here….

There were also lots of coypu in those little channels. According to Alessio, my Warmshowers Foundation host in Ravenna, they were introduced to Italy for their fur, and a number of escaped individuals have begun to breed, leading to the large populations seen today.

I really enjoyed these 20 km through the silence and countryside. Now I think it might have been the constant hustle and bustle of the coast that sapped my energy, so that every day, after just 30 km, I felt like giving up cycling.

Another great stroke of luck: 5 km south of Ravenna, I visited the Basilica and Sanctuary of Sant’Apollinare in Classe. A gem of serenity and Byzantine mosaic art. Breathtakingly beautiful.

I’ll round off this series of photos with a short video of the basilica. I’ll devote a separate post to my brief visit to Ravenna, with its many Byzantine mosaics.

9–10 September: Ravenna – Marina Romea (21.3 km)

After my whirlwind visit to Ravenna (Click here for the report) I cycled a little under 20 km further north. It looked as though it might rain…

Up to the Ravenna cruise terminal, a fair way out of town, my route took me through an industrial estate. However, right next to the terminal is a large lake teeming with flamingos. It was lovely to get a taste of nature again.

When I was at a ‘family campsite’ in Marina Romea As soon as I arrived, it started to pour with rain. I was in luck: the incredibly friendly campsite manager let me set up on the covered terrace of an unused bungalow.

The next day, the rain continued, so I decided to spend another day on my cosy little terrace — dry, with lighting and electricity. That soon turned into a cheerful chaos.

In the late afternoon, the rain stopped and, luckily, I was able to go for a lovely walk along the beach. It was a natural beach, which is more to my taste than the lidos.

I’ll carry on tomorrow – I hope.

10 September: Alessio

In Ravenna, I stayed the night at Warmshowers Foundation member Alessio. In the evening, we went for a walk through the old town with their lovely 10-year-old Labrador, Argo.

Alessio invited me round for dinner, along with his girlfriend and daughter. We had pasta with tomato sauce and a large bowl of salad – all lovely vegan dishes

Thank you for your hospitality, Alessio!

12 September: Fabrizio Stefani

During my stay in Agriturismo Nonno Mario Accommodation A friendly man treated me to a pastry. And he wasn’t just anyone – this man has an inspiring story to tell.

13 September: Lido delle Nazioni – Cavanella d’Adige (60 km)

Flat, flatter, flattest – and a moment’s reflection.

A pleasant cycle route today, though the scenery wasn’t particularly special: through vast fields, along rivers and across small canals, with the occasional village.

That’s why I stopped at the cemetery at Bosco Mesola to get a feel for Italian funeral customs.

I noticed that people aren’t buried here as often as they are in Belgium. There weren’t many gravestones.

Columbaria, on the other hand, were present. Not small ones for urns, but with larger compartments for coffins, and in various types: the largest were several storeys high and many columns wide. Veritable little apartment blocks for the deceased. Each little door was decorated with a colourful artificial bouquet, a photograph and a short commemorative inscription. In addition, there were also small-scale family columbaria that even had their own private prayer room. The Italians honour their deceased.

This method of burial — although this isn’t strictly the correct term, as it is above ground — certainly takes up less space.

After this quiet moment, we carried on. With a few more photos of the Po Plain.

Bosco Mesola Cemetery

13 September: Cavanella d’Adige – Venice (42.2 km)

Cycling between the countryside and the lagoon.

Sunday – not your average day for a bike ride. Both literally and figuratively.

From Chioggia you’ll already feel the Venice atmosphere: lots of little boats, a canal with little bridges running right through the town, and a bustling town centre with a market, plenty of outdoor cafés and a great atmosphere.

Just outside the town, I had to take my first taxi boat to the peninsula Pellestrina. That’s only 200 metres wide on average. From the little town of Pellestrina, I was able to cycle another 12 km overland. I took quite a few photos there because I don’t think many people have taken that route to Venice before.

I’m not going to take any photos of Venice itself – there are already millions of them. Unless, of course, I see something really special.

After another short crossing to Lido di Venezia After cycling for 11 km, I arrived at the campsite where I’d booked a pitch just to be on the safe side.

And where I was treated to a magnificent sunset.

Sunset with a view of Venice

14 September: Venice

A lovely meeting with Karma Gurung from Nepal

After my visit to the Pinault Collection at Punto Dogana I walked to a supermarket to get my evening meal.

In a small square, Karma tapped me on the shoulder to ask if she could take a photo of my little Tibetan flag. I’d attached it to my rucksack that morning in the hope of catching the attention of Tibet supporters amongst the many tourists here.

Karma was one such person. She lives in the Himalayan region of Nepal and practises Tibetan Buddhism. She is a huge fan of the Dalai Lama and supports the Tibetan cause.

I gave her a leaflet; she was really enthusiastic about my campaign and said she’d share it with her contacts.

Thank you for this uplifting meeting, Karma!

With Karma Gurung from Nepal

18 September: Venice – Caorle (58 km)

Back on the bike after a 4-day stay at the swimming pool

‘It had rained a bit during the night and this morning the sky still looked very threatening, but with a bit of ‘drying pressure’ I managed to pack the tent away whilst it was still dry after all. The rain we’d been expecting didn’t materialise during the day.

Today’s journey: first on vaporetto 14 to Punta Sabbioni, the starting point of a long lido area which was very busy. We then continued across the mainland via an endless, once again rather uninspiring beach road to a campsite about 7 kilometres beyond the town Caorle.

On the way, I came across another one of those chubby, friendly beaver rats – a proper Billy Turf. She was tucking into some tender roadside grass, completely unfazed by the cyclists passing by.

Cavallino-Treporti

19 Sep: Caorle – Aquileia (66 km)

Along lagoons and through vast agricultural areas.

The journey began with a crossing of the River Lemene, together with a group of local cyclists.

Then on along a long, gently sloping gravel track through the Caorle lagoon. A lovely, peaceful cycle.

After 15 km, I wanted to komoot sending me a long way along a busy Strada Nazionale with no hard shoulder. It’s incomprehensible that a cycle navigation app would send you along such a dangerous road when there was a lovely alternative cycle route nearby. It was a few kilometres longer, but you’re certainly not going to risk your neck on a super-busy main road just for that. Google Maps did pick up the alternative cycle route, so I switched navigation systems. What a relief – kilometres on end along quiet gravel tracks through vast fields. Those roads were, however, marked on the map as ‘Strada Provinciale’. Great for cyclists, these rural provincial roads.

I usually had the wind coming from the front right, but for the last 7 km, when the cycling fatigue Just as I was starting to get the hang of it, I took it head-on. Phew.

A wonderfully peaceful alternative cycle route

17 Sep: Aquileia – Trieste (46 km – 180 metres of elevation gain)

In the bend…

Right in the middle of this ride, there was another climb of 180 metres in elevation. A gentle climb – no problem. The biggest nuisance was the headwind, which was at times quite strong. Trieste is nicknamed the ‘city of the wind’ and certainly lived up to its name.

This was followed by a wonderfully gentle descent (I never had to brake) to Trieste, with lovely views of the sea and the villages and marinas along the rocky coastline.

It was a clear day. At one point, in the middle of the bend in the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Slovenia, I could see where I’d come from on my right and where I was heading on my left. I took a short video of it.

During the climb, I took a photo of a statue of two wolves just outside the village Duino. That’s where I met a cyclist Attila Horvath from Hungary. We exchanged a few words and cycled on. Attila climbed much faster because he was riding an unpaved racing bike.

At the highest point, of course, there was a bar. It was right in the middle of the ride, so I decided to take a break there. And who was sitting there with a large ice cream sundae? Attila.

I took a seat with my cappuccino and an interesting conversation ensued.

Attila is a keen sailor and builds most of his sailing yachts himself. He is currently working on the boat ‘Dora’, named after his daughter. The boat originally belonged to a man who had spent years building it, using the very best materials. Just as the yacht was finished, he passed away, five years ago now. His widow, who is not a sailor herself, inherited the yacht and sought someone to fulfil her husband’s final wish: to scatter his ashes from the yacht into the Caribbean Sea. Attila is currently testing this yacht’s seaworthiness in the Adriatic Sea, with a view to setting sail for the Caribbean, most likely next August. This is by no means his first time at sea; he has already sailed round the world on a yacht once before.

More information on his blog:

https://dorahajo.wordpress.com/

Wolf monument near Duino

The photos of the cycle route are listed in reverse chronological order. Those of the towns are listed in chronological order. Information about the location is included in the title and/or description.

Eva Van Tulden

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