by InTrieste
Guided tours exploring the historic center of Grado will resume this Easter, offering both visitors and residents an opportunity to experience the island’s cultural and maritime heritage. Organized by PromoTurismoFVG, the tours will run from April through September, covering the city’s narrow streets, small squares, and key landmarks.
The first tours are scheduled for Easter Sunday and Monday, April 5 and 6, departing at 3 p.m. from the Grado Infopoint. Participants will follow a route that highlights notable sites including the Basilica of Sant’Eufemia and the Baptistery, while learning about the island’s history, from the lives of local fishermen to the influence of the patriarchs. Literary references, such as the poetry of Biagio Marin, are incorporated into the tours, offering insight into the cultural traditions of Grado.
The tours also explore Grado’s Belle Époque period under Austro-Hungarian rule, when the island became a popular destination for artists and the imperial elite. Notable visitors included painter Joseph Maria Auchentaller and Adele Bloch-Bauer, famously associated with Gustav Klimt. Emperor Franz Joseph referred to the island as “the pearl of the Adriatic,” praising its climate and the lagoon’s reputed health benefits.
Each itinerary concludes at the National Museum of Underwater Archaeology of the Upper Adriatic, which houses artifacts documenting maritime trade and life in the Adriatic over the centuries.
For those wishing to explore independently, free audio guides are available through the Grado Turismo website. The guides cover 20 points of interest across three thematic itineraries—historical and cultural, sea and wellness, and sports, nature, and food—allowing visitors to navigate the island with commentary and insights accessible via smartphone.
Tour schedule:
- April: Sunday 5 and Monday 6 at 3:00 p.m.
- May: Every Saturday at 3:00 p.m.; Monday 25 May at 3:00 p.m.
- June, July, August: Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Saturdays at 6:00 p.m.
- September: Wednesday 2 and Wednesday 9 at 10:30 a.m.
