The best traffic-free bike rides around Gessate

View of the Muzza, very beautiful.

The Ponte di San Rocco in Vimercate is the only intact example in Lombardy of a fortified medieval bridge, located at the end of the ancient decumanus (the current Via Cavour). The original structure dates back to Roman times, inserted along the main road axis. It is a "donkey's back" bridge with four arches, 28.50 meters long and about 4.5 meters wide, built of stone with blocks of ceppo and serizzo. In the Middle Ages, it was fortified and transformed into a tower-gate (the only surviving one of the seven original gates of Vimercate's city walls).

The section of the Naviglio Martesana cycle path between Bellinzago Lombardo and Inzago is a flat, entirely asphalted stretch without technical difficulties, ideal for cycle tourists of all levels. This specific rural fragment runs for about 3-4 kilometers along the Martesana canal in a protected area.

In Gorgonzola, the most famous historic bridges crossing the Naviglio Martesana are the monumental Ponte di Milano (in pink granite with a lower walkway for towing barges) and the iconic wooden pedestrian Ponte di Legno. These bridges are landmarks on the flat route of the Martesana cycle path, very popular for trips and walks.

The Naviglio della Martesana, also known as Naviglio Piccolo, is the Milanese canal that enters the city from the northeast. It is a navigable canal that connects Milan with the Adda river and therefore with Lake Como. Designed by Leonardo da Vinci, it was inaugurated by Ludovico il Moro in 1496. Along the canal, a cycle-pedestrian path was built in the 90s, very popular with Milanese people, especially on Sundays. It is indeed easy to encounter families, cyclists, and runners training. The almost completely flat route and the good condition of the road surface make it suitable for all types of bicycles: gravel, mountain bikes, hybrids, and city bikes. The Martesana cycle path starts from Cassina de’ Pomm at the corner of via Melchiorre Gioia and extends for 30 km, passing through the municipalities of Cologno Monzese, Vimodrone, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Cassina dei Pecchi, Bussero, Gorgonzola, Gessate, Inzago, and Cassano d'Adda

The Naviglio Martesana (also known as Naviglio Piccolo) is a historic canal that connects Milan with the Adda River, ending its course right at Cassano d'Adda. This final stretch offers splendid natural landscapes, cycle paths and pedestrian paths, and important historical testimonies.

The bridge over the Muzza Canal, located in Lavagna (a hamlet of the municipality of Comazzo in the province of Lodi), is a historical landmark for crossing this ancient artificial waterway. The Muzza is a branch of the Adda river, known for being one of the oldest canals in Europe. Lavagna Lodigiana is a small rural village immersed in the countryside that develops right next to the canal. The bridge area is frequented by cyclists and hikers who travel along the Muzza cycle path or the Muzza-Ponte di Lavagna route, enjoying the river landscape.

The Locks of Bellinzago Lombardo are an important historical hydraulic engineering work located along the course of the Naviglio della Martesana. They represent one of the best-known stopping and points of interest for cyclists and hikers who frequent the canal bank. These historical hydraulic systems (locks or sluices) originally served to regulate the flow of water and allow commercial navigation between the Adda and Milan.