Cycling tour from Ferrara to Comacchio

Arrival in Ferrara and at approximately 6 pm you will meet our local contact person for the delivery of bikes, route notes and information about the tour. If you arrive early, you could visit the town of Ferrara that is positioned on the shores of the Po di Volano, a stream of the Po River. The town and the Po delta are on the list of UNESCO World Heritage. Many monuments are worth a visit, like the Estense Castle and the cathedral of Saint George, and during the year, the town offers many cultural initiatives.

Overnight with breakfast in Ferrara

Breakfast and last chance to visit the medieval – renaissance city centre with the narrow streets, the gardens of many historic buildings and houses. Once in the saddle, we recommend that you visit the Basilica of San Giorgio Fuori le Mura, the oldest church in the city.  A cycle path starting near the Ducal Baths will bring you to Gambulaga. The itinerary will wind through the cultivated countryside up to Voghenza that, since the Este era, was an important center on the bank of the Po River. Here you can make an interesting break to visit the Tomb of San Leo inside the Church, the Modelling Museum, the Necropolis of Voghenza, the Delizia del Belriguardo, the summer residence of the Este Family, and have a glimpse of the remains of the Roman Necropolis. Outside Gambulaga, it will be possible to see another Delizia not far from the two lakes of Verginese.

Overnight with breakfast and dinner in Gambulaga / Medelana

Distance: 28 km / 17,4 miles

Back in the saddle, you reach the town of San Vito, where we suggest visiting the church of San Vito, which is together with the church of Argenta, one of the oldest in the Ferrara area. Continuing to Migliarino, the town of seven towers, you cycle among cultivated fields following the ancient riverbed of the Po di Volano all the way up to Codigoro. We suggest having a look at the Bishop’s Palace, then the cycle path passes the Benedictine Abbey of Pomposa with the 11^th-century bell tower, and of particular interest is the Romanesque church. Few people know that the monk Guido d’Arezzo, during his stay in Pomposa, was the inventor—or by some, developer—of the modern staff notation. The tasting of Bosco Eliceo wines and other typical products near the Abbey is optional but highly recommended.

Overnight with breakfast and dinner in Codigoro / Pomposa / Volano

Distance: 39 or 47 km / 24,2 or 29,2 miles

The route, picked up at Abbey of Pomposa, continues along the cycle path on the bank of the Po di Volano or through the reclaimed areas of the Giralda Valley, admiring the Canneviè Oasis and observing the birds that populate it. It goes from the northernmost part of the Lidi di Comacchio to the mouth of the Po di Volano in the Sacca di Goro, then you take the cycle path in the Pineta di Volano Nature Reserve to go to the Lido delle Nazioni. On the way, you will enjoy a stretch of wild coast. From Lido delle Nazioni along the lake bearing the same name, you will travel along the shores to Porto Garibaldi, one of the ports in the North Adriatic with the most important fleet fishing Blue fish. It is an excellent place to taste it fresh. With the help of the ferry for pedestrians and bicycles (for a fee) in the port-canal, you will reach Lido degli Estensi and head towards the Comacchio Valleys along a road section and then joining a cycle path. You cannot miss the panoramic view from the turret on the Logonovo canal and, along the way, surrounded by the water of Valle Fattibello and the saltpans, you can admire the splendid spectacle of numerous flamingos and other birds until you reach the lagoon city of Comacchio.

Overnight with breakfast and dinner in Comacchio

Distance: 37 or 47 km / 23 or 29,2 miles

Breakfast and end of your cycling tour.  Transfer by train of minivan to Ferrara