landmark
Piran
A perfectly preserved Venetian coastal town perched on a narrow peninsula, Slovenia's most beautiful seaside gem on the Adriatic.
21 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeItalyFriuli Venezia Giulia
Grado
Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy · Europe
About Grado
Grado is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Aquileia, 46km from Škocjan Caves.
Grado is in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, with about 6,800 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Aquileia, about 10 km away.
Grado (Venetian: Gravo; Friulian: Grau; Slovene: Gradež; Latin: Gradus) is a town and comune (municipality) of 8,064 residents in the Regional decentralization entity of Gorizia in the north-eastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, located on an island and adjacent peninsula of the Adriatic Sea between VeniceRead more
and Trieste.
The territory of the municipality of Grado extends between the mouth of the Isonzo and the Adriatic Sea and the Grado Lagoon, and covers an area of about 90 square kilometers between Porto Buso and Fossalon. Characteristic of the lagoon is the presence of the casoni, which are simple houses with thatched roofs used in the past by the fishermen of Grado, who remained in the lagoon for a long time, returning to the island of Grado only during the colder period of the year.
Once mainly a fishing centre, today it is a popular tourist destination, known commonly as L'Isola del Sole ("The Island of the Sun"). It is also famous because it is a spa town; from 1873 a maritime hospice for children called Ospizio Marino wanted by the doctor Giuseppe Barellai was established on the island, because the climate and the environment of the island are a good place for the treatment of some childhood diseases. Subsequently, Grado was the chosen destination for marine thermal treatments, especially by the Austrian population. Together with Marano Lagunare, it is the centre of the Marano-Grado Lagoon, which is famous for its uncontaminated nature.
Grado is the birthplace of Biagio Marin, a poet who sang about the island in the local Venetian dialect.
Where to Stay in Grado
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Grado.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Grado.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Grado?
Within an hour or so of Grado: Piran (21 km), Miramare Castle (24 km), Lipica Stud Farm (37 km), Solkan Bridge (39 km).
Are there any good drives near Grado?
The nearest famous roads are Predil Pass, Mangart Saddle Road and Vršič Pass.
Where is Grado?
Grado is in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, about 10 km from Aquileia.
Road trip
Drive to Grado
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Grado. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 6,767
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Italy
- Region
- Friuli Venezia Giulia
- Timezone
- Europe/Rome
- Coordinates
- 45.6777, 13.4032
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Italy
ACI roadside assistance: 803 116. ZTL (limited traffic zones) in city centres are camera-enforced.
Full driving guide for ItalyTags
Worth the detour from Grado
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
castle
Miramare Castle
White Habsburg castle built 1856-1860 for Archduke Maximilian on a promontory over the Gulf of Trieste, kept with original interiors and a 22-hectare park. The approach along the Strada Costiera is one of Italy's finest short coastal drives.
24 km · about 30 min drive
landmark
Lipica Stud Farm
The 16th-century birthplace of the elegant white Lipizzaner horses on the windswept Karst plateau.
37 km · about 45 min drive
bridge
Solkan Bridge
The world's longest stone railway arch, an 85 m span of hewn limestone blocks: vaults the emerald Soča river just north of Nova Gorica, best admired from the riverside road below.
39 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Grožnjan
A once-abandoned Istrian hill town repopulated by artists in the 1960s: now some 20 galleries and studios fill its Venetian stone lanes, with a summer jazz festival and views over vineyards to the sea.
41 km · about 45 min drive
natural wonder
Škocjan Caves
A UNESCO-listed cave system featuring one of the largest underground river canyons in the world at 146 meters deep.
46 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Motovun
A captivating hilltop medieval town in Istria surrounded by truffle-rich forests and vineyards, known for its annual film festival.
50 km · about 60 min drive
cathedral
Euphrasian Basilica, Poreč
A 6th-century Byzantine basilica glittering with gold mosaics, a UNESCO gem in Istria's old town.
52 km · about 60 min drive
Driving roads near Grado
- 39 kmSolkan BridgeThe world's longest stone railway arch, an 85 m span of hewn limestone blocks: vaults the emerald Soča river just north of Nova Gorica, best admired from the riverside road below.
- 65 kmSoča ValleyValley of the turquoise Soca river below the Julian Alps, followed by a scenic road from Bovec through Kobarid to Tolmin.
- 75 kmUčka TunnelA 5 km motorway tunnel bored beneath Mount Učka in 1981, linking inland Istria with the Opatija Riviera and sparing drivers the old switchback climb over Poklon Pass.
Driving in Italy
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€8.50/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Grado.
Plan a trip around Grado
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Grado.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.