TORINO UNCONVENTIONAL

VALENTINO PARK | BORGO MEDIOEVALE | MURAZZI DEL PO | THE FRESHLY ROASTED ESPRESSO | COLLETTA PARK | SAN MAURO MEDIEVAL VILLAGE | THE ARTISAN GELATO ICE-CREAM | MEISINO NATURAL RESERVATION | THE PO RIVER BIKE PATHS | CASTELLO DEL VALENTINO

We meet in the city center and reach the nearby Valentino, the oldest and most popular park of the city, designed in the XIX century by the royal gardener Barillet-Dechamps. The “Vale” as folks call it, shows a number of fancy castles and gardens, and it is a beloved leisure place for citizens and visitors. Past the entrance arch we follow a narrow path leading to the panoramic terrace: here we stop to take some pictures and get an overview about the city from our local expert. We proceed towards the Borgo Medioevale village, passing by the gorgeous Fountain of 4 Stagioni, until we hit the the Rocky garden with its streams and flowers. Closeby is the majestic Castle of Valentino, one of the royal residences of the Savoy family. We exit Valentino and take the Murazzi old port banks, then ride through the scenic Po river cycle path. Halfway through we meet an historic coffee roasting house: a real off the beaten path cafè, frequented by locals, perfect spot to enjoy a quality homemade espresso and feel the atmosphere of the district. Back on the seat we reach the Colletta Park, with its enchanting alley of trees and untamed nature. The park streches for miles along the rivershores and ends at Parco della Confluenza where the Stura waters enter the Po river creating a lake at the bottom of the hills. We cross the bridge and follow the cyclepath by the canal, through fields and villages, until the medieval town of San Mauro where we take a refreshing break and enjoy a good artisan gelato!

On our way back to Torino we tackle the opposite side of river Po, riding across the wild Meisino Natural Reservation, dominated by the peak of Superga hill. Meisino is a protected area renowned to be a crossroad for bird migrations, hosting more than 100 species: grey herons, wild ducks, great crested grebes, morheens are very frequent encounters. Also cattles are raised on pasture here, making Meisino a fine example of urban breeding. We move towards the city centre along dirt roads by the river, surrounded by luxuriant vegetation, passing by Madonna del Pilone, a picturesque XIX century village built around a baroque-style church. The monument dedicated to Fausto Coppi is just a few minutes away and of course we won’t miss it: it shows a cyclist raising hands in sign of victory, while the base is adorned with stones from the Alpine peaks climbed at Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. Fausto was named the Campionissimo, the Super Champion, and still he is considered the top Italian road cyclist in history.
Now a river trail leads to the city center: we cross the Napoleon bridge and the majestic Piazza Vittorio Veneto to reach Via Po, end of the tour.
DISTANCE: 26 km
ELEVATION GAIN: 90 mt