An easy cycle path (ideal for beginners) around Salsomaggiore and Tabiano Hills.
This path is 35 km long on the paved street and it runs through the most suggestive places of this territory.
Tip
The road route is accessible year-round, but nature offers its most picturesque landscapes and atmospheric scenes from spring through late fall.
The path starts in Salsomaggiore; if you arrive in this city by car we suggest you park in the free car parking in Lavoro Street.
Salsomaggiore Terme is known for its waters’ properties and thanks to this natural treasure, around the middle of the XIX century the first spa building was built in the city.
Must see
Don’t forget to take a look at
By bike you have to ride along Marconi Street and here the street starts to rise towards Tabiano.
Must-see
At the top of the hill you must pause to admire the landscape and, if you want, you can make a little detour and visit the medieval village with its castle (Tabiano Castello).
In this small medieval village today it is possible to stay and visit the Castle built in the Middle Ages by the powerful marquises Pallavicino to control the Via Francigena and the salt wells in the area.
Once you’ve left Tabiano, continuing on the road to Fidenza, you will find the locality of Cabriolo where you can visit the parish Church dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket, the archbishop of Canterbury who belonged to the Order of the Templars.
This parish church was built in the XII century along “Via Francigena”, the famous route of pilgrimage that connects pilgrims from Western Europe to Rome.
From the municipal road to Banzola, just past the center of Pieve di Cusignano, a demanding climb begins between fields and vineyards that leads to the town of Montemanulo, where an oratory has stood for at least two hundred and fifty years.
Must see
Despite repeated renovations, the current structure of the Pieve reveals the original plan.
The structure consists of three naves, featuring an interesting sculptural ensemble characterized by terracotta faces adorned with frames. Eight of the pillars have also been restored to their original condition through renovations that removed 18th-century walls.
The restoration also brought to light round columns composed of split river stones, topped by terracotta capitals that were reconstructed during the restoration.
Take Provincial Road 71 southbound and continue to the town of San Vittore.
Must-see
The church dedicated to Saint Vittore preserves in its inside an altarpiece that shows Virgin Mary, the Holy Child and Saint Vittore painted in 1731 by Giovan Battista Tagliasacchi.
The church preserves also a wooden statue of Saint Joseph dated to the XVIII century. It was built from scratch between 1955 and 1957 after the original church’s breakdown happened in 1949.
The project used was made by the architect Giuseppe Botti. This new project was based on simple architectural lines and a romanic appeal connected to the surviving medieval bell tower.
Starting from San Vittore and staying on the provincial road, after about 5 km of winding uphill and downhill stretches, you’ll reach the parish church of San Giovanni Battista, a Romanesque-style Catholic place of worship located in the small hamlet of Contignaco.
To know
Built in the Romanesque style in the 12th century, it was fortified in the 14th century to withstand attacks; between 1781 and 1789, it was finally completely transformed in the Baroque style.
Not far from the parish church stands the castle of Contignaco.
To know
Built around the 11th century by Adalberto Pallavicino, the main tower—over 30 meters tall and still well-preserved today—is believed to date back to the year 1030. The castle was a fief of the Pallavicino family until 1315, when it was conquered by the Aldighieri family of Parma to gain control of several salt pans in the area.
The Aldighieri of Parma (later known as “di Contignaco”) held it until 1537. Subsequently, the ancient castle changed hands several times and was rebuilt on multiple occasions.
Must-see
The castle is surrounded by splendid specimens of oaks, cedars, cypresses, and laurels. In particular, there is a majestic, centuries-old oak tree, with a trunk over two meters in diameter, located at the entrance to the ancient castle. Today, the manor is home to a farm that produces wine.
Finally, it’s time to head back to Salsomaggiore; along the way, we recommend stopping for a tasting of Bargnolino, the traditional liqueur made from wild blackthorn berries, listed among the local De.CO products.
