15.07.2016 - Welcome to Grado

Welcome to Grado!

'The city of Grado with 8455 inhabitants is located on the northern coast of the Adriatic Sea on a coastal dune at the extreme end of the Gulf of Venice. The island of Grado is also called Sun Island or Golden Island.' (Wikipedia)

Planned as a beach vacation.. the weather initially put a damper on our plans. With a cooling down to 17 - 19 degrees, no one is going to swim here. During the day, not too many people can be seen. Some stroll along the promenade and eat ice cream. English won't get you far here. German is the language of choice, much to our surprise. We notice that the region is a top travel destination for Austrians. And this is historically justified:

'With the Peace of Campo Formio in 1797 and again from 1815, Grado belonged to the Habsburg Empire and also to the German Confederation from 1815. In 1854, the first "camerini", i.e. changing and bathing cabins, were set up for bathers, and in 1892, under Emperor Franz Joseph I's decree, the "Kur- und Badeanstalt Grado" (spas and baths) was founded and the fishing village was expanded into the imperial-royal seaside resort of Grado.' (Wikipedia)

The town tries to strike a balance between tourism and authenticity. Here, we have the ideal opportunity to calm down and take a breath after the hustle and bustle in Venice. It even rains here in the afternoon. Time for a long nap. In the evening, we are refreshed and go to the old town for dinner. Fish is on the menu. Very delicious!

Finally, the carnival parade. Among other things, funny old ladies dressed as flowers dance joyfully in the streets; divers explore the underwater world and encounter Nemo, sharks, and jellyfish.