Albarella Island: Biodiversity Temple on the Po Delta Hosts Art Festival

The Po Delta, Italy's largest wetland and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2015, is home to Albarella Island, a protected natural area between Chioggia and Comacchio in Rosolina (Rovigo). The island, formed by Po River sediment, was historically owned by the Republic of Venice and later noble families. Since 1988, tourism has been managed by the Marcegaglia group. Albarella features a unique ecosystem with over 390 bird species, 2 million trees, and 150 tree species, including the Populus Alba from which the island gets its name. After a 2017 storm felled over 5,000 trees, an international garden design competition was won by French studio Colocò. This led to the Festival del Paesaggio Albarella, now in its third edition, which combines nature with art and culture through workshops and exhibitions. Recent collaborations include a project by the Fondazione Salvador Dalí featuring over 20 iconic works, and installations by Marco Lodola linked to dance and movement, brought by the Milanesiana festival directed by Elisabetta Sgarbi.