69 – (ITA STAGE 21) – Argenta – Valli di Comacchio

Stage 21 – Argenta-Valli di Comacchio – The stage is also easy and winds along the tops or at the foot of the banks of the river Reno. Almost all in the open countryside. To admire the life of the wetlands.

From Argenta, starting from the parish church, you arrive at the crossing of Via Nazionale or SS16, and then you return to the bank of the river Reno, along which this and the next stage will wind. After passing the hamlet of San Biagio, in one of the rare bends of the river, you will find yourself at the Bastia bridge, the last possibility to stock up on water.

CAMPOTTO VARIANT: instead from Campotto, from the SP 38 take Via Bastia Levante and arrive at the Bastia bridge (from Campotto to the embankment it is 7 km; from the center of Argenta to the embankment it is 6 km).

You proceed on the embankment or on the underlying gravel road when this has not been cleaned, surrounded on the right and on the left by crops typical of the reclamation, interspersed with numerous canals. You pass near Palazzo Tamba or Villa Sant’Anna, a large 19th century manor house now abandoned. You then arrive at the intersection of the SP 10 with the SP 15 (which leads to Alfonsine). Nearby there is the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Bosco.

ANITA VARIANT: There is also the possibility of arriving at Anita where there is also a hostel. Continuing straight on the embankment of the Reno you arrive at the Prato Pozzo farmhouse. (note: from the embankment-variant of Anita to Prato Pozzo it is 6.6 km; from the embankment to Anita it is 2.6 km)

21 – Points of Interest

Anita – This is a village within the municipality of Argenta, in the province of Ferrara; it was founded as a “farming village”, inaugurated on the 20th December 1939. The foundation was preceded by a series of land reclamations in the area, starting in 1921, which led to the parcelization of the land and the consequent need for a settlement. The village was immediately involved in the Second World War, also with armed engagement. In the post-war period it experienced some population growth, only to decline from the 1960s onwards.

Valli di Comacchio – It is a lagoon and marsh complex covering 4 valleys: Lido di Magnavacca, Fossa di Porto, Campo and Fattibello. The territory currently extends for over 13,000 hectares, from Comacchio to the River Reno. The area of the Valleys, originally about 73,000 hectares, was progressively reduced following various reclamations. They constitute one of the most extensive wetland areas in Italy. The Valli di Comacchio were created around the 10th century due to the lowering of the ground (subsidence) and the swamping of the coastal area. Initially, the Valleys were freshwater, which came from recurring river floods. From the 16th century onwards, they gradually filled with sea water, becoming salt marshes. The Valleys were also formed by the northward shift of the course of the Po River. In the Valli di Comacchio, fishing is a widespread practice, and there are many salt pans. Typical of the area are the casoni da pesca, fishing huts made from poles, straw and marsh reeds. A typical fishermen’s tool was the “lavoriero”, an object made from communicating basins for fishing eels. The Valleys host the greatest variety of ornithological fauna in Italy; indeed, there are more than 300 species of birds, including flamingos, black-winged stilts, little egrets, kingfishers, grey herons. There are also fish, such as gilt-head bream, eels, basses, grey mullets, and mammals such as foxes. The flora consists of oak, stone pine, beech, giant reed, tamarisk. One of the many flowers is sea-lavender. In this region, there are numerous pine groves, and the most important are those in Cervia, Ravenna (San Vitale pine grove) and Bosco della Mesola

please, see the Official Guide of the Via Romea Germanica (www.guidaromea.eu)

LINK CAMMINI REGIONE EMILIA-ROMAGNA

WARNING! in the wetlands of the plains provide yourself with products against mosquitoes

Bold type for structures we already used
Red type for structures we have an arrangement (with Credential*)
(*) Prices might change for special situations: please book early and ask for confirmation

How to arrive

From airport (BOLOGNA, VENEZIA, MILANO-ORIO, VERONA) to Ferrara FS Railway Station

BUS/LOCAL TRAIN – From Ferrara FS Railway Station with TPER bus route – 33 km (www.tper.it)

Where to eat

	Typical Dishes = Il Cucchiaio	Typical Dishes = Dissapore	Typical Dishes = Gambero Rosso	Typical Dishes = Buonissimo
Crai	Via Amendola,104 – 44016 ARGENTA
Lidl	Via Celletta,151 – 44011 ARGENTA
Agriturismo Prato Pozzo	via Rotta Martinella 34, 44011 ARGENTA FE	0532-801058 / 338-8460287 / 331-7769179	info@pratopozzo.com	www.pratopozzo.com; Arrangement
Bar Cà Anita	via Valle Umana, 7 – 44011 ANITA DI ARGENTA  FE	0532-801248		Arrangement
Ostello della Gioventù – Anita	piazza Caduti per la Libertà 1, 44011 ANITA-FE	0532-808035; 340-796990; 348 1519228	ostelloanita@cooplapieve.it	www.ostellivallidiargenta.it Arrangement
Ostello della Gioventù – Campotto	Via Cardinala, 27, 44011 CAMPOTTO-FE	0532-808035; 340-796990; 348 1519228	ostellocampotto@cooplapieve.it	www.ostellivallidiargenta.it
Locanda DA POLDO	via Amendola,66, 44011 SAN BIAGIO DI ARGENTA FE	0532-809000

Where to sleep

Agriturismo Prato Pozzo	via Rotta Martinella 34, 44011 ARGENTA FE	0532-801058 / 338-8460287 / 331-7769179	info@pratopozzo.com	www.pratopozzo.com; Arrangement
Ostello della Gioventù – Anita	piazza Caduti per la Libertà 1, 44011 ANITA-FE	0532-808035; 340-796990; 348 1519228	ostelloanita@cooplapieve.it	www.ostellivallidiargenta.it Arrangement
Ostello della Gioventù – Campotto	Via Cardinala, 27, 44011 CAMPOTTO-FE	0532-808035; 340-796990; 348 1519228	ostellocampotto@cooplapieve.it	www.ostellivallidiargenta.it
B&B Cà Morari	Via Morari,18,  44016 SAN BIAGIO-FE	0532-809017 / 389-8092967	camorari@libero.it	www.camorari.altervista.org
B&B Cà Borgo	Via Montecatina, 5, 44011 ANITA FE	0532-801227 / 335-5899188	bb.caborgo@virgilio.it
Locanda DA POLDO	via Amendola,66, 44011 SAN BIAGIO DI ARGENTA FE	0532-809000

Bike Service

Pilgrim Service

VISIT – EMILIA-ROMAGNA				www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/it/vie-di-pellegrinaggio/via-romea-germanica
IAT Argenta	P.zza Marconi,1 c/o Centro culturale Mercato – 44011 ARGENTA	0532 330276	iatargenta@comune.argenta.fe.it	www.comune.argenta.fe.it
Tavalazzi Pamela – organizzatrice cammini	via Gramsci, 8 – 44011 ARGENTA FE	338-6071909 – tavalazzi pamela	pamela@studiotavalazzi.com	www.studiotavalazzi.com