MAP
Seven days between beaches, water sports, bike paths, and wellness, together with the Paralympic swimming champion Luca Da Prato.
How is a week in Lignano Sabbiadoro when moving in a wheelchair or having needs related to reduced mobility? To find out, we set off with Luca Da Prato, Paralympic champion of Gorizia Nuoto, who challenged himself, with his inexhaustible energy and curiosity, to test beaches, accommodation facilities, sports facilities, and outdoor activities.
Luca spent days in Lignano that he described as "very pleasant": so much so that he wants to return with his wife and daughters. The experiences he had, in fact, are suitable for a vacation alone, with a support person, and with friends and family, sharing activities and leisure time.
Day 1 – Arrive and explore the waterfront
The journey begins in Lignano Riviera, where Luca has been a guest at the Hotel President, surrounded by the pine forest and equipped with a swimming pool, restaurant, and wellness center. The hotel has worked on the accessibility of the environments and on staff training: the accessible rooms have spacious areas, well-designed bathrooms, and wheelchair-accessible terraces. The restaurant also offers full board.
In Lignano, there are numerous accommodation facilities with accessibility features: on our portal, you can consult the mappings created by the experts of CRIBA FVG, complete with measurements and photographs.
Once the luggage is settled, you can start with a walk along the waterfront, flat and well-paved, crossing the different atmospheres of Riviera, Pineta, and Sabbiadoro. Here in the portal, you will also find numerous itineraries already described and with photographs to allow for assessing their feasibility.
Day 2 – A day at the beach
The Lisagest facilities (Lignano Sabbiadoro Gestioni) in Lignano have walkways, spacious cabins, raised loungers, and JOB or Sand&Sea chairs to reach the water. The accessible stations are movable: the additional walkway is laid out to the umbrella based on requests. It is therefore important to contact the beach office, preferably at least the day before, specifying the necessary equipment.
The extra large cabins can accommodate wheelchairs with electric propulsion and there are accessible bathrooms with showers. The staff brings the JOB to the station and can assist the person into the water, but does not guarantee the transfer from the wheelchair to the JOB or the bed. Those who need this support must arrange it with a trusted person. For the bathroom, it is useful to agree on a time in advance, to have the chair directly at the umbrella.
Lisagest offers dedicated rates for people with disabilities. To find out about the discount and submit the required documentation, you must contact the beach office directly: the discount is not applied to online bookings.
For an overview of the facilities (Lisagest and private) you can consult the dedicated sheets here in the portal, section "Beaches".
Day 3 – Beautiful Italy EFA Village
The Bella Italia EFA Village is a small sports town, covering about 60 hectares in the pine forest. It includes residences, restaurants, gyms, a sports hall, outdoor fields, swimming pools, a water park, and a private beach reserved for guests (you can find here all the sheets with the description of the accessibility of the Bella Italia Village).
The accessible rooms are located in the Hotel Alle Vele and the main buildings are connected by paved paths. At the beach, we checked with Luca the possibility of reaching the stations through the prepared walkways. Here, numerous amphibious chairs for bathing are available.
The village has a 50-meter Olympic pool, a 25-meter pool, outdoor swimming pools, and numerous facilities that also host Paralympic events. During Luca's visit, he trained right here every morning in preparation for his upcoming international competitions. In the water park, which consists of five pools and several slides, there is pool access via a ramp and a dedicated chair, with staff support. The facility is working to make other attractions accessible: we are curious to visit it again in the coming months! Beautiful Italy is a facility open all year round, precisely because it hosts sports events indoors as well.
Day 4 – Water sports with Tiliaventum
At Marina Punta Faro operates Tiliaventum, a sports association that offers sailing, kitesurfing, windsurfing, wing, SUP, seacycling, sport fishing, freediving, and excursions. With the Sea4All project, it has been developing activities for people with different motor needs - and not only.
The location, within the D-Marin Punta Faro port, has reserved parking, accessible restrooms, and level paths, ramps, walkways, and docks. Luca tried equipment and watercraft with specialized instructors, and engaged in SUP, kitesurfing, and foiling - after all... water is his element! The sports activities take place on the beautiful Shell Island, where friends and family can enjoy the beach during the sports activities. Each experience is tailored with the staff based on interests, mobility, necessary support, and sea conditions: for this reason, it is essential to book in advance.
Upon returning, the “third half” arrives, an aperitif organized at the venue. Because a day of sports doesn’t end at the pier, and it is a real pleasure to share a snack and a glass of local wine with the super team of Tiliaventum.
Day 5 – By bike along the Tagliamento
From Lignano Riviera, you can follow the cycle-pedestrian path at the mouth of the Tagliamento, between the pine forest and views of the mouth, up to the new Belvedere, equipped with a ramp. The path is flat, but the surface and distance should be assessed based on the means and your own autonomy.
Thanks to the project “A-Mare il Mare”, in Lignano, several special bicycles can be used for free. Tiliaventum, at the Punta Faro location, offers eight manual ATALA tandems and two electric tandems throughout the year; it also has a tricycle and an electric motorized aid for wheelchairs. Booking is mandatory at the number 339 8281513 or via email at tiliaventum@gmail.com; an accompanying person and an identity document to be left as a deposit are required.
At the Bike Point of Beach Office 7, near Bar Aurora, two Fun To Go bikes and two VeloPlus bikes are available, on which you can board with your own wheelchair. The service is active approximately from June 1st to September 15th, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM and from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with possible extensions of the season. Booking is recommended at 348 8734734, at 0431 724033 extension 2 or by writing to news@lignanosabbiadoro.it. The rental is free, with a document deposit and signing of a waiver.
Day 6 – By boat to Bibione
From Marina Uno departs X River, the pedestrian and cycling ferry that crosses the Tagliamento connecting Lignano Riviera to Bibione. In 2026 it is active from March 28 to November 1, with departures every 30 minutes according to the seasonal schedule. The ticket costs one euro each way, can also be purchased on board, and does not require a reservation.
The service is set up for people with disabilities, strollers, and bicycles, but it may be suspended in case of bad weather. On the Venetian shore, you can continue towards the Bibione Lighthouse, stop at the beach, or choose a kiosk for an aperitif. The Lignano side offers spots with umbrellas along the river, a very nice flat walkway, and the SunRiver kiosk, perfect for an aperitif at sunset. The boat crossing also has a very spacious and well-structured accessible toilet. Just be careful with the last ride: missing the boat makes the sunset suddenly less romantic.
Day 7 – Wellness and last bath
The last day can be dedicated to relaxation. At the Hotel President, the massage room, emotional showers, and sauna are accessible, while part of the spa is not. Opening hours and treatments must be agreed upon with the facility.
Alternatively, you can return to the sea, stroll along the promenade, or visit the Punta Verde Zoo Park (here you can find all the information on the accessibility of Punta Verde Zoo Park). The main path is mostly flat; some less accessible secondary sections can be avoided. The park also has picnic areas with priority and wheelchairs for rent.
A collective work that continues
The trip with Luca showed us concrete possibilities, but also how much accessibility depends on organization and communication: it is not enough to have a walkway or a JOB chair, you need to know where to find it, how to book it, and what assistance is provided.
With the regional project “A-mare il mare”, PromoTurismoFVG has contributed to the purchase, for beach establishments and regional reception points, of over 221 raised loungers, 27 JOB chairs, six Sand&Sea, and about two thousand walkway elements, in addition to the means for cycling tourism. Not only that: on this portal, there is all the information and contacts to make use of these accessible resources.
Making a destination accessible is a gradual process, built through equipment, training, and dialogue with those who use the services. Booking and clearly describing your needs remains essential, but in Lignano we encountered prepared and aware staff, ready to welcome customers with disabilities in a professional manner.
The most beautiful result of the test? Between a training session and an international competition, Luca wants to return to Lignano both to relax with his family... and to train! Because the quality of a destination is also measured by the possibility of enjoying a vacation together and the desire to get back to training as soon as they return home.
Photo Credits: Nicola Oleotto
