The Casoni

At the far west end Bibione, across from Porto Baseleghe and at the edge of the lagoon there are the casoni, the huts described by Ernest Hemingway in his novel Across the River and into the Trees. Immersed in the nature of the lagoon, the casoni are ancient shelters used by fishermen when work took them away from home for several days. The techniques and materials used to build them have remained unchanged over the centuries, using wooden poles, reeds, straw and wicker to create a single rectangular room with a pyramidal roof and a central hearth. The huts still today dot the islands of the lagoon and, blending in among the reeds, almost seem to be the silent guardians of a charming and unique setting. Visiting them means not only discovering an enchanting green nature sanctuary, but it also means learning about the traditions of the local fishermen. By bicycle, following the signs for Terzo Bacino and continuing toward the Prati Nuovi locality, you will see the casoni inhabited by local farmers until the 1950s.