Po Delta
Natural heritage
Spiaggia di Boccassette
The Po Delta
River delta and the largest wetland in Italy
The Po Delta is not only the largest wetland area in Italy, but also one of the largest in Europe. Italy’s largest river, the Po, flows through the Po Delta, accompanied by the Adige, in 6 branches into the sea. Over 400 species of birds have their nests here and transform the delta into a very beautiful place, full of scenery and species. The Po Delta is actually relatively young. Only 400 years ago it was gradually created through the delta deposits, which have stolen several kilometres of territory from the sea until now. Since 1997, many parts of the beautiful river delta are protected and incorporated into the Parco Nazionale del delta del Po natural reserve.
Everyday life in the Po delta
In recent decades, the inhabitants of the Po Delta fought more or less successfully against the water. Dams and dikes were built and the water was pumped out through huge pumping stations. As in the Netherlands, people tried to reclaim the precious land piece by piece. Some museums, such as the Museo Regionale della Bonificia in the pumping station of Ca’Vendramin and the Museo della Civita Contadina in Polesine in Porto Tolle, bear witness to the past and show the everyday life of the population and the numerous flood disasters.
Unique landscape in the Po Delta
For visitors, the Po Delta is a truly unique and inspiring landscape: Seemingly endless reeds, lush meadows, secluded farmhouses, huge rice fields, wooded river islands and narrow streets leading on the dikes along the water. To explore the beautiful Po delta you will need a set of wheels because of the large distances and the sometimes inhospitable surroundings. Besides a car, a bike or a canoe are perfect means of transport.
Although there are two large sandy beaches in the Po Delta, the Spiaggia di Boccasette and the Spiaggia di Barricata, the river delta has yet to become a swimmers’ paradise among holidaymakers. This is due to its inaccessibility and the dirty waste water of the Po River, which pollutes the water quality in the Po Delta. Nevertheless, tourism is also slowly rising and more and more tourists are coming to the delta to enjoy the nature and to have an unforgettable tour through the Po Delta.
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