The Mirandola - Bologna section of the Ciclovia del Sole is a beautiful bike route that crosses the plains around Bologna. It is suitable for everyone because it's flat, equipped with rest stops and well marked. A pleasant itinerary for the whole family, that can be enriched with some special stop-overs for young riders.
We start our bike ride by following the symbol of the sun that accompanies cyclists along the route up to the town of Crevalcore. Here, among the elegant buildings of the historic centre, we will find the Leo Preti Puppet Museum, also known as the "smallest museum in the world". Here, children and adults can discover the prestigious collection of the puppeteer Leo Preti, who was born and raised in Crevalcore at the beginning of the 20th century. The museum contains an original puppet theatre of the time, numerous puppets, costumes, small pieces of furniture, props and 110 painted backdrops from different periods. The museum is open on special days indicated on the website or upon previous request.
From Crevalcore we continue for about 9 km of bike path and reach San Giovanni in Persiceto, home of the very special Carnival of the "Spillo". A must-see is the colorful Piazzetta Betlemme, a corner of Persiceto where reality meets fantasy, thanks to the colorful trompe l'oeil murals that film set designer Gino Pellegrini dedicated "to children of all ages". Enjoy glimpsing vegetables and fantastic animals, small tributes to cinema and fake sheets that seem to come out of the windows, in a game of references that has earned this square the nickname of "square of deceptions”.
Continuing on the Ciclovia del Sole, not far from San Giovanni, we will find the Naturalistic Area La Bora, where children can find a protected corner of nature that is home to many plant and animal species, especially birds, and hosts a center for the repopulation of the European pond turtle. Here, every year, many little turtles are raised in a protected environment and then released in the area as soon as they are able to fend for themselves.
Continuing towards Bologna, we will arrive in the area of Sala Bolognese, where, with a small detour on secondary roads, some of which are bordered by cycle lanes, we will reach Giocars - Museum of Toys in Motion. Adults and children alike can get lost in the rich collection of antique toys, all characterised by the theme of movement: from toy cars to tricycles, from baby carriages to rocking horses and carousels with little horses.
Our itinerary ends on a sweet note with a stop at the Gelato Museum Carpigiani in Anzola dell'Emilia, the first museum in the world dedicated to the history and culture of made in Italy ice cream. Besides visiting the Museum (upon reservation), it is possible to participate in workshops specifically designed for kids.
To reach the Museum it is necessary to make a detour from the Ciclovia del Sole, either along secondary roads or by taking the bike path along the Via Emilia.
