The Unexpected Treasure of Marano Lagunare, Italy

A spontaneous stop in Marano Lagunare leads to a peaceful overnight spot, an encounter with traditional fish farming, and a walk through the pristine wetlands of the Valle Canal Novo nature reserve—home to elegant flamingos and quiet ecological wonders.

I didn’t mean to end up here. But Marano Lagunare had other plans.

Tucked quietly between its modest historic core and the still waters of a forgotten port, I found a perfect overnight stop. No booking, no agenda—just a few cheerful fishing boats bobbing gently in the lagoon and a peaceful camper spot with the feeling of a hidden postcard. It felt like I’d slipped behind the scenes of Italy.

What I hadn’t expected was what lay just a few steps away: the Riserva Naturale Regionale Valle Canal Novo.

This nature reserve—once a working fishing valley—has been transformed into a protected sanctuary of tidal pools, brackish canals, and vast wetlands. It’s a haven for flora and fauna, with wooden walkways and bird observation huts scattered across the landscape. It felt wild, raw, and untouched. The kind of place that silences your thoughts without asking.

And then I saw them.

Flamingos.

Real ones. Pale beide-white, quiet, otherworldly. Standing in near-perfect stillness on one leg like monks in meditation. These are greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), seasonal visitors to the northern Adriatic wetlands. They come here to feed on the salty microfauna that thrive in these lagoons—shrimp, larvae, and tiny invertebrates that tint their feathers ever so faintly with each meal. It’s a rare and delicate ecosystem, nurtured carefully here.

Just outside the reserve, another surprise: an active valle da pesca—a traditional fish farm called Valle Nalon. But this isn’t industrial aquaculture. It’s vallicoltura, a centuries-old practice deeply tied to the Venetian lagoon culture. Fish are raised in harmony with the tides, without antibiotics or chemicals, in a sustainable cycle that’s as ecological as it is historical. It’s slow food in its purest form.

Sometimes you plan for landmarks. Sometimes you stumble into treasures. This was the latter—and I’m grateful for it.

 

Out There > Motorhome Trip Spring 2025 Western Balkans and Greece > Marano Lagunare