Venue: Varie zone di Grado
Who said Grado is only beautiful in summer? When the beaches empty and the island returns to a more leisurely pace, autumn offers a different way to experience and discover the ‘Island of the Sun’.
The still-mild days invite you to stroll along the seafront, lose yourself in the narrow streets of the historic centre or explore the lagoon, whilst the cooler temperatures provide the perfect opportunity to treat yourself to a few hours at the spa, visit museums, enjoy outdoor sports or savour traditional dishes. And even when the weather isn’t at its best, there’s no shortage of alternatives!
Here are some ideas for experiencing Grado during the autumn months, ranging from things to do on the island to suggestions for exploring the surrounding area.
1. A journey through history: Grado’s museums
Autumn is the ideal time to spend a few hours discovering Grado’s millennia-old history, an island that preserves precious artefacts from its Roman, patriarchal and lagoon past. As well as visiting the splendid Basilicas of Saint Euphemia and Saint Mary of Grace, the Baptistery and the historic centre, you can deepen your understanding of the area through three museums, each dedicated to a different aspect of Grado’s identity.
Grado Civic Treasury Museum
Opened in December 2025 and dedicated to Monsignor Sebastiano Tognon, the museum houses ancient liturgical furnishings, reliquaries, vestments and sacred objects linked to the history of the Basilica and the Patriarchate of Grado. An exhibition that recounts centuries of art, faith and traditions.
Autumn opening hours: until December, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 10.30 am to 12.30 pm and from 1.30 pm to 6.00 pm.
Admission: €5 full price, €3 concessions; free for under-18s and FVGcard holders, as well as other eligible groups.
Where: Via della Corte 8, Piazza Biagio Marin.
Discover the Civic Treasury Museum
Museum of Fishing and Lagoon Life
What was life like in the lagoon’s ‘casoni’ (fishermen’s huts) in days gone by? What tools did the fishermen use, and how was their knowledge passed down from generation to generation? Through original artefacts, fishing gear, testimonies and video interviews with the last remaining casoneri, this museum offers an insight into a world deeply connected to the water and the rhythms of nature.
Opening times: until 13 December 2026:
Saturday: 3.30 pm–6.00 pm
Sundays and public holidays: 10.00–12.30 and 15.30–18.00
Free admission.
Where: Via Orseolo 22.
National Museum of Underwater Archaeology of the Upper Adriatic
A journey back over two thousand years to discover trade and navigation in the Roman world. The star of the museum is the Iulia Felix, a Roman merchant ship discovered on the seabed off the coast of Grado, the discovery of which has yielded important evidence of the commercial history of the Upper Adriatic. Reconstructions, multimedia content and interactive installations guide visitors on a journey of discovery through underwater archaeology.
Open from 1 October to 30 April: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 11.00 to 18.00 (last admission 17.30).
Admission: €7 full price, €2 reduced rate for young people aged 18 to 25. Free for under-18s, FVGcard holders and on the first Sunday of every month.
Where: Via dei Provveditori 14.
Discover the Museum of Underwater Archaeology
2. Autumn, a time for pampering: spas and wellness centres
When temperatures start to drop, what could be better than soaking in hot water, relaxing in a sauna or treating yourself to a massage? In Grado, wellness has a long-standing tradition, thanks to the properties of the seawater and its unique microclimate. Today, this tradition lives on in the historic Terme Marine and in the hotels’ wellness centres, some of which are also open to non-residents.
The Terme Marine in Grado: wellness all year round
The refurbished Terme Marine in Grado offer a range of options for pampering yourself. The wellness area, reserved for those aged 16 and over, features a Finnish sauna, a Turkish bath, a salt room, a relaxation area and an outdoor hot tub filled with heated seawater. The thermal pool, with two seawater pools at 31° and 32°, allows you to enjoy the benefits of seawater even when it’s cold outside. The range of facilities is complemented by beauty treatments, massages, fitness activities and spa treatments.
Main opening hours:
Wellness Area: Friday 14.00–20.00; Saturday 10.00–20.00; Sunday 10.00–19.00.
Thermal Pool: Monday and Wednesday to Sunday, 10.00–19.00; closed on Tuesday.
Beauty Spa: daily, usually 10.00–19.00; Tuesday 10.00–15.00.
Fitness Area: Monday and Wednesday to Friday 9.00–20.00; Saturday and Sunday 9.00–16.00; closed on Tuesday.
Mirabel SPA: the scents of autumn become a source of wellbeing
Open all year round, the Mirabel SPA offers an intimate and private setting with a sauna, Turkish bath, salt room, sensory showers and personalised treatments. Furthermore, for October and November 2026, it is offering a special Autumn SPA Experience, featuring rituals inspired by the scents and ingredients of autumn: pumpkin, honey, hops, malt, grains and spices.
PUMPKIN GLOW FACE & AUTUMN VELVET BODY – €99 | 70 mins: A comprehensive face and body treatment with brightening and nourishing properties. A pumpkin enzyme facial scrub and peel, a honey mask and a final massage, combined with a body treatment based on pumpkin, honey and shea butter, rounded off with a massage using warm vanilla and cinnamon oil.
THE OCTOBER EXPERIENCE – €120 | 90 mins: A four-stage autumn journey:
a moisturising facial treatment with pumpkin enzymes;
a 50-minute enveloping massage with warm spiced oil and hops;
a final tasting of your choice between beer and pretzels or spiced autumn herbal tea in the salt room.
hop and malt body scrub;
BEER & SPA EXPERIENCE – €115 | 3 hours: Two hours at the spa, a 20-minute cereal scrub and a 30-minute relaxing hop massage, with a mug of beer and a pretzel in the relaxation area.
HOP PEDICURE & MANICURE: A special treatment for hands and feet using scented bath salts, barley malt, shea butter, hops, brewer’s yeast, grains and honey.
BASIC BEER SPA – €80 | 2 hours: Two hours of relaxation at the spa with a hop-scented sauna.
Open all year round. Information and bookings: +39 327 9555959.
Hotel spas: just a few more weeks to make the most of them
Until early November, you can also treat yourself to moments of relaxation at other wellness centres on the island:
Savoy Beauty Club & Spa: heated seawater pools, sauna, Turkish bath and treatments, in a wellness centre covering over 1,000 square metres. Open approximately until early November.
Grand Hotel Astoria: thalassotherapy centre offering treatments based on seawater. Open until early November and again during the Christmas period. From 10 November to 18 December 2026, professional massage therapist Umberto Logan will be available to guests every Tuesday and Friday, from 9.00 am to 1.00 pm.
Laguna Palace Hotel: panoramic swimming pool overlooking the lagoon, saunas and wellness treatments. Open approximately until early November.
Riva Palace Hotel: wellness area offering massages and relaxing treatments. Open until early November and again during the Christmas period.
Access for non-residents, availability and opening dates should be checked directly with the establishments.
3. Outdoor sports: getting active is good for you, especially in autumn
Cooler temperatures and days that are still bright make autumn a particularly pleasant season for those who love to stay active. Grado offers numerous opportunities to practise sports in the great outdoors, without the heat and crowds of the summer months.
Golf between the sea and the lagoon
For golf enthusiasts, the Grado golf course offers a delightful opportunity to spend a few hours in the open air, surrounded by the lagoon landscape. An experience that combines sport, tranquillity and nature, made particularly picturesque by the autumn colours. It is advisable to check availability and tee times directly with the golf club. Open all year round.
Information and bookings:
Grado Golf Club – Via Monfalcone 27
Tel. +39 0431 896896
Email: golf.grado@clubdelsole.com
Kitesurfing: when the wind takes centre stage
Autumn is also an exciting season for kitesurfing enthusiasts, thanks to the windy days that allow them to practise this spectacular water sport. Until November, the beaches of Grado Pineta and the Punta Barbacale area remain popular spots for enthusiasts.
For those wishing to try their hand at this sport or hone their technique, Kite Life FVG A.S.D. offers individual and group lessons with certified instructors, including for wingsurfing and e-foiling. Activities are subject to weather and sea conditions, as well as the regulations governing beach use.
Information and bookings:
Kite Life FVG A.S.D. – Piazzale Azzurri d’Italia, Cittadella dello Sport
Tel. +39 347 4896077
Metabolic Walk: wellbeing through movement
Every Wednesday at 6.00 pm, meeting at Piazzale Azzurri d’Italia, you can take part in a Metabolic Walk session. An hour of guided outdoor activity combining walking with specific exercises using the F-Band to improve posture, circulation and muscle tone.
Cost: €15 per participant, or a season ticket. Booking essential.
Info: Meri Damonte, +39 339 6912644.
Forest Bathing: rediscovering your own rhythm in nature
For those seeking a slower, more rejuvenating experience, Grado also offers the chance to practise Forest Bathing, a sensory immersion in nature that invites you to slow down, breathe and reconnect with the environment. The Laguna Lumina Immersion experiences, organised by Respiro Verde, can take place in the pine forest or on the beach, amidst the scent of the vegetation, the sound of the waves and the light of the sea. The activity is available by booking, subject to agreement on the day and time, weather permitting.
Information and bookings: WhatsApp +39 348 5155979.
4. The lagoon never takes a break: excursions and Barbana Island
There is something particularly enchanting about the lagoon in autumn: the silence, the softer colours, the reflections on the water and the ‘casoni’ (fishermen’s huts) set against a landscape that changes with the seasons. Even in the autumn and winter months, you can explore this unique environment in various ways.
By motorboat to Barbana Island
The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Barbana Island is one of the most distinctive destinations in the Grado lagoon, a place of spirituality and tranquillity set amidst a picturesque natural landscape. The island can also be reached during the autumn and winter months thanks to the public motorboat service run by Motoscafisti Gradesi, which connects Grado to Barbana with a seasonal timetable. An ideal excursion for those wishing to combine a pleasant boat trip with the discovery of a place rich in history and traditions.
Ferry timetable
OCTOBER
Departures from Grado: 10.30 / 11.30 / 14.00 / 15.00
Returns from Barbana: 11.00 / 12.00 / 14.30 / 16.30
FROM NOVEMBER TO MARCH – Sundays and public holidays
Departure from Grado: 10.00
Return from Barbana: 12.00
Ferry information
Tel. +39 0431 80115
Outside operating hours: +39 338 3171430
Email: motoscafistigradesi@alice.it
Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Barbana Island
Tel. +39 0431 80453
Email: barbana@interfree.it
Timetables are subject to change depending on weather conditions and operational requirements. We recommend checking them before departure.
Lagoon excursions by taxi boat/chauffeur-driven boat
For those wishing to discover the lagoon from a different perspective, excursions on chartered boats with a driver are also available; these must be booked directly with the operators. Among the options for the autumn and winter season, La Panoramica operates all year round, including during the Christmas holidays, and offers two itineraries:
Laguna tour with a stop at a ‘casone’: a cruise through the lagoon landscapes, an aperitif with nibbles, panoramic views along the southern side of the island and a visit to Porto Mandracchio.
Winter excursion with a stop at Barbana: a cruise through the lagoon, a short visit to the island of Barbana, an aperitif and a panoramic tour around Grado.
Both excursions last approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, cost €35 per person and depart once at least six paying participants have been reached.
Information and bookings: La Panoramica – WhatsApp +39 342 0928886.
Laguna Taxi Grado: Offers personalised lagoon excursions and transfers to Barbana, Anfora and Francamela, for individuals and small groups of up to 18 people.
Telephone: +39 339 5329064 (Andrea)
Email: lagunataxigrado@gmail.com
Website: www.lagunataxigrado.com
Departure point: Riva San Vito 5, opposite Bar Al Porto.
Taxi Boat Grado: Organises excursions for couples, families and small groups, including mini-tours of the lagoon, visits to Barbana, trips to Porto Buso and sunset tours.
Telephone: +39 339 2961866 (Mariel)
Email: taxiboatgrado@gmail.com
Website: www.taxiboat-grado.com
Departure point: Porto Mandracchio, Riva San Vito 5.
5. The flavours of autumn: discovering Grado’s cuisine
Autumn is also the perfect time to sit down to a meal and discover traditional flavours. The undisputed star of the local cuisine is Boreto a la graisana, an ancient fish dish prepared with just a few ingredients: fresh fish, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, salt and vinegar, served with the ever-present white polenta. A simple dish, yet rich in history, which tells the story of the island’s seafaring origins.
Boreto Mania: four versions of a Grado speciality
Every Friday evening in October and November, the trattoria Ai Bragossi offers Boreto Mania, a tasting menu dedicated to four interpretations of the traditional dish: boreto with peverasse, capelonghe, canoce and turbot, all served with polenta.
Price: €50 per person, drinks not included.
Where: Ai Bragossi, Via Conte di Grado 21.
Bookings: +39 0431 81073.
Where to eat, stay and shop in autumn?
Although some seasonal businesses take a break, many establishments continue to welcome residents and visitors throughout the autumn, sometimes with reduced opening hours or one day off per week.
To help you plan your visit or stay, we’ve compiled a dedicated page listing the hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and services open during the autumn months, all members of the Grado Tourism Consortium.
View the updated list of businesses open in Grado
6. Around Grado: nature, history and chocolate
Those choosing Grado as their autumn destination can also take the opportunity to explore the surrounding area. Just a few kilometres from the island, you’ll find nature reserves, archaeological sites and unique ways to spend a few hours doing something a little out of the ordinary.
Nature reserves: flamingos, horses and landscapes to discover
Autumn is one of the most enchanting times of year for birdwatching and nature walks. A short distance from Grado lie two splendid protected areas, which can also be reached by bike.
Valle Cavanata – Fossalon di Grado Nature Reserve
An environment of extraordinary biodiversity, featuring lakes, footpaths and observation points from which to admire numerous species of birds, including flamingos.
Visitor Centre opening hours:
Until 31 October: every day except Thursdays, 10.00–17.00.
From 1 November to 31 March: Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, 10.30–15.30.
The trails in the reserve remain accessible even when the Visitor Centre is closed.
Isonzo Estuary Nature Reserve – Isola della Cona
Trails winding through the wetlands, birdwatching hides and the distinctive Camargue horses, which live in a semi-wild state, make this reserve an ideal destination for nature lovers and photographers.
Opening hours: every day except Thursdays, from 9.00 until sunset.
Opening times for the nature reserves may vary: we recommend checking them before your visit.
Aquileia: an extraordinary exhibition that also tells the story of Grado
Just a few kilometres from Isola del Sole, Aquileia offers a significant opportunity for cultural enrichment. From 13 September 2026 to 25 April 2027, Palazzo Meizlik is hosting the exhibition “The Gospel of Mark. Seven Centuries. Three Fragments. A European Narrative”, which brings together, after some seven centuries, the three surviving parts of an ancient manuscript linked to the history of the Church of Aquileia. The exhibition is also of particular interest to those wishing to learn about the history of Grado: among the artefacts on display are eight panels from the famous ivory throne of St Mark and a lintel from the Basilica of St Euphemia.
Opening hours:
October: 10.00–18.00.
November–February: Monday to Friday 10.00–16.00; Saturday and Sunday 10.00–17.00.
March: 10.00–18.00.
April: 10.00–19.00.
Admission: €5 full price; free for under-18s and FVGcard holders.
Information about the exhibition
Cocambo Time: Aquileia’s sweetest side
And for those who love chocolate, or are looking for a unique experience to share with family or friends, Aquileia is also home to Mosaico Cocambo, an artisan chocolate factory offering guided tours, tastings and workshops. The autumn–winter 2026/2027 programme offers a range of experiences:
COCAMBO TIME TOUR – Guided tour and tasting
A journey to discover the art of chocolate-making, with a tasting at the end.
October: 18th and 25th
November: 1st, 8th and 15th
December: 6th, 20th, 27th and 29th
January 2027: 3rd and 5th
Time: 10.00–11.00. Price: €12 per person.
PRALINE TOUR – Make your own praline
A tour of the factory and a workshop on making a praline.
7 November, 10.00–11.30. Price: €22.
TILE TOUR – Chocolate meets mosaic
A creative workshop to make a chocolate tile with a mosaic effect, inspired by the artistic tradition of Aquileia.
17 October and 22 November, 10.00–11.15. Price: €17.
Other special experiences:
14 November: Mani in Pasta, factory tour with a sweet and savoury chocolate-based aperitif, 10.30–12.00, €20.
21 November: workshop to make your own Advent calendar using pastries and chocolate products, 10.00–12.00, €32.
28 December: Cocambo Archeo Time, an archaeological walk with an authorised tour guide and a factory tour with tasting, 9.30–12.00, €25.
Personalised private experiences for families and groups are also available.
Where: Mosaico Cocambo, Viale della Stazione 2/A, Aquileia.
Information and bookings: WhatsApp +39 346 4792028 – info@cocambo.com.
Grado, an island to enjoy in every season
Autumn in Grado is not merely a transitional season between summer and winter. It is an invitation to slow down, to discover places and traditions through fresh eyes, and to rediscover the pleasure of life’s simple joys. A stroll by the sea, an afternoon at the spa, a trip out onto the lagoon, a visit to the museum or a dinner celebrating traditional flavours can transform even a simple day into a memorable experience.
Because Grado changes with the seasons, yet never loses its charm.
The information and timetables provided refer to the autumn 2026 programme and are subject to change. For activities requiring booking and seasonal services, we recommend always checking availability directly with the operators.