Jenny & Ahmed's Cycling Adventure

Paths 2 The Soul - Episode 012

Special Edition: Venice (26 April to 02 May 2025) - Part Two

Countries Visited :

Arrivederci Venise...

From the Lido to Pellestrina, passing through Sant’Erasmo, this second Venetian chapter takes us through forgotten beaches, driftwood huts, agricultural islands, unexpected encounters, and final moments facing the lagoon, before getting back on the road by bike, our hearts still full of emotion.

Venice - Day 04

Cycling, again and always cycling...

Cycling Trip 03: Lido and Pellestrina - 59.2 km 🚴

Today, we move away from the Venetian hustle to peacefully explore the Lido and later, Pellestrina. The Lido is perfect for getting around by bike, flat terrain, little traffic, and splendid views, lagoon on one side, Adriatic Sea on the other. Ahmed is feeling a bit better, despite a lingering flu. After a temperamental shower with tricky temperature control, we head out by bike, without panniers. Jenny has to find her balance again without the weight. We buy some fruit and our favourite pastries, then head towards the Faro di San Nicolò, at the northeast tip of the island. Before going further, a little lagoon interlude, the Venetian lagoon, a semi-enclosed ecosystem of about 550 km², is shaped by tides and hosts rich biodiversity. Three inlets or "bocche", Lido, Malamocco, Chioggia, connect the lagoon to the Adriatic. Long islands like Lido and Pellestrina protect the lagoon from storms. Without maintenance, the lagoon would silt up from river deposits. After an urban crossing, we ride on a dirt path then on a rocky jetty towards the lighthouse. It is chaotic, narrow, sometimes tricky, but sublime and peaceful. We pass other cyclists and a few elders, come to chat. The place invites a pause, tablet for Ahmed, contemplation for Jenny. We then follow the sea side of Lido, Mostra, Excelsior, our beach, then a concrete path scattered with stones, along the beach. It is punctuated by piles of driftwood, jetties of rocks and huts. Isolated figures sunbathe in peace. On the other side of the path, tall grasses hide the facades of houses. At the end of the path, a picnic table marks a transition. We continue on the road, passing through Malamocco and Alberoni, before taking the ferry to Pellestrina. Buses board too. Many bikes, but no crowd. The excursion remains peaceful. Arrived in Pellestrina, we have lunch at El Chiosco, simple dishes, veggie piadina and burger. Then we set off to discover the island. We ride along the lagoon and the villages, small localities each with their campo, their church, and above all colourful facades, deep reds, bright oranges, vibrant yellows, unlikely greens but perfect here. The layout of the streets is reminiscent of Venice, but narrower, more linear. At the very end, a long strip of stone connects Pellestrina to Ca’ Roman, a nature reserve. We ride along the "murazzi" by bike for 1 km. The Adriatic Sea is hidden behind a wall, accessible by a few staircases. We turn back. Return via the sea side this time, but still without view, the wall protects the houses, facing the lagoon. We follow the route of bus line 11, the one that boards the boat. We quickly reach the port. Ahmed has a coffee, Jenny calls Mama. During the crossing, Ahmed chats with a man of Syrian origin, who works on the islands and hands out flyers. Back on the Lido, we follow the central road and the edge of the lagoon. Arrived at the villa, Jenny sets off again by bike for groceries at the Coop. In the evening, peaceful ritual, dinner facing the lagoon and Venice, slightly veiled sunset. On the menu, rice and peas in tomato sauce, focaccia, and Coop rice pudding for dessert, a success. On Rai Uno, the films follow one another, but Jenny quickly falls asleep… symptoms of a lurking flu.

Venice - Day 05

Rest at the Lido and sunset in Venice...

Hike 04: Lido Beach and San Polo - 4.5 km 🚴 + 5.0 km 🚶

It’s official, Jenny is sick too. After two days of flu for Ahmed, it’s the other adventurer’s turn. Despite that, we try not to let it get us down and we (Jenny, that is 😉) stick to our plan. Destination: the Lido beach we spotted yesterday. We definitely need a few hours of rest, rocked by the waves. We bring the bikes down to the beach and settle near a driftwood hut, Ahmed in the shade, Jenny in the sun. The calm is divine. On these quiet beaches, you often find handmade structures made of washed-up wood. Created by locals or visitors, they serve as shelters, landmarks, or spontaneous artworks. Unofficial, they can be dismantled by authorities as the high season approaches. Next to us, a man is perfecting his own since yesterday, a blue-and-white-painted hut now covered with bamboo. On our side, we feel a bit like flu-ridden Robinsons, stranded on a quiet little island. We rest, eat a bit without much appetite, and… the tablet seems to be dying. Around 1 p.m., we head back to the room. Goal: rest and nap before a Venetian outing in the late afternoon. One aspirin and a good rest later, things feel a bit better. We make some sandwiches and head out again. Heading to San Polo, but we start by riding almost the entire Grand Canal on the vaporetto to enjoy the stunning facades. Once off, we wander through streets and squares, heading toward Zattere to watch the sunset. One question lingers in our minds: how to keep coming to Venice without contributing to mass tourism? Jenny deeply loves this city for its history, its mysteries, and its uniqueness. Today, even getting lost is hard, everyone has a smartphone and data. Jenny would have dreamed of a digital blackout during the trip... We end the evening on a bench, exhausted. The aspirin’s effect has worn off, the sunset is shy, and we head back quickly: direct boat to the Lido, bus, and straight to bed. The body says stop. We listen.

Venice - Day 06

A peaceful stroll in Venice’s vegetable garden...

Hike 05: Sant’Erasmo - 15.8 km 🚶

We slept well, and even if we’re not 100% recovered, the wake-up is pretty good. Jenny wants to do a load of laundry at the laundromat, but surprise, dozens of ants have invaded the room, even into the bags. We chase them off as best we can. Mystery about where they came from. Laundry is drying all over the place—balcony, clothes rack, shared towel heater… Because it’s a public holiday, the Lido vaporetto is packed, swimsuit parade vibe. We do a bit of shopping before boarding towards Punta Sabbioni. We cross paths with a British couple on bikes, finishing their tour of Italy. Once there, lots of traffic and tourists. Since we have to wait an hour for the bus, we set off on foot to Treporti to catch a vaporetto to Sant’Erasmo. It’s hot, the landscape isn’t amazing, visible pollution, and the crossing is packed with bikes. We wait 20 minutes in Treporti, decent given how infrequent it is. Total change of atmosphere on Sant’Erasmo, nicknamed the vegetable garden of Venice. The island is known for its purple artichokes (carciofi violetti), asparagus, tomatoes, grapes… The crops, irrigated by brackish lagoon basins, have been adapted to the salinity. The farmers developed unique techniques there, preserving an essential agricultural tradition. We explore the paths lined with blooming black locust trees, with an intoxicating scent. Picnic break by the water, then a walk between both shores: the Burano side is livelier, and the other side, wilder, greener, with a beach popular among Venetians who arrive by boat. At Capannone, we miss the vaporetto by 30 seconds. We wait an hour in this deserted place, constantly passed by small private boats. It’s clear Italians love soaking up the sun at the first rays. We watch a ballet of boats and little vessels. In the lagoon, navigation is regulated, licenses required from age 18 for powerful motors, speed limits, no wake allowed… but clearly, the no-wake rule is largely ignored. Back on the Lido, the bus is full. We walk home. And… surprise, the ant invasion has gotten worse. Samira arrives, armed with spray and powder, which she applies under the door, the window… and a bit on our shoes along the way. We start preparing our bags. Jenny heads off to watch one last sunset over Venice, from the lagoon behind the villa. The sky is tinged with pink, but the pollution from Marghera is still clearly visible… We have a restorative night, ready for what’s next.

Venice - Day 07

Departure from Venice, heading towards Slovenia...

Lido di Venezia → San Cipriano - 8.0 km 🚢 + 39.1 km 🚴

The time has come to leave Venice and its lagoon. This stay was an unexpected break, especially for Jenny. But as we leave, the heart is torn, a mixture of nostalgia and gravity. The pollution, the crowd, this constant hustle, tourist or local, seems completely out of sync with the fragility of the lagoon. Should we stop coming back to no longer be part of the problem, even with minimal impact? And yet… Jenny loves this city and is happy to have come back. We pack our things, carry the bags down to the courtyard. Ahmed brings back excellent croissants, which we eat outside on the terrace… We briefly chat with our French neighbours, then return the keys. Farewell Antico de Lido Venice, and sorry about the restaurant, it wasn’t within our budget. We get back on the bikes and head to the port, where we board boat 17 to Tronchetto, a larger ferry that also carries vehicles. Luckily, we arrive just in time. One last look at Venice, the Giardini, Saint Mark’s Square, the Venetian facades… a silent goodbye. At Tronchetto, we meet Hans and Cristina, two German cyclists to whom we give our still-valid tickets for one more day. Then, back on the road: the big bridge, the stairs of Marghera station, and finally the exit from Mestre. We cycle quite a bit, stop at an Aldi to stock up, then have a lunch break in a small town park. The landscapes open up: fields, poppies, blue sky… We come across a beautiful herd of sheep and goats, guided by two shepherds and three dogs. We take a sweet break: coke for Jenny and ice cream for Ahmed. At the end of the day, we start looking for a place to pitch the tent. We pass a field, where Jenny asks a small group if it’s possible to camp there. We are directed to Paolo, the owner. His wife opens the door, and thanks to our explanatory note, she understands our request. Paolo arrives in turn and gladly agrees. Even better, since our tent is small, he offers us to camp directly in their garden. As a bonus, an outdoor bathroom with a shower. Absolute luxury! It’s only 5:30 p.m., we have time to settle in well and do a bit of work on our media. We get to know their neighbour Mikaela, who takes care of her parents full time. Her mother, very moved, used to go camping in her youth; our visit brings back tender memories. The father, more fragile, moves around with a walker. Mikaela’s tenderness towards them is touching. Paolo and Maria are delicately attentive, while still giving us our space. Mikaela comes back later with cold drinks, sparkling water, a piece of homemade pizza and a salami toast. Very warm-hearted. We give her our card with the blog address. Jenny stays outside to write the journal while Ahmed heads to bed. We’re well settled… and we spend a wonderful night, between gratitude and rest.

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Jenny & Ahmed