An all-round experience along Italy's longest river — Ciclovie del Po

Bike Touring Collection by Anna_Orsatti

days

2-5 h

/ day

513 mi

5,100 ft

7,100 ft

Observe the landscape of the Po Valley, appreciate the local gastronomy of the northern Italian regions, visit architectural beauties, and learn more about the culture of the Bel Paese in this Collection on the Po Cycle Route.

From Paesana, in the province of Cuneo, follow the network of cycle paths that take you along the banks of the Po, Italy's longest river, to the shores of the Adriatic Sea. Starting in Piedmont, through Emilia Romagna and Lombardy, all the way to Veneto, the route is one of the most important on the Peninsula.

It’s also the central section of European route number 8, called the 'Mediterranean road', and part of the EuroVelo (EV) cycle route. The EV connects Cadiz with Athens and you follow it on most of the stages. You also do sections of the Via Francigena (stages 3 and 6) and the Po Cycle Path, as well as many other local cycle trails.

Travel along mostly flat routes and with few sections of trafficked roads. The stages can be travelled with any type of bicycle, but it’s advisable to have tyres suitable for dirt roads.

The Po Cycle Route gives you an all-round experience. It passes through many towns, villages and cities where you can get in touch with local culture, gastronomy and history. However, keep in mind that there are no water fountains, except in the towns, so always carry enough with you.

This Collection divides the route into 14 stages so you can experience a slow tourism adventure and immerse yourself completely in the green Po Valley, enjoying every moment along the way. At each stage, there are plenty of restaurants and hotels, allowing you to break up the itinerary as you wish. Most of the stages begin and end near a railway station. If there is no train stop, a bus can drop you off at the nearest station. Northern Italy is generally well served by public transport. You can start and/or finish wherever you like!

If you start in Paesana, you can reach the starting point from Turin by train to Cuneo. Get off at Savigliano and take bus 125. Check the timetables, as they are very limited (allasia-autolinee.allasiagroup.it/). If you aren’t arriving from Turin, but from other parts of Piedmont and Italy, I recommend using this search engine to choose the best way to get to Paesana: mycicero.it/gbus/TPWebPortal/it.

If you’re travelling by car, you can park for free at the following address: via S. Firmino 2, Paesana. If, on the other hand, you reach Paesana by camper van, you can take advantage of the equipped camper van area "Un Po di sosta ai piedi del Monviso", located on the Lungo Po in via Reinaud 36.

If you want to rent a bicycle, there are quite a few rental shops in the area. I advise you to decide where to start once you find the right shop. In Paesana, you can rent e-bikes at the hotel Albergo SudAmerica: albergo-sud-america.hotelspiedmont.com/en.

The Collection ends in Loreo, in the province of Rovigo, Veneto. The town has a railway station served by Trenitalia. On regional trains in Italy, it is possible to bring your own bicycle on board, paying a surcharge on the ticket.

Good luck and happy cycling!

On The Map

Do it yourself

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Da Paesana a Loreo - Ciclovie del Po

486 mi

4,700 ft

6,700 ft

Last updated: July 5, 2022

Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.

Learn more

Tours

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Stage 1: Paesana to Racconigi — Ciclovie del Po
03:10
36.3 mi
11.4 mph
325 ft
1,500 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The path that connects Paesana to Racconigi is mainly flat, scenic and rich in history and culture.

When you leave Paesana behind, follow the long descent through the villages of Sanfront and Martiniana Po. Entering the plain you arrive at Saluzzo, where you are just under halfway. Venture into the historic…
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Stage 2: Racconigi to Turin — Ciclovie del Po
03:18
30.2 mi
9.2 mph
400 ft
425 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Racconigi is connected to Turin by a network of cycle paths that cross naturalistic areas and nature reserves along the Po River Park. The route is mainly flat.

Proceed north to cycle near Carmagnola, Carignano, La Loggia and Moncalieri until you arrive in Turin.
Leave Racconigi and, after passing the…
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Stage 3: Turin to Crescentino — Ciclovie del Po
03:25
32.3 mi
9.4 mph
300 ft
600 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Turin to Crescentino, the EuroVelo 8 cycle path runs between the greenery of the banks of the Po and the banks of the artificial canals that serve to support local agriculture.

Leave Turin behind on the mostly shaded cycle path thanks to the presence of trees along the entire stretch. It is worth…
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Stage 4: Crescentino to Valenza — Ciclovie del Po
04:37
39.6 mi
8.6 mph
600 ft
750 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The cycle path that connects Crescentino to Valenza is mainly on narrow country roads, sometimes unpaved.

Immersed in the green of the Vercelli rice fields, the Ciclovia del Po, dell’Orba and the EuroVelo 8 intertwine. Enjoy along the way the ancient farms that worked rice and grinded cereals using the…
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Stage 5: Valenza to Pavia — Ciclovie del Po
05:17
49.4 mi
9.3 mph
600 ft
700 ft
Expert
Expert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may require you to push your bike.
Between Valenza and Pavia the journey is long and demanding because it includes extensive stretches on a dirt road. The cycle paths are mostly developed on roads with little traffic and cross the natural reserves and small agricultural villages of the area.

Leave the Alexandrian reliefs behind and enter…
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Stage 6: Pavia to Piacenza — Ciclovie del Po
04:41
49.2 mi
10.5 mph
650 ft
725 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The path that connects Pavia to Piacenza is long, but entirely flat and well signposted. It is important to know that along the route there are no water supplies except in the inhabited centers.

In this stage, follow EuroVelo 8 and the route of the Via Francigena. While you are in the saddle, you may…
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Stage 7: Piacenza to Cremona — Ciclovie del Po
03:27
32.6 mi
9.4 mph
275 ft
300 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The path that separates Piacenza from Cremona extends entirely on the plain, along the banks of the main embankment of the Po and the Adda. The cycle and pedestrian paths follow the border between Lombardy and Emilia Romagna.

Leaving Piacenza behind you, you enter Lombardy and continue for about half…
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Stage 8: Cremona to Casalmaggiore — Ciclovie del Po
02:53
31.7 mi
11.0 mph
225 ft
300 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The network of cycle paths that connects Cremona to Casalmaggiore has no difference in height and runs along embankments, roads and paths within the area's natural reserves and parks. From one city to another you can appreciate the typical landscape of the Po Valley around you, characterized by poplar…
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Stage 9: Casalmaggiore to Romanore — Ciclovie del Po
03:09
32.2 mi
10.2 mph
350 ft
375 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The Po cycle path alternates with EuroVelo 8 in the kilometers that distance Casalmaggiore from Romanore along the left bank of the Po. The route develops mainly on embankment roads closed to traffic. It is essential for this stage to check that the pontoon bridge over the Oglio river is accessible…
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Stage 10: Romanore to Ostiglia — Ciclovie del Po
02:30
26.0 mi
10.4 mph
250 ft
275 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The left cycle path of the Po and EuroVelo 8 meet and join between Romanore and Ostiglia, developing between low-traffic embankment roads without any difference in height.

In the vicinity of San Giacomo Po we cross Special Protection Areas. This area represents one of the hubs of the ecological network…
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Stage 11: Ostiglia to Ferrara — Ciclovie del Po
03:42
39.7 mi
10.7 mph
325 ft
325 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The itinerary develops along the right bank of the Po on embankment roads partially closed to traffic on mainly asphalted ground.

From Ostiglia cross the bridge that takes you to the right bank of the Po, reaching Revere. This town is known for the Po Museum, set up inside the Doge's Palace. You can visit…
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Stage 12: Ferrara to Mesola — Ciclovie del Po
03:54
42.7 mi
10.9 mph
325 ft
375 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From Ferrara to Serravalle you can cycle along the right bank of the Po almost entirely along the FE20 cycle path. They are kilometers appreciated by many cyclists as they are almost entirely on paved road and away from traffic. It is particularly suggestive to take this stage when the time of sunset…
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Stage 13: Mesola to Donzella — Ciclovie del Po
04:32
47.0 mi
10.4 mph
300 ft
300 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
The distance between Mesola and Donzella extends entirely in the heart of the Po delta, in the Veneto area. The "Donzella Ring" cycle path takes its name from the naturalistic area in which it develops, following, as the name suggests, a ring to the village of Donzella.

It is a popular route, entirely…
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Stage 14: Donzella to Loreo Stazione — Ciclovie del Po
02:09
23.7 mi
11.0 mph
175 ft
175 ft
Intermediate
Intermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
From the island of Donzella to Loreo, the route runs along the Po of Venice on the Ciclovia del Po and the EuroVelo 8. It is completely flat and paved.
Leave the Donzella island behind by crossing the bridge and enter the Veneto Regional Park of the Po.

This area has witnessed many changes by man over…
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