Travelers seeking the charm of Venice without the crowds should consider Comacchio, a town in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, that is often called 'Little Venice.' Located just under two hours from Venice, Comacchio is built around a network of canals and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, specifically Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta.
A Peaceful Alternative to Venice
Venice, visited by 30 million people each year, has become a symbol of overtourism, facing issues like rising waters, overcrowding, and depopulation. In 2024, the city introduced a €5 (£4.29) fee for day-trippers, which was later doubled to €10 (£8.58) for last-minute travelers booking less than four days in advance. Comacchio offers a quieter experience, spread across thirteen small islands connected by waterways and bridges.
Instead of Venice's famous Bridge of Sighs, Comacchio features the Ponte dei Trepponti, a 17th-century, five-point bridge built in 1638 as an entry point for those arriving from the Adriatic Sea. The town is also more colorful than Venice, with houses painted in shades of pink, red, and blue.
Culture and Cuisine
For culture, the Museo Delta Antico houses artifacts from the Roman and Medieval eras, found in the Po Delta area, Europe's second largest wetland. Unlike Venice, which warrants several days, Comacchio is best suited for a day trip, perhaps tacked onto a visit to Bologna or Ravenna.
Comacchio is a food lover's destination, specializing in eel fishing. Marinated eel, known locally as 'anguilla marinata,' is a popular dish, and an Eel Festival is held across September and October each year. The Emilia-Romagna region is known for simple dishes made with local resources, including mortadella, Parmesan, and piadina, a flatbread often enjoyed with squacquerone, a soft cheese. Wine drinkers can indulge in Sangiovese, a red wine so embedded in the culture that in the regional dialect, Romagnol, it's called 'e be,' meaning 'the drink.'
Another regional dish is Strozzapreti, which translates to 'priest stranglers.' This pasta, made by twisting fresh dough between the palms, is traditionally made from durum wheat, semolina flour, and water, though some modern recipes include egg whites and parmesan. It's available at virtually every restaurant in the area.
Getting to Comacchio
From the UK, travelers can fly direct from London to Forli, Rimini, or Bologna. Ryanair operates a summer/autumn route to Forli from London Stansted, with last-minute return flights from as little as £36. From Forli, the town is a one hour, 10 minute drive. Ryanair also flies direct from London Gatwick and Manchester to Rimini, with flights typically running between spring and autumn; Rimini's airport is about one hour, 20 minutes away by car. Bologna is a 55-minute drive away, with direct flights from London Stansted, Heathrow, and Luton via Ryanair or British Airways, with return fares from as little as £45 in October 2026.
