Po Delta

The Po splits into several branches before reaching the Adriatic and spreads across lagoons, sandbars, reedbeds and pine woods, forming the largest wetland in Italy and a UNESCO biosphere reserve. More than three hundred bird species have been recorded, and greater flamingos, which first bred here in the 1990s, are now a fixed presence in the salt pans and shallow valleys. The delta is still building outward as the river deposits sediment, and much of the land behind it is below sea level and drained by pumps. Historic pine forests near Ravenna were described by Dante and Byron.

What you actually see

• The flamingo colonies - breeding birds in the salt pans since the 1990s.
• The lagoon valleys - shallow brackish basins worked for fish and salt.
• The pine forests - old coastal woods behind the dunes near Ravenna.
• The river branches - the Po splitting into several mouths.

When to go

April to June and September to November for birds on migration; summer brings mosquitoes and haze. Boat trips run in the warm months and depend on weather.

Honest expectations

Mosquitoes are severe in summer. The delta is flat, spread over a large area, and needs a car plus a boat trip. Some reserves require booking or a guide.

Nearby

Comacchio lies inside it; Ravenna is south.