Pomposa sits in the middle of the Parco del Delta del Po, a Unesco-listed wetland of lagoons, rice fields, dunes and pine woods stretching from Comacchio in the south to the mouth of the Po in the north. It is one of the best birdwatching areas in Italy: pink flamingos, herons, avocets, glossy ibis and breeding terns all use the lagoons, and in winter the marshes fill with ducks.
There are well-signed cycle paths between the abbey, the Mesola woods and the Valli di Comacchio lagoons, and several visitor centres run guided boat trips into the wetlands. Pomposa itself is a quiet enough base that you can step out of the abbey, hire a bike from a nearby café in season, and be deep in the marshes within minutes.