The best cycling routes around Aquileia

The Parco delle Rose is the green lung of Grado, an oasis of tranquility located right next to the main beach. Designed during the post-war tourism boom, the park extends over a large area shaded by maritime pines, tamarisks, and oleanders. It owes its name to the splendid blooms that decorate the vases and flowerbeds along the paths, creating a unique chromatic contrast with the blue of the sea. It is a much-loved spot by families for its playgrounds and by athletes seeking refreshment during their runs. It often hosts cultural events, open-air concerts, and festivals that liven up summer evenings, representing the perfect link between coastal nature and the island's town life.

La Diga di Grado, officially Lungomare Nazario Sauro, is one of the most fascinating seaside promenades in the Adriatic. Originally built by the Austro-Hungarians to protect the historic center from storm surges, it has been transformed into an elegant belvedere suspended between the blue of the water and the city's architecture. The pedestrian path connects the Costa Azzurra beach with the port entrance, offering a breathtaking view that on clear days stretches from the Julian coast to the peaks of the Alps. Frequented at all hours of the day, the dam is the ideal place to admire the sunset or breathe in the salty air, representing the open-air living room where the city's history meets the power of the sea.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta in Aquileia is a masterpiece of inestimable historical value, known primarily for housing the largest early Christian mosaic in the Western world. Dating back to the 4th century AD, this extraordinary floor work covers over 750 square meters and narrates, through colored tesserae, biblical scenes such as the cycle of Jonah and complex symbolisms like the struggle between the rooster and the turtle. Beyond the mosaics, the Basilica is an architectural palimpsest where the Romanesque style blends with Gothic and Renaissance elements. Of great suggestion are the Crypt of the Frescoes, with 12th-century Byzantine paintings, and the Crypt of the Excavations, which allows walking over the remains of the ancient Theodorean structures. The majestic bell tower, which dominates the Friulian plain, was built in the 11th century using marble recovered from the Roman amphitheater, a symbol of the indissoluble link between the imperial city and its Christian heritage.

Here the cycle path opens onto the sea and offers great emotions

the ancient Roman forum of Aquileia, among the many Roman testimonies of this splendid place

Very well preserved considering how old it is

The complex is very impressive and is located just to the right of the cycle path.

Strassoldo is a medieval village that was included in the 2019 list of the "Borghi più belli d'Italia" (Most Beautiful Villages in Italy). With its two castles, Strassoldo represents a rare example of a well-preserved medieval village of exceptional charm. The Strassoldo family is one of the few examples of feudal lords who have remained in possession of the castles since their foundation and continue to inhabit them to this day. The castles can be entered through two entrance gates, and the paths inside are paved. The village surrounding the castle has continually expanded and has been well preserved and restored. Two mills with working wheels are particularly charming, one of which dates back to the 12th century and has been in operation for over seven hundred years. Full information: https://www.borghibellifvg.it/de/die-dorfer/strassoldo