The surroundings

The Naviglio di Bereguardo

The Naviglio di Bereguardo originates from the Naviglio Grande, near Abbiategrasso e merges into the Ticino river near the Ponte di Barche. The stretch is 19kms long, it has a difference in height of 25mtrs overcome thanks to the construction of 12 basins.

The Naviglio di Bereguardo is flanked by a twopath (actually it flanks all the 5 stretches of Navigli of Milan: Grande, Bereguardo, Martesana, Paderno and Pavese), whose name in Italian is “Alzaia”. 

Why is it so called? 

This path were once traveled by horses, donkeys and oxes pulling boats full of materials against the flow. “Alzaia” was the rope used to tow the boats: an end was tied to the boat, the other end to the animal. On return, when following the flow, these animals were carried on the same boats once they were emptied.

(source: https://naviglireloading.eu/)

Today the Alzaia can be covered with any vehicle without engine and it’s so much popular with bikers, skaters, hikers, joggers, nordic walkers.

It is the ideal place where four-legged friends can have fun and enjoy the fresh waters of the Naviglio for a swim!

The Via Francisca del Lucomagno

The stretch of Alzaia of the Naviglio di Bereguardo coincides with a part of the Via Francisca del Lucomagno an ancient Roman-Lombard path starting in Constance, Germany, crossing Switzerland and ending in Pavia where it connects to the Via Francigena route. 

Thanks to our house being close to the Via Francisca, it has become a “pilgrim accommodation” : we welcome and host travelers and pilgrims who decide to walk along the whole path.

Ponte di Barche

The Ponte di Barche, one of the last still existing barge bridges in Italy and one of most used in TV and movies locations in the 60s and 90s, is 10 minutes drive from our house: Sofia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Vittorio de Sica, and Alberto Sordi are some of the stars who crossed that bridge!

Ticino Park

The natural park of the Ticino Valley is located between Lombardia and Piemonte and it’s the most ancient regional park of Italy and the most ancient river park of Europe, besides being one of the greatest.

In 2002 it was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as Reserve of Biosphere and by right it became part of the MAB Program (Man & Biosphere). The recognition was reconfirmed in 2014, and in 2018 it was also extended over the Swiss border and to the whole area of the Lago Maggiore under the name of Reserva Ticino Val Grande Verbano.

The Park offers a wide variety of paths to be run in one day or more: at your choice!