Project Description
Royal palaces, baroque wonders, grand piazzas… but there’s another Torino where nature is the master artist: our bike tour along parks, rivers and greenways is a must-do! Nestled at the foot of lush hills, this area was declared a Unesco Biosphere Reserve in 2016.
The bike tour is free tip-based: no charge, you are welcome to leave a tip at your convenience. We are not a business and do it in the spare time, tell us your preferred date and we’ll try our best to make it happen. The tour is led in English
Duration: 4 hours |
26 km/90 metres gain |
Level: easy |
Start/End: Torino |
|---|
VALENTINO PARK | BORGO MEDIOEVALE | MURAZZI DEL PO | COLLETTA PARK | SAN MAURO MEDIEVAL VILLAGE | MEISINO NATURAL RESERVATION | THE PO RIVER BIKE PATHS | CASTELLO DEL VALENTINO
We meet in the city center and reach the nearby Valentino park, the oldest and most popular of the city, shaped 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 locals and visitors. Past the entrance arch we follow the 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 and reaching the majestic Castle of Valentino, one of the Savoy royal residences. Exit the Valentino park crossing the Murazzi old port banks, along the scenic Po river cycle path. Halfway through it is an historic coffee roasting house: a real off the beaten path cafè, frequented by locals, it could be the perfect spot to enjoy a nice cappuccino. We reach now the Colletta Park, with its enchanting alley of trees: the park streches for miles along the rivershores until the border of the city. Here it starts a cyclepath by the canal, reaching the picturesque town of San Mauro where we would take a refreshing break and enjoy a good artisan gelato if you like!
On our way back to Torino we’ll ride the opposite side of river Po, across the wild Meisino Natural Reservation dominated by the peak of Superga. 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. We finally 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
The tour is on request, choose the date and we’ll do our best to make it happen. Contact info@easytorino.com or fill the form above.
You can join with own your bike or we can help rent one, we also have some bicycles to lend (limited availability).
Where: Torino, Piemonte-Italy.
When: 9:30 a.m. (feel free to ask other).
Duration/Difficulty: 4 hrs / easy.
Distance/Elevation gain: 26km / flat.
Tasty breaks: gelato or cappuccino.
Recommended bike: Touring, MTB, Gravel.
Notes: in case of adverse conditions the tour might be cancelled. The tour is in English.
The outing is free of charge: you are welcome to leave a tip at the end if you enjoyed it.
——————————————–
This tour features an optional break for a gelato or cappuccino, expect to pay 2-4€ per person. Bring your credit card and cash too, since small activities may not accept electronic payments
