Short history of Bibione

Topnotch vacation destination with ancient origins

Bibione emerged as a tourist destination no sooner than the mid-20^th century. But the island has been inhabited since Antiquity. It has been inhabited by fishermen since time immemorial. Their traditions managed to survive the passage of time. They made to the present moment, and are still kept alive by locals. As tourist, you can only relish a vacation in Bibione if you become a bit familiar with its origins.

Antiquity

It is to the Romans that Bibione owes its original development. Before their coming, a community of fishermen found shelter on the island. Their traditions blended with the Roman heritage and feats: they embraced the language and the culture, and were benefited with the civilizing force of the empire. Roads were built and the so-called Insulae Bibione were loosened from their wild, untamed past.

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages saw the coming of Christianity. Bibione was under the rule of Concordia, which back then was a major religious hotspot. The archbishops of Concordia took advantage of the decaying Western Roman Empire and spread their influence.

The dominion of the Republic of Venice didn’t do much good to Bibione: centuries in a row, the island remained forsaken. The island was gradually drained from civilization, and it became, again, a place of wildlife, inhabited by fishermen worried about nothing else but mere survival. A marshy lowland far from the comforts of civilization: this was Bibione in a nutshell. But history tipped the scale again, and a new age was ushered in for Bibione.

Modern era

France and Austria alternately took the reins of Bibione in the late 18^th century. The island would complement the spoils reclaimed by any of the victors, though it was not a bounty in itself: just something to add to the list of conquests.

In 1866, Bibione became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Italy. It is at that point in history that a new initiative was launched: to restore and develop whatever the Romans had established in Antiquity. The goal: to make the island inhabitable to a level of comfort and civilization at least equal to the national standards.

Contemporary age

Between the early 20^th century and the 1930s river works were extensively executed. At the same time, the road network started to come along, and electricity was brought on the island. It was an age of change for the better: the island shook off its past dereliction and life was blown into the land again.

The 1950s saw the construction of the first tourist venues. It didn’t take too long authorities to realize tourism is the future of Bibione. The island had all the fixings in place: sandy beaches, modern comforts, nature attractions, traditions. A successful recipe for a newly emerging resort.

The official registration of Bibione as seaside resort took place in the early 1960s. Now, 6 decades after, it seems all the efforts paid off. Bibione is one of the topnotch tourist destinations on the Adriatic coastline, with a host of highlights to grab visitors’ attention and turn them into regular vacationers.