Day 8 - Longiano to Ravenna - Oh The Places You'll Go - 2025

April 18, 2025

Day 8 - Longiano to Ravenna

Three Part Dis-harmony

Today’s ride to Ravenna was a late addition to the original plan as a result of the abrupt cancellation of our ferry to Split a month or so ago.

We could only get another ferry two days later so to keep things simple, we added in a two day side trip to Ravenna. We really didn’t know much about this place until after our initial plan was struck but we kept hearing and reading about what a wonderful place it was, so we had to give it a go.

It’s got a pretty good pedigree; just the right size, many UNESCO world heritage sights, and all downhill from where we were starting from!

The day itself seemed like three distinct rides. First there was the high speed decent from the Longiano hills and the a nice flat tail wind assisted cruise to the Coast. Then it became a taster / trailer for a summer horror flick as we cruised north along the slowly emerging beach resorts that line the Adriatic ( thank god it’s April, by late June this will be a full fledged nightmare) and we finished with a lovely bucolic ride through the Il Parco Regionale del Delta die Po (Po Delta regional park - fantastic ride!) into Ravenna.

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First though, a big thank you to the staff at Relais Villa Marghertita and Magnolia. It was a wonderful night that we won’t forget. After a relaxed and great breakfast, we got back on the bikes and headed downhill towards the Adriatic coast. Within a few minutes we were on the flats and heading northeast through small villages and farms.

A few minutes more saw us encounter some major construction on our planned route (looked like a main water line was being built out where our road was supposed to be). After conflicting instructions from two halves of the construction crew, we finally found a way through the construction without having to unpack and carry our bikes and we were soon riding into the lovely coastal town of Cesensatico.

The morning send off shot from Villa Marghertia / Magnolia

Great cycling until some water line construction that we had to get by

A little bit of rain as we cruised into Cesenatico but nothing to worry about

Lovely town centred along a main canal that emptied into the Adriatic

Once along the coast the complexion of the ride changed considerably. From here until we reached the Po regional park it was completely built out with campgrounds and hotel beach resorts. Given that it was Good Friday, there was a reasonable amount of holiday traffic and families heading to the coast, but it looked like over 70% of the resorts and hotels were still closed for the season.

That made it okay to travel through, but just letting your mind roll forward a couple of months to see what this will be sent shivers down our spines!

It is Easter weekend, and at about 10 in the morning they’re already lined up to get into the beach side campground. I’d estimate that only 1 in 5 of the camp grounds were open now, but that will start to rapidly change

This two black specs on the right of the beach are like the proverbial fruit flies. In two months they will have metastasized into a full beach of pulsating flesh

A stop in Cervia for a great lunch alongside the docked fishing boats

As fresh as you can get clams and shrimp!

Look at the precision valet bike parking!

After the soon to be nightmarish beach scene, we were transported into the very peaceful natural Po Delta regional park. This was amazing cycling that we shared with a few fishermen, cyclists, egrets, ducks and muskrats.

Fantastic park with cycling, hiking and canoeing

These ‘fishing shacks’ were along all of the estuaries. This is the only one we saw in use

Not sure how the large nets were used. Hardly seems fair to just drop the in the water and scoop up what’s swimming by. Where’s the sport in that?

K in action. This was so great to bike through

I am so sorry if I’ve given you an unshakeable ear worm. Don’t worry, it’s not Song of the Day

Far too soon the great ride through the park ended and we were then into Ravenna. This is a ‘perfect sized’ place. Large enough to have all the amenities we would want for yet small enough to be very accessible. Our first impressions are that we’ll like our layover here very much.

We were soon into Ravenna, staying at a lovely apartment right in the heart of town. This is the Dante museum (beside his final resting place) less than a hundred metres from our apartment

K trying to emulate the Dante sculptures

Lots of bike infrastructure and some of it very unique.

Lovely square immediately north of our apartment

…. And our lovely apartment, La Reunion. Great for a two night stay

Dinner at Ca’ de Vèn, directly across the street from our apartment. Looks like a long established place popular with locals and tourists. It opened at 6:30 (very early for Italy) and was almost immediately packed. You get sat down at long table, family style, no reservations and very quick and efficient service. The food was simple but very good.

SOTD

Well, Muskrat Susy and Muskrat Sam whirled and twirled and tangoed, but I said I wouldn’t do that (which brings to mind a Meatloaf song, but not today).

The ride through the Po delta nature reserve was so pleasant and …. natural … that this song just fits …. And it’s an oblique nod to our little muskrat friends

Beautiful Tango by Hindi Zarah, acoustic version. Enjoy.

Today's ride: 57 km (35 miles)
Total: 533 km (331 miles)

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