For my bachelor party, my brother had organized a trip to Comacchio where we would be doing some cycling and then canoeing. In the end, there were just three of us, my friend Alessandro, my brother, and me. After taking the car we drove southwards towards our destination and on the way stopped briefly to take a picture of the Villa Nani-Mocenigo in Canda. Built during the 16th century by either Vincenzo Scamozzi or Baldassare Longhena, two famous architects of the time, it then received its current southern facade in the 17th century. However, today the villa is abandoned, and that is quite a shame too. After some driving we reached Comacchio and immediately the other two went to buy a pack of beers for me to drink throughout the day. We then walked over the town's main monument, the Trepponti Bridge, consisting of actually five bridges together. On the other side, we then reached the bicycle rental shop where we managed to get bicycles for the three of us. We left the town and headed on the path along the canal that led us towards the sea and the town of Porto Garibaldi. Once there we crossed over the canal and continued southwards until we reached Lido degli Estensi a seaside town like many along this part of the Adriatic. Here, my task was to take a swim naked in the sea. The water was still quite cold and luckily there weren't many people around. I then downed my first beer and we got back on the bicycles to continued further. We passed another of the seven beach towns of Comacchio, the Lido di Spina, and then reached a nice section of path that went along a canal and small lagoons. Here we came across a flock of flamingoes, some of them quite pink too. We took several pictures and then continued onwards. We eventually reached the Valli di Comacchio, a series of contiguous brackish lagoons situated south of the city and once expanding six times what they are today. Comprising nowadays of four basins, they were once formed around the tenth century due to subsidence of the soil and silting of the coastal zone. Back then they featured fresh water from the recurrent flooding of the rivers but from the sixteenth century on, they gradually were filled with seawater resulting in the modern appearance of brackish water-filled basins. Famous for being the site of fishing eel today they are but a fraction of what they once were. We followed a beautiful path that shot straight through the major lagoon, called the Angels' Embankment. It was like cycling right into the sea with water all around us and just this tiny path ahead and behind us. There were several cyclists coming from both directions as well as the occasional hikers. One thing that we weren't prepared for was the millions of gnats flying around the area. It was impossible to speak or even open the mouth and even with sunglasses on we were getting thousands of them in the face as we went. Reaching over halfway down the path and finding ourselves in the middle of the huge lagoon we then decided to head back as we were still planning to have lunch somewhere and then later go canoeing. After downing my second beer, on the way back, we stopped once more to see the flamingoes and then got back to Lido degli Estensi. Here we stopped at the Friggitoria Treponti and had a large and delicious mixed fried seafood dish and down my third beer. Once full we got back on the bicycles and continued on this time bordering the lagoon to the north. We passed the old saltworks, once a thriving business in the area, and spotted more flamingoes. Then we cycled past the place where we would need to meet for the boat ride but still had to go all the way back to Comacchio to leave the bicycles. Once there, we got in the car and drove to the starting point where we met up with our group. Our guide showed us the basics and then let us sit in our canoes. There were the three of us in one, plus another group of three, and then another three plus the guide. He told us the history of the basins and then we canoed through the one directly south of the city, the Valle Fattibello. We passed through a beautiful area admiring different birds including more flamingoes. Then he showed us the canal that connects the lagoon to the sea and where people still come to use the fishing lodges mounted on poles in the water set along the bank in order to fish and eat directly there. He also showed us how a type of crab, the blue crab, has been menacing the ecosystem of northwestern Italy as it proliferates very quickly and eats all clams, mussels, and smaller local crabs. Having come from other seas, it has no predators but humans so it is hard to eradicate. A little further down the canal, I first downed my fourth and last beer, and we disembarked from our canoes and went in the Agriturismo La Vallesina where our guide had arranged an apertivio. We had as much wine as we wanted plus bread, fries, and a large platter of mixed fried seafood. I was a bit tipsy by then, with four beers, and at least three glasses of wine. But that was still enjoyable, and back on the canoe, we headed back to the starting point, taking our slow time. Our guide told us more about the place and then let us paddle silently telling us to enjoy the silence and beauty around us. That was a really nice moment and really bliss. We also managed to see the beginning of the sunrise before finally disembarking. On our way back home I thought that my brother had chosen well and it ended up being a really great day.
