The Ciclovia del Sole runs along Eurovelo 7, one of Europe's longest bicycle routes (an impressive 7,400 km), linking Cape North in Norway to the island of Malta in the heart of the Mediterranean.
The Italian section is called the Ciclovia del Sole, and currently links Brenner to Bologna, passing through Verona.
In Emilia-Romagna specifically, the route crosses the entire plain between Mirandola and Bologna for more than 60 km.
The route is largely built on the 'embankment' of the former Bologna-Verona railway, among small abandoned stations, mighty metal bridges, villages, castles and hamlets that one would rarely encounter outside of this experience.
The route is suitable for everyone, including young cyclists, and winds through uninterrupted countryside, rich in natural and historical-cultural sites.
In the future, there will also be rest stops equipped with water stations, wifi and charging stations for smartphones and electric bikes.
Length: 63 km
Uphill elevation gain: not relevant
Descent gradient: not relevant
Difficulty: easy
Who: for everyone up to Osteria Nuova. From Osteria Nuova to Bologna temporary route using secondary roads and low traffic, suitable for cyclists of average experience.
It starts from the historic Renaissance town of Mirandola, city of the well-known genius Pico della Mirandola, now a center of international importance in the field of biomedical research and production, in whose territory the Mirandola Marshes (Special Protection Area) extend. Along the route the area is equipped with thematic trails, information panels, and stopping points for birdwatching activities.
The second stop is San Felice sul Panaro, long a feud of Countess Matilde di Canossa, where an imposing Estense Fortress still stands.
From here we move on to Camposanto, in whose surroundings it is possible to admire the Bosco della Saliceta, some fine historic buildings, such as the parish church, but also the street art works of the Quadricromie project.
Contaminated by the history and culture of both Modena and Bologna, Crevalcore is a town with an eighteenth-nineteenth-century flavor, rich in natural views and generous with gastronomic delicacies.
A number of ancient noble residences, such as the Castle of Palata Pepoli, and the very special Vasche dell'Ex-Zuccherificio, an ecological rebalancing area where numerous species of birds find comfortable refuge, stand close to the cycle route.
A little further on, we reach Sant'Agata Bolognese, home of the prestigious Automobili Lamborghini, the heart of Italy's so-called Motor Valley with the MUDETEC - Museo Lamborghini delle Tecnologie, full of historical models of the famous "House of the Bull."
We then reach San Giovanni in Persiceto, one of the oldest villages along the Ciclovia del Sole. It has a very special historic center, with a concentric layout, called "Borgo Rotondo." Piazzetta Betlemme is very characteristic, renamed "La piazzetta degli inganni" for the colorful trompe-l'œil paintings by film set designer Gino Pellegrini.
The last leg of the route passes through the territory of Sala Bolognese, a placid countryside just outside Bologna, the result of massive land reclamation between the waters of the Reno and Samoggia rivers. The history of these Water Lands comes alive in the ecological rebalancing areas of the Dosolo Expansion Fund and in the nearby Bagnetto water-scooping plant, in the Padulle vicinity, where the Water Ecomuseum is also located.
Before reaching the capital of Emilia, it also skirts the territory of Anzola dell'Emilia, which preserves the remains of one of the oldest parish churches in the province, the church of Saints Peter and Paul and the Tower of King Enzo, dating back to the 13th century.
Finally, the route ends, passing through Borgo Panigale, Casteldebole, and then arriving, across the Reno River, in Bologna.
