Enza - Po Rivers Ringroad

route analysis

Ringroad with a completely flat route, passing through country and secondary roads. Pay attention at crossroads and roundabouts, following pedestrian crossings.

Total length: 26km

route description

The union between land and water, here in the Lowlands, is indivisible, so that already 3500 years ago, this was reality.
Bronze Age populations, settled around the Po river, had their settlings in "Terramare", elevated lands above waters where people built pile dwellings and settlements. These dwellings let populations to develop their own culture and enabled creation of highly historical value objects, that today's archaeologists analysed and discovered how was the Past before Celts, Etruscans, and Romans.

Our route starts from Poviglio, home to Europe's biggest Terramara and to the museum that hosts the archaeological site, with findings from the site. The actual site of the Terramara is now located in the outskirts of the hamlet of Fodico, and it is opened to the general public once a year, with guided tours explaining the state of the archaeological works.

Poviglio can show in its countryside the signs of Roman Centuriation, the Roman system for the organisation of fields and countryside, one of the most stunning manmade projects for landscaping. Later in the centuries, we can also find the S. Stefano Church, with its bell tower, respectively from 12th and 14th century.

We exit from Poviglio, following straight country roads, distinctive sign of Roman passage. This creation was made in order to divide fields, regulate waters and drain marshes, creating a favourable environment for agriculture and for the greatness of the newborn Roman Empire.

Almost in a straight line, we arrive in Brescello, the famous "Little World (Mondo Piccolo)" of Guareschi, the writer that created Don Camillo and Peppone. This town once was a Roman colony, called Brixellum, important fluvial port in all moments of history. This was also the birthplace of Antonio Panizzi, the famous founder ot the British Museum Library. Other remarkable places are Santa Maria Maggiore Church, San Benedetto Monastery (hosting also Don Camillo e Peppone Museum), and Archaeological Museum, exhibiting local findings.

Exiting from Brescello, riding along the embankment, we can find the confluence of Enza river inside the Po river. After around 4 km, we arrive in Boretto, actual regional port on the Po river and vital location for the Most Serene Venetian Republic for the tradings of the Republic. The unmistakable sign of the Venice passage is in the San Marco Evangelista Basilica, with the San Marco Square and the pillar with the San Marco Lion. The symbiosis of the town with the Great River is more than noticeable in the Po Museum, Casa dei Pontieri Museum, and Bonifica Multimedial Museum. Here we can truly understand what links these lands to the water.

We get out from Boretto, and still following Roman roads, we slowly come back to Poviglio.

how to get there

Arriving in Poviglio:

- by car: from Reggio Emilia via SP358R di Castelnovo to Castelnovo Sotto and Poviglio. from Parma via SP62R and SP62R var.

- with  public transportation: from Reggio Emilia Bus Station - CIM Piazzale Europa take bus line no. 93 to Boretto and Viadana, get off in Poviglio.

Arriving in Brescello:

- by car: from Reggio Emilia via SP358R di Castelnovo to Poviglio and Parma, and SP1 to Brescello.

- by train: from Reggio Emilia Station take the Regional train to Parma/Piacenza/Milano C.le on Milano-Bologna line and get off in Parma; here switch trains and take the Regional train to Suzzara (on the Parma-Suzzara line), then get off in Brescello.

Arriving in Boretto:

- by car: from Reggio Emilia via SP358R di Castelnovo to Poviglio and SP111 della Val d'Enza to Boretto.

- by train: from Reggio Emilia Station take the Regional train to Parma/Piacenza/Milano C.le on Milano-Bologna line and get off in Parma; here switch trains and take the Regional train to Suzzara (on the Parma-Suzzara line), then get off in Boretto.

Tracks link

Cartografia PDF (directly downloads the PDF map)

Traccia GPX (for GPS devices and mobile-supporting apps)

Traccia KML (for Google Earth)