ON THE PO EMBANKMENT TO OSTIGLIA

(Occhiobello – Ostiglia, 48 km)

The long and relaxed ride along the Venetian bank of the river Po continues in this stage of the Green Tour, which from the Emilian-Estense atmosphere of Occhiobello takes us shortly across the regional border into the Mantua-Lombard area to reach Ostiglia. Roman-era Hostilia was a thousand-year-old meeting point of civilisations, chosen by history as the endpoint of a branch of the Via Claudia Augusta, the imperial road that descended from the German Danube through the Brenner Pass and forked in Trento into the southern branch to Verona and Ostiglia and the eastern branch to Feltre and Altino. In our ride between the two historical towns, whose cultural diversity makes them uniquely charming, we will go through a string of interesting hamlets, just like the previous stage. Ficarolo is worth mentioning, with its piazza and baroque parish church and the slender, leaning tower. It was historically linked to Ferrara, before it was physically separated from Ferrara by the 1152 flood of the Po – known indeed as the “breach of Ficarolo” – and found itself on the left bank of the river. Also worth mentioning are the charming Castelmassa, with its appreciated season of plays at the Cotogni Theatre, and Bergantino, one of the most important hubs for the production of amusement park machines worldwide. Here, you can visit the National Historical Fun Fair Ride Museum.

From the centre of Occhiobello (km 0.0), you immediately climb back up on the high embankment of the river Po, and you pedal leisurely along the Great River, which flows beyond a wide floodplain planted with poplars, arranged in geometrically precise grids. As mentioned above, you ride past pleasant and picturesque hamlets, usually right next to the embankment, which provide the opportunity for a welcome break, especially in the summertime, when it is important to hydrate and shelter away from the blazing sun. Stienta (km 3.7), Gaiba (km 9.2), Ficarolo (km 15.3), Calto (km 23.,2), Castelmassa (km 28.1), Castelnovo Bariano (km 30.3), Bergantino (km 36.1) and Melara (km 41.9) follow one another. Then, the railway and road bridges indicate that you are about to arrive in Ostiglia (km 48.5), and this stage can end in the piazza dedicated to Cornelius Nepos, the celebrated historian of Republican Rome, who was born here in the 1st century BC. Should you need to take the train, from the town centre you can also easily get to the new railway station on the Verona-Bologna line, whose trains generally have a bike compartment.

Possible detours

• From Bergantino (on the river Po) there is a 20 km link to Legnago (on the river Adige). First, you ride 6 km to the hamlet of Torretta on the Canal Bianco. Here is the start of the Bussè river path, which takes you to Legnago in 14 km. It is already safe and pleasant to ride, but is scheduled to be further improved soon.

• Ostiglia, on the left bank of the Po opposite Revere, is increasingly regaining its historical function of crossroads, especially for cycling mobility. In addition to the VenTo cycle route on the Po – which is part of the SNCT, the National System of Tourist Cycle Routes – and which also allows you to reach Mantua by cycling up the river Mincio, one should mention the itinerary along the Canal Bianco, the former railway to Treviso which is being turned into a cycle route, and the European project concerning Via Claudia Augusta, being developed as a soft mobility route (see www.viaclaudia.org). The VCA northbound cycle touring option, which has not been defined yet, will probably go through the Busatello swamp then follow the river Tartaro, and go through Gazzo Veronese, Nogara, Isola della Scala and Vigasio, and from there to Castel d’Azzano and Verona.