THE EUROPEAN NORTH-SOUTH CYCLEWAY, FROM TRENTINO TO VENETO AND EMILIA

STAGE 3

(Verona - Mantova, 66 km)

With the launch in 2017 of the National System of Tourist Cycle Routes (SNCT), the MIT, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport – at the time MIMS, Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility – included the Verona-Bologna-Florence cycle route in the network, calling it the “Sun Route”. It did not choose the most direct and intuitive, north-south itinerary through Ostiglia – coinciding roughly with the current Verona-Bologna railway, which in turn follows the Ostiglia branch of the historic Via Claudia Augusta – but a route that goes further west to the Mincio just below Peschiera del Garda, then reaches Mantua along the river, and returns near the Verona-Bologna railway only much further down in Mirandola, already about 20 km south of the Po river. The reason for this choice, which is certainly far from natural, is on the one hand the substantial absence of cycling infrastructures, either already existing or in progress along the Verona-Ostiglia route, on the other the well-established reputation of the Mincio cycle path between Peschiera and Mantua, long a popular and accessible cycle-tourism route, that rightly deserved national recognition.

Looking ahead, there is hope that the north–south route through Ostiglia will finally develop into a cycling corridor worthy of its European potential. This would allow it to establish itself as an appealing alternative to the current route via Mantua: the route is already highly popular with German-speaking cycle tourists, many of whom dream of following the historic Claudia Augusta way from the Danube to the Po. For now, however, cyclists can still enjoy a high-quality riding experience. The journey leads from the city of Verona into the heart of the Veronese moraine hills, a gentle landscape of vineyards and olive groves. It touches the southern shores of Lake Garda (with Peschiera reachable in just 6 km by heading north along the Mincio). From there, the route continues at an easy pace along the green riverbanks toward Mantua. The Renaissance jewel of the Gonzaga family, Mantua attracted masters such as Andrea Mantegna, Pisanello, Leon Battista Alberti, and Giulio Romano. The city and its surrounding province have long stood at a crossroads between Lombardy – of which Mantua marks the south-eastern edge – and the nearby regions of Veneto and Emilia, fostering centuries-old connections.

From the very heart of Verona, piazza Bra (km 0.0), we take the bike path along corso Porta Nuova; at the end of the avenue (km 0.7), near the monumental Porta Nuova, we turn right into the segregated bike path on the Oriani ring road. When you come to Porta Palio (km 1.5), ride around the gate on the outside and take the bike path on viale Colonnello Galliano until the crossroads with via San Marco (km 2.3), which we cross, turning left, then right into the bike path along the Camuzzoni canal. At the crossroads with corso Milano (km 2.8) we take a left and follow the signs of the mixed-use path, which after 700 m crosses over to the other side. At the end of the avenue, we climb up a slight slope, go under the railway tracks (km 4.7), then at the upper roundabout, always following the signs, we turn left and cross via Gardesane, then via Bresciana to take the pleasant bike path on the underground canal leading us to the hamlet of San Massimo and its thoroughfare, via Beniamino Romagnoli (km 5.9). We keep going right, then turn left after 600 m into via Anselmi, then right into via Brigata Aosta, and take the bike path on its left side. At the junction with via Carnia (km 7.2) keep going straight on, and go right through the next roundabout as well, into via Cason. Here you might notice the work sites for the Verona-Bologna-Firenze “Sun Route”, although it is to be hoped work will have been completed by the time you read this guide. At the small hamlet of Cason (km 8.5) we keep going straight on and pass under the railway line to Milan and the A22 Brennero motorway, arriving in the hamlet of Caselle, in the municipality of Sommacampagna, where we will find the segregated bike path on via Ceolara (km 10.7). In Palazzo (km 13.0) the path goes under the A4 motorway to Milan. When you come out on via Caselle SP26A (km 14.8) you continue on the right, then up via Pigno until the old town of Sommacampagna, featuring the parish church and town hall (km 15.9). Then we continue on via Guastalla past the cemetery, and in the pleasant landscape of Verona’s moraine hills, the Custoza wine producing region; after a gentle climb, followed by a spectacular descent down a tree-lined avenue, a short gravel section takes you to the Guastalla Nuova estate (km 20.2), where we turn left, go past a golf course and come out on via San Rocco. Here we are riding on tarmac again; keep left, through the hamlet of San Rocco di Sona, with a beautiful 16th century parish church (km 21.7), then turn left on via Brolino to Oliosi in the municipality of Castelnuovo del Garda (km 24.0), then Salionze in the borough of Valeggio sul Mincio (km 26.3). From the town of Salionze we descend along a short, wooded slope onto the left bank of the Mincio river, which originates 6 km further north as an emissary of Lake Garda near Peschiera. We follow this bank in a southerly direction, soon reaching the control dam (km 28.1): if you cross the dam and go up the right bank of the Mincio you arrive in Peschiera del Garda, on the southern shore of the lake; however, we will continue on the left bank towards Mantua. Preceded by an aerial view of the castle overlooking Valeggio, renowned for its traditional tortellini and its magnificent Sigurtà Gardens, at km 34.8 we arrive in the picturesque hamlet of Borghetto, overlooked by the Visconti Bridge spanning the river, where it forms charming little waterfalls. Continue on the left bank of the river Mincio, and at km 40.0 you will cross the provincial boundary between Verona and Mantua, which is also the regional one between Veneto and Lombardy, and shortly after, at km 40.7 you will come to the junction for Volta Mantovana in a spot where the river is diverted toward several mills, and where there is a café. The “Pozzolo Maglio” spillway canal branches off from the Mincio in Pozzolo (km 42.4), in the borough of Marmirolo. From this point onward, our route follows the left side of the canal for a long stretch, with no major points of interest but utterly peaceful, while the main course of the river begins to meander westward. We will meet it again only after about 20 km, at the entrance to Mantua, where it has already formed the Upper Lake. At km 48.0 you will go past Marengo, another hamlet in the borough of Marmirolo; at km 55.6, in Soave near Porto Mantovano, you go over the canal and continue for more than 4 km on the right bank, until km 59.9, when you take a well-maintained, signposted and paved bike path through a rural area which, at the junction to Soave, goes through a gate of the San Girolamo estate and continues beyond, entering the residential area of Cittadella in Mantua (km 63.0). Guided by the signage, you cross the bridge with its mixed-use walkway dividing the Upper Lake from the Middle Lake. Beyond the bridge (km 64.0), a left turn leads into an underpass, after which the route follows the southern shore of the Middle Lake, and past the tourist pier for excursions into the Mincio Park. At km 65.4 you go under the bridge between the Middle Lake and the Upper Lake; after about 300 m you leave the path around the lake and take a right, crossing the ring road above on the pedestrian and cycle crossing, and go around the castle of San Giorgio, which houses the National Archaeology Museum. Back on the street that crosses the Gonzagas' old town you arrive in Piazza Sordello (km 66.1), the end point of this stage, overlooked by Palazzo Ducale.