Italy’s colourful ‘Little Venice’ with canals, bridges and none of the crowds

Comacchio is just under two hours away, and much less chaotic (Picture: Getty Images) It comes as little surprise that Italy was just named the ‘People’s Choice’ in the 2026 Nat Geo Reader Awards. The country is overflowing with incredible destinations, from beautiful-but-bustling Florence and foodie hotspot Bologna, to lesser-known spots like Lecce and the island of San Pietro. Among them is Venice, which is known for its rich cultural scene, winding canals dotted with gondolas… and its immense popularity, being visited by 30 million each year. The ancient canal city has pretty much become an unwilling poster child for overtourism as a result, plagued by everything from rising waters to overcrowding to depopulation. In 2024, the Floating City introduced a €5 (£4.29) fee for all day-trippers, which was then doubled to €10 (£8.58) – but only for last-minute travellers who book less than four days in advance. So, it might be worth casting your gaze (and wallet) towards a destination that has all the charm of Venice, but none of the crowds… Discover Comacchio, Italy’s ‘Little Venice’ Comacchio, in Emilia-Romagna, is just under two hours away, but it feels like another world. It’s technically part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, too, being Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta. Comacchio is centred around 13 separate islands (Picture: Getty Images) And it’s easy to see why it’s gathered so many references to Venice, as the town is built around its network of canals. It’s part of thirteen small islands, and just like Venice, is linked by various waterways and bridges. While Venice has the world-famous Bridge of Sighs (so famous, in fact, that replicas were built in both Oxford and Cambridge, and even given the same name), Comacchio has the Ponte dei Trepponti. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. It’s a 17th-century, five-point bridge, originally built as an entry point for those coming in from the Adriatic Sea. It’s stood proudly since 1638. Another green tick for Comacchio is the fact that it’s much more colourful than Venice, which is famous for having fairly earthy tones. Wander around the streets of Comacchio, and you’ll notice houses painted in joyful hues of pink, red, and blue. There are colourful houses everywhere (Picture: Getty Images) If you’re up for a bit of culture, the Museo Delta Antico is worth a visit. It houses artefacts dating back to the Roman and Medieval eras, all found in and around the Po Delta area, which is Europe’s second largest wetland. Now, if you’re expecting to visit Comacchio and be met with a plethora of things to do, it’s time to readjust your expectations. Unlike Venice, which is best visited over the course of a few days, Comacchio is more of a day trip. If you’ve already visited the likes of Bologna or Ravenna, then it’s worth tagging Comacchio on at the end for a quieter afternoon. A foodie’s paradise If you’re a food lover, Comacchio should be at the very top of your list. The town specialises in eel fishing, and marinated eel (known locally as ‘anguilla marinata’) is a popular dish found on many menus. There’s even an Eel Festival, held across September and October each year. The town even has an eel festival (Picture: Getty Images) Plus, the Emilia-Romagna region is famously foodie. It’s largely known for simple dishes done well, and making the most of the wealth of local resources thanks to its location close to both the sea and hills. Some of the most popular foods to eat here include mortadella (a type of ham that’s been mimicked as ‘baloney’ elsewhere in the world), Parmesan, and piadina, a type of flatbread best enjoyed with something like squacquerone, a form of soft cheese that’s not hard enough to have a rind, but not mushy enough to be considered cottage cheese. Wine drinkers should absolutely indulge in a glass of Sangiovese, a red that’s so embedded in the culture of the region that, in Romagnol (the regional dialect), it’s simply called ‘e be,’ which translates to ‘the drink.’ Though the north is a fairly wealthy part of Italy nowadays, it hasn’t always been this way – and so much of the population had to develop innovative methods of getting food on the table with what they had access to. Take, for example, one of the region’s most beloved dishes, Strozzapreti (which literally translates to ‘priest stranglers’). In Emilia-Romagna, this type of pasta – made by twisting fresh dough between the palms – is traditionally made from durum wheat, semolina flour, and water, although some more modern recipes incorporate egg whites and parmesan, breaking from the working-class roots. If you want to try an authentic version of this beloved pasta dish, you’ll be able to find it on the menu at virtually every restaurant in the area. How to get to Comacchio When visiting from the UK, you can fly direct from London to either Forli, Rimini or Bologna – then make an onward journey. Ryanair operates a summer/autumn route to Forli from London Stansted, which stops in late October 2026 – but you can nab some last-minute return flights from as little as £36. From Forli, the town is a one hour, 10 minute drive. There are several ways to reach Comacchio (Picture: Getty Images) If you’d rather travel via Rimini, Ryanair flies direct from London Gatwick and Manchester. Flights typically run between spring and autumn, and Rimini’s airport is about one hour, 20 minutes away by car. Last but not least is Bologna, a 55-minute drive away. There are direct flights from London (Stansted, Heathrow and Luton), via Ryanair or British Airways. We saw one return fare for as little as £45 in October 2026… if you were looking for a very last minute getaway. The lesser-known Italian city I keep going back to I’ve chatted to locals in Roman bars, floated on gondolas in Venice, enjoyed countless Aperitivos in Bologna, and taken in the preserved streets of Pompeii. And while I’ve loved my trips to these famous destinations, I can’t name many cities I want to come back to again and again — apart from one. Tucked away in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, the little-known (to Brits, at least) city of Cesena is often overshadowed by its neighbour. Curious? Find out why I keep going back to Cesena here This article was originally published on August 9, 2026 and has been updated. Arrow MORE: British man mysteriously dies in ‘faerie sex cult’ in Sicily Arrow MORE: Yoga guru ‘placed his hands’ on students’ breasts for ‘purification therapy’ Arrow MORE: I’m from Dublin — here’s where I take my friends when they visit The Getaway Expert Your exclusive seven-day guide to travelling with confidence from Metro's resident travel expert, Alice Murphy.