To get here, take the provincial road from Grado towards Monfalcone, and turn right at the Via Brancolo crossroads, 2 kilometres after the bridge over the river Isonzo.Grado is also about mud and tamarisks. We are at the lagoon. It’s the northernmost in the Adriatic, a 13,000-hectare universe that defies time, where the only signs of human presence are the fishermen’s old houses-cum-storerooms. The Isola della Cona regional nature reserve is a whole world to discover. The visitor centre has touch pools, audio-visual aids, herbariums and models of various kinds. The duck museum will help you recognise the different species of this friendly bird, maybe from one of the hides out in the field like the Cioss one (between sandbanks brackish and fresh water) and the Marinetta one (equipped for underwater observation). And then there are walks and excursions by bicycle, on foot or on horseback, and guided tours and workshops for groups.