Let’s discover together Ticino Park, green lungs a few miles from Milan, through bike routes and walks in beautiful art cities
A few kilometers from the metropolis of Milan, a beautiful natural landscape opens in front of us: here we are at the Ticino Park, one of the green lungs of Italy, where nature shines in the middle of one of the most industrialized areas. Let’s discover together the river and its valley, villages, and towns, for a weekend of nature and sustainability.
Ticino Park is the oldest regional park in Italy, an amazing natural oasis that you can visit in a thousand ways: walking, cycling, canoeing, on horseback. Perhaps a weekend isn’t enough to discover river landscapes, rice paddies, pristine woods, villages and towns immersed in the park. But we have prepared for you these 6 small tips to help you organize and experience a mini-holiday in this corner of Italy, savoring every nuance.
By bike in the Ticino Park
The Ticino Park stretches over an area of over 90,000 hectares, forming a greenbelt around Milan, Pavia and Varese. Inside there are more than 50 routes, 800 kilometers to discover on foot or by bicycle. We suggest you to venture into the Faggiole Woods, in a ring route that starts from Turbigo among broadleaf trees and a rich fauna, along the banks of the river and the canals. In the Lomellina, you can’t miss the Ronchi Ring , a trail between farms where you still breathe the atmosphere of agresti life. The most trained ones, on the other hand, can travel along the itinerary from Vigevano to Pavia, through beautiful natural landscapes.
Among Leonardo’s works in Vigevano
Vigevano is a real gem: a cozy, but lively, town with an important and illustrious past behind it. They said that its square is the most beautiful in Italy: Piazza Ducale leaves you breathless, as is the castle. It was conceived by Bramante, with the contribution of Leonardo Da Vinci who stayed in town for some years. To the largest genius of humanity is dedicated the Leonardian Museum, a unique place in the world that proposes an unprecedented itinerary through his life and all works.
One Sunday in Pavia
During the week, the university town of Pavia is animated by its many students, but by visiting it on Sunday it will surprise you with its quiet and a bit laid-back atmosphere. With your camera at hand, your Sunday in Pavia will pass through the streets of the historic center, easily visitable on foot, discovering its medieval aspects, the beautiful Cathedral, the Broletto, the Basilica of San Michele Maggiore, and much more.
Sleeping at the B&B Maison 39
A beautiful and elegant bed and breakfast is waiting for you in Vigevano, the Maison 39, nestled in the heart of Ticino Park. Here hospitality is simple but refined, made of high-quality services, availability and attention to detail. The flagship of the accommodation is its attention to the environment: thanks to solar panels, class A++ air conditioners, the flow reducers, the hosts have managed to reduce their environmental impact. E-bike rental, a tasty and customizable breakfast, 4 comfortable bedrooms: hard to ask for more! The latest novelty of this eco-friendly B&B is the electric vehicle charging station.
Tasting the Figadej
Vigevano, Lomellina and the entire Ticino Park also offer many gastronomic delicacies. You just have to stop in a typical trattoria and enjoy the Figadej, a special sausage of pork liver, or the biscuits cent frank, a delight prepared with 4 types of local flour, all accompanied by exquisite local wines.
Walk along the Via Francigena
The Ticino Park is crossed by the Via Francigena, the walk of Italy par excellence. For 25 kilometers, from Garlasco to Pavia, it is possible to pilgrimage in the countryside, between land and water, in a truly spectacular natural show.
Cover photo by Josef Grunig via Flickr
