The best traffic-free bike rides around Settimo Milanese

The Parco delle Groane e della Brughiera Briantea is an immense protected natural area in Lombardy that extends for about 8,249 hectares in the upper Lombardy plain, touching 28 or 29 municipalities distributed among the provinces of Milan, Como, and Monza and Brianza. [1, 2, 3, 4] Originally established in 1976, the park has doubled its surface area in recent years thanks to the incorporation of the PLIS della Brughiera Briantea and the Fontana del Guercio Nature Reserve. The term "groane" derives from the local historical name for heathlands, which here represent one of the southernmost heathlands in Europe.

The Villoresi Canal towpath connects Arese and the nearby municipalities via cycle paths and service roads, offering a convenient cycle-pedestrian route along the artificial canal that connects the Ticino and Adda rivers.

The Bridge of Cassinetta di Lugagnano is one of the most characteristic and historically significant monuments located along the Naviglio Grande, in the metropolitan city of Milan. Originally built of granite, the structure dates back to the 17th century, erected during the Spanish rule of the Duchy of Milan to connect the two historic centers divided by the canal. The bridge historically unites Lugagnano (on the right bank, of Roman origin) and Cassinetta (on the left bank, of medieval design). The bridge was completely rebuilt in a donkey-back shape in May 1862. This intervention became necessary both to repair the damage from the wars of independence (such as the nearby Battle of Magenta in 1859) and to facilitate the transit of commercial barges on the Naviglio.

The Villoresi canal draws water from the Ticino river, in the locality of Panperduto, in the municipality of Somma Lombardo. After traveling 86 kilometers, in the provinces of Milan and Monza Brianza, it flows into the Adda river in the municipality of Cassano d’Adda. Construction work began in 1881 and was completed in 1891 to a design by Eugenio Villoresi. Originally intended exclusively for irrigation purposes, following the crisis of crops connected with silk production, the canal now allows water distribution in a plain area of approximately 85,000 hectares, through a network that totals about 3,000 kilometers. The paths, free of difficulties, accessible to everyone and certainly of interest, are part of the investments made to enhance the towpaths of the waterways, and should also be considered a fast connection route between the various Municipalities bordering the canal.

The Villa Visconti Borromeo Arese Litta, located in Lainate (on the outskirts of Milan), is one of the most famous and spectacular "delight villas" in Northern Italy. Conceived at the end of the 16th century by Count Pirro I Visconti Borromeo, the residence is universally famous for its extraordinary Nymphaeum with water features, a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering and artistic decoration unique in Europe, designed to amaze, refresh, and entertain the nobles of the time.

The Archinto Palace (known as "The Castle") and the Naviglio Grande represent one of the most evocative and emblematic corners of the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano.

always very fun to cycle on these dirt roads!!

Just be careful about the distances: the Canale Villoresi cycle path, which runs alongside the canal, is 85 kilometers long. It begins near the town of Somma Lombardo and ends near Cassano d'Adda, so unless you're very fit, we recommend doing it in stages! Along the way, the path has short sections where it merges with city streets.