The best traffic-free bike rides around Monza

The Church of Saints Gervaso and Protaso is located in Tregasio, a hamlet of the municipality of Triuggio, in the province of Monza and Brianza. It is the main Catholic place of worship in the hamlet and belongs to the Archdiocese of Milan.

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 Muzza Canal is one of the most important and oldest hydraulic engineering works in Europe. It is a large artificial branch of the Adda river that crosses the Lombard plain. For centuries, it has represented the main resource for irrigating the lands of the province of Lodi and southern Milan. It originates in Cassano d'Adda (Milan), drawing water directly from the Adda near the Visconti castle. It ends its course after about 39-40 kilometers (over 60 km considering the entire main network), rejoining the Adda at Castiglione d'Adda (Lodi).

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.

The "Strappo di via Leonardo Da Vinci" is a well-known and challenging segment for cyclists located in Lombardy, a short distance from Sesto San Giovanni. It is a short but very steep "wall", highly appreciated and feared by road cycling and mountain bike enthusiasts. Technical data of the route: Length: Approximately 350 meters Gradient: Very severe, with peaks reaching 20% Route type: Asphalt The climb is often included as a "leg-breaker" stretch within loop circuits that develop in the hinterland north of Milan and in Brianza, such as in the routes that connect the Monza Park area.

The complex of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul and the former Benedictine Monastery of Brugora is a Romanesque jewel from the 12th century located in Montesiro, a hamlet of Besana in Brianza (MB). Founded in 1102, it features a stone facade with valuable sculptures and houses a 16th-century Last Supper inside.

Tips for choosing the grandstand Best view: To see the start and the paddock, choose the Central Grandstand or the Ascari. Action and overtakes: The First Chicane and the Roggia are the points where most overtakes and incidents happen. Comfort: If you are looking for sun or rain protection, go for covered grandstands like the Central (1) or the Left Side (4)

The Muzza Canal is the oldest in Europe and this year, its 800th anniversary was celebrated by the Municipality of Paullo in collaboration with the Pro Loco and other Municipalities. Its origin dates back to the year 1220, when Frederick II of Swabia, crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, issued an imperial edict that granted the people of Lodi the right to use the waters flowing through their territory. The current route, about 60 km long, receives the waters of the Adda at Cassano d’Adda, at an altitude of 120 m above sea level, crosses the Lodi territory for about 40 km up to near Castiglione d’Adda, at an altitude of 45 m above sea level, and here it releases them back into the Adda. It has a regulated water regime, with a flow rate, depending on the seasons, of about 200,000 liters of water per second; an initial width of 50 meters which reduces to a few meters at the end of its course and an average depth of 2 meters.