The Santerno Cycle Route, which can be travelled both by bicycle and on foot, is a journey through the valley of the Santerno river, leading from the orchards of Mordano to the rolling hills of the Parco Regionale della Vena del Gesso Romagnola, a Unesco World Heritage site, and ending in the village of Castel del Rio.
Pretty varied in terms of landscape, this territory climbs up from the Imola plain towards the Santerno springs, where the views become wilder and the first silvery-grey chalky ridges start to appear. But also a place of great historical and artistic interest off the beaten track, to be discovered on two wheels.
The cycling route passes through the centre of Imola with its Rocca Sforzesca fortress and the Canale dei Molini, and reaches the ancient Alidosi Bridge in Castel del Rio, dating back to 1499. Along the route you can also see the remains of Luca Ghini’s birthplace, a famous botanist from Casalfiumanese, as well as the Museo della Guerra e della Linea Gotica (Museum of the War and the Gothic Line) in Castel del Rio, a village that owes its fame to the production of the Marrone di Castel del Rio PGI chestnut.
The Ciclovia del Santerno cycling route is 44 kilometres long and skirts six municipalities: Mordano, Imola, Casalfiumanese, Borgo Tossignano, Fontanelice and Castel del Rio. Given the mix of asphalt and dirt road, the use of a mountain bike or gravel bike is recommended on this route. However, the itinerary is perfect for all cyclists, particularly in its first section.
The stage between Mordano and Fontanelice is very gently sloping, so much so that it is also suitable for families with children. The difficulty increases, however, as you approach the destination of the route. Between Fontanelice and Castel del Rio, the cycle route turns into a succession of climbs and descents with a gradually more demanding gradient, making it more suitable for trained cyclists rather than for beginners.
Another feature of the route is that you must ford the Santerno at a couple of points, if river conditions permit, by guiding the bike by hand on special pillars.
Here are the five stages of the Santerno cycle route:
Length: 12.5 km (8 miles)
Maximum height difference: 3.7%
Minimum height difference: 0.8%
Length: 10 km
Maximum height difference: 3.5%
Average height difference: 0.9%
Length: 5 km
Maximum height difference: 3.5%
Average height difference: 0.8%
Length: 5.5 km
Maximum height difference: 11.4%
Average height difference: 2.2%
Length: 10.4 km
Maximum height difference: 27.4%
Average height difference: 6.4%
