Between Nature and Art : 2 days in the regional Po Delta Park

The Pomposa Abbey and the boat trip on the Po Delta.
The Meeting with the guide is near the Benedictine Abbey of Pomposa, a unique treasure of Roman church with the frescoes of Giotto and Vitale schools. It was a very famous pilgrims’ rest stop on the ancient Via dei Romei and it was really important in the Middle Ages for the high cultural level reached by its monks.
You will visit the church and its marvellous frescoes. Besides you will see the Refectory with the frescoed representation of the Last Supper and the rooms, which contain the diocesan Museum with the exhibition about the past of the Abbey.

Then, if required, you could stop at the Mesola Castel, the last of the Este’s Delizie, which were summer residences and places given over to the recreation of the Dukes of Ferrara. Here is possible only a quick external visit. This Castel was the centre of a huge estate, that the Este Family dedicated to their preferred Hobby: the hunting. You will visit the Mesola Wood, that is now the remainder of what the Lords of Ferrara organized as hunting reserve. With its peculiar flora and fauna balanced between water and reclaiming land it represents a very interesting natural place. In fact is the binomial between earth and water today, as in the past, one of the most peculiar element of the Territory of Ferrara and its Province.
The Excursion will go on with reaching the Goro Harbour for the boat trip. The natural itinerary will let you know, thanks to the assistance of a specialised guide, the secrets of the River Po and the surrounding valleys (Valle Bertuzzi, Valle Nuova and Val Canton). At the end of the trip you will reach the River’s mouth in the Sacca di Goro, a typical fish-man village famous for being an important mussels and clams fishpond, where you might meet the fisher and see them at work. The return is after two hours to theGoroHarbour.

Lunch in a famous restaurant tasting delicious fish dishes.

In the Afternoon: visit of Comacchio, the old lagoon city.
The town is, in a certain sense, the true capital of the Regional Park of the Po Delta. Have a stroll along the streets of the criss-crossed by canals centre! You will walk on seventeenth century bridges, among that the most famous is the Trepponti one, built on five arches at the confluence of three canals. In the town centre there’s also the archaeological Museum of the cargo of the Roman ship. The visit is facultative.
To experience the local traditions you can’t miss the suggestive visit of the “Sala dei fuochi” (“Room of the fires”) in the Manifattura dei Marinati (Manufactory of marinated fish), the place where in the past the fish was pickled. Today it has been restored to bring back the fascinating atmosphere of the past and there it’s still possible to assist to the famous eel marinating. Eels are a very interesting kind of fish, because their life is absolutely peculiar. They spawn north of the Sargasso Sea, then their larvae travel thanks to the Gulf Stream across the ocean and, after three years, come to the European coasts and from there to the Po Delta. The Eels reach their sexual maturity in the Comacchio Lagoons and their instinct drives them back towards the seas, but in this attempt they are captured by artificial barriers (lavorieri). Eel migration out of the Lagoons has been the basis of Comacchio’s traditional fisheries with their characteristic trap nets. The eels, usually still alive on the desks of the market, can be cooked in different way or, because of the high seasonal concentration between November and January, they are traditionally marinated with vinegar to conserve them.
It is possible to stop in the town centre to buy some local delicacy and fancy goods in the specialised in traditional produce shops.

Price per person: € 62.00 (for group of 25 or 50 people)

The quotation will include:
• Full day guided service (6 hours)
• One hour and a half motor ship excursion n the Po Delta
• A typical lunch in restaurant with fish menu
• A gratuitousness every 25 paying people

The quotation will not include:
• Museum and Monuments tickets: € 4.00 Pomposa Abbey -  € 2.60 Museum of the Cargo of the Roman ship (cut price for group) – The visit of the Manufactory of marinated fish is, for the moment, free
• Transfers
• Extra services (tips, beverage out of meals, and so on)

These prices could be modified during the year so they will be reconfirmed at the moment of the reservation.