Eraclea is a small town overlooking the Venice Lagoon and is known for being an ideal place for those who love nature and outdoor sports.
Indeed, it is an area characterised by a vast maritime pine forest which is criss-crossed by paths and cycle routes that connect it to the main coastal sites, such as Jesolo and Caorle.
Cycle tourism has become ever more popular in Eraclea, so much so that nowadays there are shops specialising in rental bicycles and equipment, both for adults and children.
As a result, this wonderful landscape can now be enjoyed by the whole family and by those who are most passionate about being able to discover the plant and animal species that live in this almost untouched corner of paradise. This is, in fact, a place rich in biodiversity, especially with regard to birds; many of them use the area as a stopover point on their migrations.
Cycling routes in Eraclea
There are many cycle routes that run through the pine forest for you to choose from, to suit your taste and degree of training.
In fact, for those who want a quiet outing mostly on paved roads there are circular routes, which allow you to return to the starting point; some of them run along sections of the Piave river, whose mouth is found right here in Eraclea and which ends up forming the Laguna del Mort.
For those who are more trained, there are other, longer and more challenging cycle routes that include dirt tracks and wooded sections.
“Easy” routes starting from Eraclea and Eraclea Mare
The cycle routes for those who want to enjoy a quiet ride include:
- Madonna dell’Angelo: there is a car park near the starting point (Eraclea Mare), and it crosses some mobile bridges.
- Cortellazzo and Laguna del Mort: starting from the Tigli car park (Eraclea Mare), it takes in the characteristic Ponte delle Barche in Cortellazzo and Piazza Torino in Jesolo.
- Risaie La Fagiana: which starts in Eraclea Mare, passes through fields with dirt tracks but is an easy ride.
- Cortellazzo: sets out from Eraclea’s town hall, which is reached via public transport.
- Tigli car park (Eraclea Mare): from here the route skirts along the Piave river and allows you to admire multiple vineyards.
- Laguna del Mort: skirts along the entire lagoon and passes through Eraclea.
“Intermediate” routes starting from Eraclea and Eraclea Mare
There are a number of routes dedicated to cycle tourism in the area, for those who are more trained and prefer longer journeys.
- I Casoni di Caorle: starts from Eraclea Mare and requires a ferry to see the characteristic fishermen’s houses.
- Cortellazzo and the Lighthouse Beach: sets out from Eraclea Mare, crosses Cortellazzo and arrives in Jesolo where you can admire the Lighthouse.
- Ponte delle Bilance and Cà Corniani: the starting point is in Eraclea, to which you can travel by public transport; following dirt tracks you pass through Ponte delle Bilance and, later, Cà Corniani, a farm and highly renowned winery where you can taste excellent wines.
- Ponte di Barche di Caposile and Camporea: a route that starts from Eraclea and passes through a forest before it reaches the Taglio del Sile, an artificial canal built in 1638 to divert the course of the river. You can admire Caposile’s Ponte delle Barche and enjoy a fresh beer at the famous Camporea bar – an oasis of peace and tranquillity surrounded by nature.
- San Donà di Piave: this route starts from a car park in Eraclea Mare and reaches the town of San Donà di Piave, where there are numerous points of interest to visit, such as the Cathedral, the Victory Bridge or the Sculpture in Architecture Park.
“Difficult” routes starting from Eraclea
One of the most challenging routes, designed for highly trained cyclists, is undoubtedly a circular route that cannot fail to amaze thanks to the beauty and uniqueness of the places it crosses.
Argine del Taglio del Sile: this cycle path starts from the bus station in Eraclea and continues for about 100 km, via dirt tracks and woods, it runs along the Venice Lagoon and passes through San Donà di Piave.
How to get to Eraclea
Eraclea is located between Jesolo and Caorle and overlooks the Gulf of Venice. It includes a part of the coast called Eraclea Mare, where there is a pine forest full of routes designed for cycle tourism enthusiasts.
It is possible to travel here by car from the major cities but there is also more convenient and economical solution: by choosing the ATVO transport service, you will be able to travel in peace, by bus, without parking and traffic problems. Most of the routes mentioned above start and end at ATVO stations to make your excursions on two wheels even easier.
What’s more, there is a service dedicated entirely to these cycle tourism routes, whereby the company organises special routes with the option to transport bicycles, so you can bring your own bike without having to rent one on site.
Hence, for lovers of nature, the great outdoors and bicycles, there is only one thing to do: book your place and go on a journey to visit beautiful Eraclea and its surroundings.
