Grado resort town

Located 62km from Trieste is the town of Grado, a popular destination both within and outside Italy. Visitors are captivated not only by Grado's beautiful beaches but also by the rich history of this town situated on the island of the same name.

The old town in the heart of Grado is a treasure trove. Each building here carries a rare historical significance, for example, the Sant'Eufemia Basilica, built in the 4th century.

Grado became a popular Western European holiday destination in the late 19th century. Under the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I Karl, resorts and hotels in Grado developed rapidly thanks to state investment. These establishments remain open to this day. The most popular hotels and resorts are located around the Costa Azzurra beach on the western edge of the town. The Costa Azzurra boasts not only excellent sand and water but also a pleasant climate year-round. Grado Island is known as "L'isola del Sole," meaning "Island of the Sun." Many Italians recovering from illness often choose Grado as a place to recuperate.

Grado Island is located in the Grado Lagoon, one of Italy's most biodiverse areas. To preserve the environment, Rome established the Valle Cavanata nature reserve in 1996. The reserve covers 327 hectares, primarily consisting of grasslands and swamps. Thanks to the oxygen-rich brackish water, crustaceans thrive in Valle Cavanata, attracting birds such as pelicans and flamingos. Tourists wishing to observe birds should visit Valle Cavanata in late winter, the time when flamingo migration is most concentrated in the reserve.

About 20 minutes by boat from Grado is Barnaba Island. The island has fewer than 400 inhabitants but receives over 5,000 visitors annually, mostly Catholic pilgrims who come to the Santuario di Barbana shrine. Legend says that in the 10th century, a statue of the Virgin Mary washed ashore on Barnaba and was retrieved by the island's monks. When the plague broke out across Europe more than three centuries later, the statue protected the Grado lagoon area from the disease. Grateful, the locals built the Santuario di Barbana shrine. The shrine is busiest on the first Sunday of July each year. On this day, each local family sends their eldest son to Barbana to attend the service.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thi-tran-nghi-mat-grado-692633.html