Eraclea

Eraclea is on the Gulf of Venezia, just a short distance from the famed city but a tranquil getaway without many tourists. The city of 12,000 residents sits along the Piave River and was an important point on the Venetian lagoon and for a time hosted the Dukes of Venezia, but was abandoned in the 12th century because of alluvial flooding and malarial outbreaks. It was re-established in the 1600s as Grisolera, and supported by La Serenissima Republic of Venice.

It passed to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1866 and was liberated during the Battle of Vittorio Veneto in 1918. In the 1930s the marshes were drained, and the first beach of Eraclea was developed, called Marina di Santa Croce, now Eracleamare. The former swampy land was planted with maritime pines, which has become the unique feature of Eracleamare. It is a Blue Flag beach, spanning a long sandy front of the Gulf of Venezia, backed by the natural atmosphere of the pine forest.

The town hosts many food-related events through the year, and there is fishing on the Piave River. Its a mostly modern town but maintains a community feel in Eraclea proper with the seaside drawing more people during the summer months.