06 Aug

Grado - not just a health resort, right on the Adriatic Coast

The port is the heart of the city. That was already the case in antiquity, when Grado was the port of nearby Aquileia. Idyllically located in the middle of the old town, it still shapes the life and appearance of the town with 8000 inhabitants, located between Trieste and Venice.

Many a chic motor yacht is anchored here at the weekend, and during the week the harbor canal belongs to fishing, sailing and excursion boats. The juxtaposition of restrained glamor and down-to-earthness is not the only advantage of the island town on the northern Adriatic. Grado is a fishing village and seaside resort, holiday destination and small town - and as such is particularly attractive.

The old town is simply enchanting with its alleys and squares, restaurants and cafés, with bright pink flowering oleander and the beautiful early medieval basilica of Sant Eufemia. Residents and visitors can now stroll along the promenade between Art Nouveau villas and the blue Adriatic Sea again without worries about the Corona. Three kilometers of beach, which are never in the shade, make the city even more attractive.

It began its tourist career in the 19th century with the highest consecration, when Austria - Hungary 's Emperor Franz Joseph I founded the "Kur - und Badeanstalt Grado" by decree. Apart from a few buildings - and a majority of Austrian guests - there has remained a basic calm from the K.-u.-K. era, which can be felt here even in the turbulent summer weeks.

As always, the sea in Grado shapes life. the day begins with the screaming of seagulls and ends with the enjoyment of seafood and local wine, perhaps in the "Zero Miglia" restaurant of the fishermen's cooperative on the port canal. Despite the long dam that connects the town with the mainland and another road bridge, the people of Grades feel like islanders; the location between the sea and the lagoon is what creates the identity. And it offers good opportunities for everyone who is looking for peace and quiet: just a few minutes by boat from the old town, a glittering world of water opens up, in which birds, mosquitoes and the tides are in charge.

The nearest airport to get to Grado with BLISSAIR is Trieste and is just 22 kilometers away.

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