• Cycling in Ferrara e Comacchio •
Palaces, houses, churches, squares, streets, gardens, an open-air museum. This is Ferrara, cradle city of the Renaissance and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Narrow, shady streets and irregular characteristics dating back to the medieval age, blend in harmony with airy spaces and geometric patterns typical of the Renaissance period. Today, Ferrara is an accessible city, which was able to develop a strong metropolitan character. Ferrara hosts countless festivals, artistic and cultural events that offer that international touch, rich in stimuli.
The province extends all the way to the sea, to the Ferrara Lidos, following a branch of the Po River within the Po Delta Regional Park, area considered a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The territory reaches to Comacchio and its valleys. Once a lagoon area, today, part of the land has been reclaimed, while preserving the original aspect characterised by bridges and canals ideal for cycling in pure tranquillity.
• Where to ride in Ferrara e Comacchio •
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From Mesola to Comacchio
A short, nature focused itinerary that unfolds from Mesola to the Comacchio valleys, passing through the Ferrara Lidos. A route characterised by authentic nature inspired flavours, immersed in the middle of the valleys.
We set off from the Castle of Mesola, built by Alfonso d’Este at the end of the 1500’s and after passing through the Santa Giustina Forest and Torre Abate, at km 12 we enter the “Great Mesola Forest”, a unique example of the large forests that populated the area centuries ago. After 1.5 km, we leave the dense vegetation to lose ourselves in reclaimed lands full of canals, draining plants and tree-lined streets to arrive, at km 22 of the itinerary, near the magnificent Abbey of Pomposa.
Leaving Pomposa behind, we continue along the FE301 cycle path that flanks the Po di Volano, past the Naturalistic Oasis of Cannevié-Porticino-Foce Volano. We ride 9 km along a dirt road, exposed to the wind, which will challenge even the strongest long distance riders.
We ride along the coastline, visiting in order, the seaside resorts of Lido di Volano, Lido delle Nazioni, Lido di Pomposa, Lido degli Scacchi and Porto Garibaldi. We thus arrive at km 49 in our itinerary. From the fishing centre of Porto Garibaldi, we continue towards the cycle path, which after 5 km brings us to the end of our journey, in the town of Comacchio, a true gem set between the red of the bricks and the green of the canals.
It is known as the floating city, thanks to a network of canals that replace the roads and of bridges that connect the neighbourhoods.
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Ferrara – Bondeno – Ferrara: a “water loop” along the Burana cycle path
The itinerary offers riders the chance to discover the most forgiving cycle path in the province.
We coast along the channel with the same name, excavated at the beginning of the 1900’s, covering a distance of 17 km and 500 m.
We set off from Piazza Savonarola in Ferrara, in front of the Estense Castle. After a mere kilometre we reach the cycle path and from the third kilometre, the complete absence of traffic allows us to easily push ahead. At km 4 we reach the Burana Canal, to then arrive in Vigarano Pieve, where you will have the opportunity to admire the Diamantina complex, dating back to the 5th century.
A scenic cycle path fully lined by trees along the Canal, a green corridor that leads us up to the junction with the right bank of the Po River cycle route.
Shortly before Bondeno, the Cavo Napoleonico canal deserves a look, a large canal connecting the Po and Rhine rivers, built in Napoleonic times.
Coasting along the Po river and admiring the wonderful natural oases along the way, we reach Pontelagoscuro, from where we make our way back to Ferrara.
A total distance of 56 km on flat terrain, yet full of architectural and naturalistic surprises.
The road surface is fully paved and 90% of the itinerary winds along cycle paths.
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The “Great Mesola Forest” and the “Po di Goro” (MTB)
A distance of 22 km within the grounds of the Natural Reserve of the Great Mesola Forest and 16 km that from Mesola lead us to the Po Delta, along the Po di Goro, until the village of Goro.
An itinerary without difficulties, completely on flat terrain, yet exceptionally captivating due to the diversity of the landscapes and of flora and fauna offered.
We set off from Mesola and following the signs we find ourselves inside the Natural Reserve, with a 22 km itinerary completely on dirt tracks, sometimes sandy. The Reserve spreads over an area of 1,058 hectares and is one of the best-preserved examples of lowland forest. The vegetation consists of typical coastal and Mediterranean shrubs such as the holm oak and the tamarisk, as well as taller trees including pines, willows, poplars and oaks. Among the mammals that make their home in the Park, a large population of deer and about one hundred native Mesola deer. A large variety of bird species typical of wetlands, reptiles such as the viper and the tortoise and several species of amphibians can also be found.
Once we complete the section inside the Forest, we return to Mesola and make our way towards Goro for the last 16 km stretch along the Po di Goro river branch. We inhale the brisk sea air and here and there we come across the famous hunting and fishing huts, typical of the area.
The itinerary within the Great Mesola Forest can be enjoyed from March to October, as the reserve is inaccessible during the winter. We therefore recommend that you inquire about the opening days of the Reserve before departure.
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