Exploring the Delta of the River Po

The majestic River Po stretches from one side of Italy to the other, from the French border to the Adriatic Sea, where it fans out into a delta with so many shifting branches and ponds that it’s impossible to count or map them all. This watery, misty landscape has been the subject of many melancholy mysterious films with famous directors such as Fellini and Visconti. The delta is now a regional park, almost abandoned by the people who once made a meager living from its waters, catching eels and growing rice. Now it has become a paradise for bird watchers and a few discriminating tourists wanting to get away from the overcrowded alleyways of Venice, a short trip away across the Lagoon. The charming little town of Comacchio is the only town of any size, with cobbled streets, rows of cottages and the curious Trepponti, a three arched bridge built in 1637 over two inlets of the river. The inhabitants traded in salt, hunted and shot wild ducks, and tried to avoid catching malaria. Comacchio once thrived thanks to the catching, pickling and smoking of eels, but times were still hard, and poachers slipped out at night to steal what was left in the nets. Small family restaurants full of character still serve local eels among many other sea food dishes. Leading from Comacchio are countless narrow lanes along valli (areas of trapped water forming small lakes and ponds) and branches of the delta, or towards the sea at Porto Garibaldi and Lido di Spina, a small beach resort. The valli are lined with rickety fishing huts on stilts (called casoni) with crooked bridges to reach dry land. Locals stay for fishing weekends despite having no running water. There are paths and cycle tracks to see them at close quarters. Wires and pulleys lower a beautiful, curved, suspended net called a bilancia, held by its four corners to sift through the water for catching small fish. They are then hung up again to dry after the catch. In the distance you can see the saline with piles of sparkling white salt.Driving on, you come to Bettolino, a car park, a snack bar, and a tower to see the views over the delta. It’s hard work to climb the stairs on a hot day, but worth it. You can also get from here to the landing stage for boat tours. It’s a pleasant way to explore. There are bird-watching tours, trips through marshlands ending with a stay at the beach, canoes for hire, or even romantic sunset trips (complete with a glass of prosecco) across the almost still waters. Wandering along the paths you quite often see a sleek black furry coypu gliding in the water. They were introduced in the last century from South America to meet the demand for furs. Now, with changing fashions, they are an uncontrolled menace, eroding the banks and eating crops. Incidentally, you might think that with all that shallow water around, you could be an easy target for mosquitos, but no, not these days. The only insects we regularly saw were butterflies. Deltas make you think of vast expanses of water, but the Po delta has been gradually drained for farmland. To reclaim the land, the Po had to be controlled and contained. As water was pumped away, the land sank, so the banks had to be strengthened and built ever higher. These days the Po and its many tributaries are all flowing at a higher level than the surrounding fields. When the banks (argine) are breached, as often happens when there are storms upstream, the land is flooded and crops ruined. The Delta area is perfect for Slow Tourism which, like Slow Food was invented by the Italians. These days intrepid tourists want to discover somewhere not well-known and with an authentic atmosphere, getting on with its traditional life, and feeling very different from life at home. Trippers enjoy spending time exploring, walking, cycling or canoeing and appreciating unspoiled landscapes. If you are a Slow Tourist and wanting somewhere with a breeze in the heat of summer, there can be no better part of Italy for you to spend your next holiday than the delta of the River Po. For walks, canoe and bicycle hire, or information about the many boat trips, contact www.podeltatourism.it or info@podeltatourism.it. Photos by Myra RobinsonPhotos by Myra RobinsonPhotos by Myra RobinsonPhotos by Myra Robinson Photos by Myra Robinson