The Valle Averto Nature Reserve, covering approximately 200 hectares of the Venetian Lagoon in the municipality of Campagna Lupia, is managed by the WWF.
This unique environment is located in one of the lagoon wetlands used for vallicoltura, a particular form of extensive fish farming practised for centuries along the Adriatic coast. These landscapes of rare beauty, part of a delicate ecosystem, can be visited on guided tours: this is how to admire the banks dotted with tamarisk and salicornia, the freshwater or brackish pools hidden by reeds, rushes and water lilies. Birdwatchers will find plenty to enjoy here: numerous species of aquatic animals winter and nest in the lush vegetation of Valle Averto. Among the thick canopy of black poplars, alders, elms, ash trees and English oaks, there are small observation towers, ideal for studying the birdlife without disturbing its tranquillity.
In spring and summer, you can observe red herons, Turkish bustards, marsh harriers, black-winged stilts and kingfishers, while in winter, white and grey herons, buzzards and sea eagles arrive. The various wooded areas are home to small mammals such as martens, weasels and badgers. Any curiosity can be satisfied by the well-equipped exhibition facilities along the route, but above all by a first-hand experience.
Here we find the Casone di Valle Zappa, a Nordic-style house that seems to be in perfect harmony with its surroundings: its rounded shapes resemble waves, its colours are similar to the feathers of small birds, and it has an enormous, lush and well-tended garden. A place where time stands still, especially at sunset; it is no coincidence that Ernest Hemingway and the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí willingly agreed to spend their holidays here.
