By bicycle to the Marmirolo Oasis

Route characteristics

Length: 8.7 km (from the town centre of Reggio Emilia to the WWF oasis)
Travelling time: about 2 hours
Starting point: the town centre of Reggio Emilia

Itinerary description

Starting from the town centre of Reggio Emilia and following the cycle-pedestrian trail running beside the Via Emilia, on the left you meet the formerly Padiglione Lombroso, which hosts the History of Psychiatry Museum. The entire complex looks like a large park where buildings of different types and eras are located. On the opposite side, moving forward another 2 km, you find the "Mauriziano", also named "Casino dell'Ariosto", the summer residence of poet Ludovico Ariosto who lived there, guest of Malaguzzi Valeri cousins. The building has a typical XV-century Emilian architecture and hosts wonderful Ariosto-style rooms on the first floor (also named "camerini"). The access road from the Via Emilia consists of two rows of poplars and the unmistakable arch in terracotta. Proceeding along the cyclo-pedestrian trail, you pass the San Maurizio and Masone hamlets and, near Marmirolo, you have to turn right to reach the WWF Oasis.

From there, it is possible to follow the countryside path immersed into the wild, exploring Marmirolo, Roncadella, Bagno and Castellazzo hamlets.

Mauriziano variant

If you prefer riding an alternative way avoiding the cycle-pedestrian of the Via Emilia, past San Maurizio you have to take Viale del Mauriziano and follow Via Scaruffi e Gattalupa, reaching Gavasseto and then going on to Marmirolo (at Gavasseto turn right in Via Madonna della Neve, then in Via Carlo Forlanini and go beyond the Roncadella Church by turning right in Via Walter Manzotti and going straight on to Marmirolo). There, you take Via della Pace which leads you to the WWF Oasis (the final stage of the ring route).

From the WWf oasis to the Mauriziano: ring route

If you want to continue the itinerary, you can go back to the cycle-pedestrian of the Via Emilia and go straight towards Rubiera for another 2 km. Then, turn left in Via Romani and go beyond the Castellazzo hamlet, proceeding to San Faustino, with a compulsory stop at the Romanesque Parish Church. From San Faustino starts a beautiful cycling path which leads to Rubiera, where it is to possible to admire the Ospitale Court (turn left in Via del Palazzo) and the Floodplain of the Secchia river. After a regenerating break in one of the coffee bars or ice cream shops of the town centre of Rubiera, go on in Viale Resistenza and turn right in Via Paduli, going straight on until you arrive to the Bagno Church. From there, come back to the Marmirolo hamlet and go to the Roncadella and Gavasseto hamlets, where you can admire the characteristic storks which nest on the top of light poles. Following Via Gattalupa you will easily reach San Maurizio and the Mauriziano Arch, the end of our ring route,