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Modolena Torrent Greenway

The cycle-pedestrian trail runs alongside the Modolena, flanking interesting historic villas: a flat path suitable for everyone.

Route characteristics

Google Maps Cycle paths distance
Travel time:
one day
Difficulty level: easy

Description

The Park, which is about 1,000 hectares, connects Pieve Modolena with the Coviolo and Rivalta hamlets. One of the main points of interest is Villa Levi, XVIII-century noble residence characterized by the imposing metal dome. In this area of considerable landscape interest, you can follow the trail of the Modolena Greenway (6 km length), which allows to visit the park by following the torrent, with historic and naturalistic interest areas along the path.

GuardaThe path is linked with the stage 0 of the Sentiero dei Ducati, which starts from the AV (High Speed) Mediopadana Railway Station, follows the Crostolo torrent and runs through the Cavalla Wood to rejoin the Rivalta cemetery.

Linking itinerary:
From Palazzo Ducale to Villa Levi, the Villas Route

Route characteristics

Length: 15 km
Travel time: daily
Starting point: town centre

Itinerary description

Ducal Palace
You start from Piazza Gioberti, where the Ducal Palace is located. The XVIII-century walk starts here, a path of about 7 km that still today runs from the town centre of Reggio Emilia to the Rivalta Palace, across the fluvial Park of the Crostolo torrent. The round fountain surrounding the obelisk recalls the style of the Este Dukes for the water games, placed in the Ducal Palace and in many others Este's residences.

Christ Church
Following Corso Garibaldi you arrive in another recently redeveloped square: Piazza Roversi, with the XVIII-century Christ Church. The water mirror in front of the church remembers the Crostolo torrent's riverbed which passed here, before his deviation out of the town. The Ghiara Church, located along the path, takes its name from gière, the gravel which was on the torrent's riverbed.

Viale Umberto I
The Porta Castello crossroads links the XVIII-century walk with the most important tree-lined street of the town: Viale Umberto I, where the water element accompanies us along the path, from the snake form of Corso Garibaldi, to the two monumental fountains of the street, up to the pools of the Rivalta Palace. Even today, the wide tree-lined street is characterized by an orderly row of huge trees and by the cycle-pedestrian service streets. The path goes on up to the Crostolo Bridge, where you can admire two statues that belonged to Ducal Villa: the statue of the Secchia torrent and the statue of the Panaro river, which are a part of the triad that included the Crostolo statue, now kept in the central Piazza Prampolini.

Rivalta Palace
You can enter the main - and most loved - green lung of Reggio Emilia: the Crostolo Park, commonly named Parco delle Caprette (Goats Park), because of the presence of some Tibetan goats at the entrance of the park. A lovely ride alongside the town river will take you to the Ducal Rivalta Palace, the magnificent countryside palace built by order of Duke Francesco III upon request of the French Princess Carlotta Aglae from Orléans. The villa, inspired by the Versailles Royal Palace, had a U plant with a central noble structure flanked by wings at the sides. Plundered and largely demolished during the Napoleonic occupation, only a part remains visible, probably the one destined for the servants.

Villa d'Este
The path alongside the Crostolo torrent flanking the Ducal Rivaltella Villa goes on to Villa d'Este, where the palace and the pool, born as fishing area of Duke Francesco III d'Este, were parts of the huge Rivalta Ducal Palace and its gardens project. The oval pool took the necessary water for its functioning from the Ducal Palace's fountains, linked to them with through underground pipelines, now still existing. The pool was filled by the nearby torrent through a connection canal, which was originally the only access to the villa, viable by little boats. Today, Villa d'Este is open only for weddings and special events, but is possible to walk along the oval pool to enjoy a well-deserved relax at the shadow of the huge trees.

Villa Levi
From the Vasca di Corbelli (Villa d'Este) you cross the SS63 (main road 63) and, going up the Rio della Vasca (CAI path no. 646 D) you arrive at the Parco le Ginestre (Brooms Park). Following the route and the Cavalla wood (an ancient military street used for the troops movement), you reach Villa Levi, one of the oddest villas of the Reggio Emilia countryside, with a typically neoclassical style. From 1888 the villa hosted Margherita Levi and, for some years, her first husband, Baron Alberto Franchetti, belonging to a noble Sephardic Jewish family. His son, Baron Raimondo Franchetti, was the last Italian explorer in Africa. His hunt trophy and the finds of his travel are kept in the Museums Palace of Reggio Emilia.

Villa Gastinelli
The itinerary goes on alongside the wall of the Coviolo cemetery and running the cycle path of Via Fratelli Rosselli up to the Consorzio delle Vacche Rosse, a cheese factory with shop where it is possible to visit the maturing warehouses and buy the Km 0 Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. On the left of the factory is the XVIII-century Villa Gastinelli, in honour of an Army general who moved from Piemonte to Reggio Emilia in the XIX century. From here, following Via Fratelli Rosselli, you get linked with the cycle-path of the Crostolo torrent, in a round path which goes through the fluvial parks and the most beautiful villas of the Reggio Emilia province.

Additional notes

Guarda Biodiversity Route: a naturalistic walk which follows the path of the Modolena torrent in an area of considerable landscape interest, which links Pieve Modolena with Coviolo and Rivalta, going on to the Codemondo and San Bartolomeo hamlets. The path involves about ten local companies, located in the opening stretch of the Green Belt out of the town, about 4-5 km from the town centre of Reggio Emilia.

strada della biodiversità