Lio Piccolo: Flamingos & Birdwatching Bike Tour in the Lagoon
Description
This bike tour is an extraordinary opportunity to discover a hidden and off the beaten path part of the Venice lagoon: a bike itinerary to Lio Piccolo and Mesole, little towns nestled between the sea and the Venice Lagoon. Fauna, history and nature: indispensable elements in an unforgettable excursion along the Venetian lagoon, crossing an incredible variety of landscapes shaped by nature and human activities. A unique opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the most beautiful areas of the Venetian coast, pedalling surrounded by a lush vegetation and myriads of birds that will frame an unforgettable day. Thanks to the convenient pick up at Venice Fondamente Nove and the transfer by water bus to Treporti, this fun Venice bike tour is the ideal solution for those who want to discover the less well-known and crowded areas of the lagoon, wonderful landscapes rich in history, traditions and scenery of rare beauty, just outside the hustle and bustle of the most famous destinations
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will meet in Venice at Fondamente Nuove and we will travel through the northern lagoon up to Treporti with a water bus, passing by several lagoon islands.
We will land at Treporti, where our bikes will be waiting for us to start discovering Lio Piccolo and the lagoon birds! You will choose the bike your prefer: city bike, tandem, or e-bike. It will cost you around 20 Euro. It will be booked and ready for you!
Who said that the flamingos are located only in Camargue? These friendly wading birds have been stopping in the venetian lagoon and they create picturesque atmospheres in the lagoon. Flamingos are nothing new in these places: for over a decade, in fact, these birds have been settling in this area. Today there are more than 8,000 flamingos that winter in the lagoon, many of which decide to stop for the whole year. Flamingo are quite confident and frequent “valli da pesca” (a sort of fish farms in the lagoon) and shallows, where they find shallow and muddy waters that they can filter with their particular beak.
Not only flamingo but a huge number of birds are likely to be seen in the lagoon: In total, around 300 species of birds live in the lagoon. An incredible diversity featuring birds connected to the tides, to the marshy land and to the sea. Ducks (mallards, teals, pintails, wigeons, shovelers), herons, seagulls, waders, shorebirds, even 4,000 flamingoes that would once migrate from Tunisia to France and then to Sardinia, now stably reside in the lagoon and its surrounding area. Or cormorants, reaching Venice from Poland, Sweden or Denmark.
Cycling around the Venetian Lagoon you will be able to admire the great variety of landscapes that will open before your eyes: lapped by the waters of the Adriatic Sea and of the lagoon, the itinerary will cross breath-taking views... Sand dunes, and vegetable patches in addition to the extraordinary lagoon landscape with its canals, sand banks, mudflats and fishing valleys that form the background to Venice’s spectacular skyline.
Visiting the lagoon by bike will allow you to come into contact with the soul of a land where nature has always played a leading role. Land, fresh water and salt water are the three elements that coexist in this territory in a truly unique way. Under the lead of a nature and interpretive guide, who will provide you with information on the history and the peculiarities of the nature of the area you will cross along the bike tour, you will enjoy a truly unique ride!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(7)
Valerio was a great communicator and knowledgeable on so may topics. We wanted to experience life outside of the bustle of Venice and birding the Lio Piccolo was perfect. He arranged the bikes, helped us navigate the water bus, had a great sense of humor and knew birds. He followed our pace and we had a great experience.
Dear Diane, thank you so much for your kind words – I’m really happy to hear you enjoyed our birding adventure in Lio Piccolo! It was a real pleasure to share this quiet and unique corner of the lagoon with you, far from the crowds of Venice. I'm especially glad the pace and atmosphere felt right and that the birds cooperated that day! 🦩🚴♀️ Thanks again for the lovely review – I hope our paths cross again for another adventure, on or off the beaten track. Warm regards from the lagoon, Valerio deTourist
For May 2025 I planned my holiday, again I went to Venice and the Lido di Venezia. Not without first contacting Valerio and looking for trips together. This time I decided to do a half-day tour "Birdwatching" in the lagoon of Venice. Lio Piccolo was previously unknown to me, nor had I visited the region around Punta Sabbioni. With 3 ladies from Arizona we started our excursion - at the SME on the Lido - by boat to the starting point of the bike tour - Punta Sabbioni. Valerio, as always, proved to be a sensitive, multilingual and charming guide who, with his broad knowledge, left no question unanswered. At the port we were able to take over the bikes (good quality!) and then we started. The first few kilometers we drove through civilized territory, during small stops Valerio brought us closer to the region with small stories. But then it was pure nature. To the right and left of the track, the lagoon spread, with smaller and larger water areas. The tour is not called "Birdwatching" for nothing besides the ubiquitous seagulls, we could see pharaoh ibis, silk herons, grey herons, cormorants, brandy geese, the stilted herons (Ital. Cavaliere d'italia) and of course admire the much-awaited flamingos. As if in flight, the 25 km we covered in total passed. And there were not only white flamingos to see. as if staged with a good choreography, a beautiful pink flamingo flew over our heads. However Valerio had made this arrangement... For a change, a handsome fox also made his appearance, looking for mice in the artichoke field. I can recommend this tour with Valerio to any nature lover. You'll be thrilled. It's definitely me, and so were the three from Arizona. Bis bald Valerio - Marlies
Liebe Marlies, ganz herzlichen Dank für deine wunderbare und ausführliche Rückmeldung! Es freut mich sehr, dass du auch diesmal wieder dabei warst – und dass du Lio Piccolo mit seinen Überraschungen und seiner faszinierenden Natur entdecken konntest. Es war ein Vergnügen, die Tour mit dir und den drei Damen aus Arizona zu teilen – eure Begeisterung und Neugier haben diese Halbtagestour zu etwas ganz Besonderem gemacht. Der Flamingo hat seinen Einsatz wirklich perfekt getimt! :) Ich freue mich schon auf unser nächstes gemeinsames Abenteuer in der Lagune – bis bald und liebe Grüße Valerio
Valerio is AMAZING! We had the best time with him. He knew so much about local history, nature, and Venice in general! We felt like we got a bit of everything on this tour - between taking in the views on water bus from Venice, biking through Ca’ Savio, and some great birds (including the falmingos!). Valerio took us to some great local stops in addition to the fun bike ride through the lagoon. If you love biking and nature, this tour is for you!
Dear Joan, we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your biking adventure with Valerio! Thank you for sharing your experience, we can't wait to welcome you back for more tours.
Cycling in this corner of the lagoon was an engaging experience. We got lucky because there were really a lot of birds and it felt like a Zoo Safari by bike!
Grazie mille Hendrik per aver condiviso la tua esperienza con noi! Siamo felici che tu abbia apprezzato il tuo Zoo Safari in bicicletta!
Really cool: Outside Venice, a gem of nature, especially for bird lovers: Silk herons, flamingos, stilt walkers, mallards and cormorants anyway, ... You won't get that close to the salt marshes, on the tiny path through the lagoon. And then in the middle of it an incredibly idyllic garden restaurant with spaghetti allo Scoglio to kneel down!
Danke, das war echt ein Fahrrad-Safari!
Because of the covid I feel calm only outdoors and this tour was just what I was looking for. Valerio guided us in the middle of the lagoon, he was able to point out many species of birds but above all the unique emotion of seeing pink flamingos!!!! Wonderful. Valerio took us to lunch in a cute little place, this guy made us forget for a day the bad period we are living. I recommend the tour to everyone to spend really carefree hours!
Grazie Elena per aver condiviso l'esperienza! E hai visto? Siamo riusciti a vedere anche i fenicotteri!
