Throughout the centuries, salt has been a valuable resource that has profoundly influenced the economy, the landscape and the daily life along the coast of Romagna.
This 48-hour itinerary connects Cervia and Comacchio, two towns bound by a shared history of water, hard work and traditions.
From the orderly salt fields of Cervia to the atmosphere of the Po Delta, the route takes you on a journey through the salt-making process, from production to processing.
Over the course of the journey, stories are told of salt workers, trade and ancient crafts, and a strong culinary identity emerges that is closely tied to conservation and the sea.
An experience set among open landscapes and historic town centres poised above the water, to be savoured at a leisurely pace, guided by the rhythms of nature and the echoes of history.
An authentic way to explore the Romagna region most closely linked to its natural surroundings.
Tips
It's only natural to begin your voyage of discovery of the world of salt in Romagna right here, in the heart of a landscape poised between land and water, where ancient traditions of salt production are still practised today.
To do
Strolling among the salt flats or sailing along the canals, one gets a sense of how this environment is both productive and natural, home to flamingos and waterbirds.
It is the ideal place to learn how salt is produced as a result of a delicate balance amongst sun, wind and water, and how human activity fits into this system without disrupting it.
Curiosity
The salt flats are made up of over 50 basins connected by a 16-kilometre canal, letting the salty water of the Adriatic Sea flow in and out of the area: it is exactly this flow that, as the water evaporates, produces the famous ‘sweet salt’, which has no bitter aftertaste, and is the result of hand-harvesting methods that have been passed down through the centuries.
A natural irregularity that makes it milder in flavour and particularly sought-after in the kitchen.
To taste
“Cervia Salt Chocolate”: the salt is spread on top to create a contrast in textures and flavours, making the chocolate more intense and intriguing.
Heading into the city, the focus shifts from production to storage and marketing.
Event
Every year in September, the town hosts ‘Sapore di Sale’ (Taste of Salt): this is a weekend entirely focused on white gold, featuring talks, cultural events, exhibitions, markets and live shows. One thing not to be missed is the ancient tradition of transpoting the salt: the picturesque journey on a ‘burchiella’, pulled along the banks of the canal from the salt flats to the storehouses, just as it was done in the past.
A Bit of History
The Torre storehouse was built in 1691, whereas the Darsena storehouse was built in 1712: during the spring to mid-September production season, salt was transported from the salt flats to the storehouses on the characteristic flat-bottomed boats known as burchielle, crossing the Canal Harbour. To make transfer and storage easier, the two storehouses were connected by an iron bridge.
In 1959, the storehouses lost their original purpose and were gradually abandoned. Today, inside the Torre Salt Storehouse, the MUSA tells the story of Cervia and its salt flats with tools, documents and photographs that show how salt was traditionally produced, transforming the experience into an ethnographic journey focusing on the culture and https://emiliaromagnaturismo.it/en/towns/cerviadaily life of the salt workers.
The tools, pictures and stories of the salt workers reveal the hard work and pride associated with a trade that has defined the identity of Cervia.
Here, salt is not just a material substance, it is social and economic history as well: for centuries it has been a strategic, carefully controlled and extremely valuable resource. The tour rounds off the salt flats experience, adding depth and insight, and helps visitors understand how much this product has played a role in shaping the daily life and the development of the local area.
The canal harbour, which is the starting point of the Salt Route, also marks the logical conclusion to the first day.
Even though today it is a lively and charming place, it still retains the memory of its historical significance.
Walking along the quays, especially at sunset, gives you a sense of the strong bond between Cervia and the sea, between production and trade. There's no better moment to slow down and take in how the townscape has developed around this resource, turning it into a cultural identity.
To taste
Be sure to try the fried sardines for dinner – one of the most authentic dishes of the Romagna coast. A dash of Cervia's fine salt brings out the flavour of the fish without overpowering it, maintaining that delicate balance so typical of Romagna's seafood cuisine.
A traditional dish rooted in local and seafaring folk culture, it began as a simple, quick meal but has now become a symbol of summer socialising. These sardines are best enjoyed piping hot, often with a drizzle of lemon juice, maybe at a seaside kiosk or during a festival, paired with a glass of white wine.
On the second day, we go a few dozen kilometres further to Comacchio, in the province of Ferrara, to a totally different setting where the relationship between water and the land becomes even more striking.
The Comacchio Salt Flats blend into the landscape of the Po Delta, amidst valleys, canals and open horizons, stretching for over 600 hectares inland from Lido degli Estensi.
The flats still have the same layout as when they were built during the Napoleonic era and this layout reveals the central role that Comacchio has played in salt production since ancient times.
The area is now a protected site within the Po Delta Park and visits are only possible with authorised guides.
Tip
Visit the Bettolino di Foce, which is located inside an old fisherman’s hut in the unspoilt heart of the Comacchio Valleys. From here, aside from enjoying a delicious lunch featuring local specialities, you can also hop aboard a boat for a wonderful trip along the inner canals of the valley where you can admire the beauty of a unique and spectacular oasis, home to hundreds of species of water birds and a large colony of pink flamingos.
This stage adds to the story that began in Cervia, revealing another aspect of the bond between salt and the environment.
We close our tour by heading to the centre of Comacchio for the final stop, which focuses on the process of transforming the raw product into a dish that gives life to a unique culinary tradition.
The Manifattura dei Marinati (The Factory of Marinated Products) is the historical factory-museum where eels are still processed today.
A significant part of Comacchio’s history, it has brought back to life the entire process of preparing eels and acquadelle (silversides) by means of the marinating process.
The process involving salt, fire and time tells the story of a tradition that blends technique and culture, transforming a local product into a widely renowned speciality. The setting, with its large fireplaces and production areas, creates an authentic and immersive atmosphere, where salt takes centre stage in a process that is both practical and deeply rooted in local culture.
To know
All year round, visitors can watch the various stages of the marinating process, but it is in November and December that the experience becomes particularly captivating: the large fireplaces are lit in order to roast and prepare the eels using the traditional Comacchio method, creating a spectacle that is both unique and enchanting.
To taste
The marinated eel from the Comacchio Valleys, which has been recognised as a Slow Food Presidium, is one of the specialities you must try at the Manifattura dei Marinati. In the bookshop, as well as publications and items related to the area, you can buy specialities that have been prepared according to traditional methods, such as marinated eel, acquadella (silversides) and anchovies.
