The best traffic-free bike rides around Gabbioneta-Binanuova

Pontevico is an Italian municipality of about 7,150 inhabitants located at the southern end of the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. The village stands in a historically strategic position along the Oglio river, which marks the natural border with the province of Cremona. The name derives from the Latin Pons Vici, which literally means "bridge of the village". The municipal territory is predominantly flat and includes the hamlets of Bettegno, Campazzo, Chiesuola and Toro. Local economy is historically divided between a strong agricultural vocation and an industrial textile development linked to the Bassa Bresciana district. The center is about 32 kilometers from the provincial capital Brescia and is easily reachable by car via the A21 motorway or by the Brescia-Cremona railway line.

Nestled in the tranquility of the Lombardy plain, Ostiano Castle is an unmissable stop for lovers of cycling and gravel. Along this trail, you cross dirt roads and suggestive paths that wind through fields and small villages, offering a perfect mix of history, nature and adventure. The castle, with its medieval charm, represents a unique point of interest, ideal for a panoramic stop and an immersion in local history. There is no shortage of technical and fun sections that make the route stimulating, perfect for those looking for a complete and engaging cycling experience.

Isola Dovarese is a gem set along the course of the Oglio River, a village that proudly preserves its historical soul. Walking along its streets means immersing yourself in a past made of Renaissance architecture and atmospheres of times gone by, where every stone tells of ancient glories and community life. The beating heart of the village is the splendid Piazza Matteotti, a large quadrangular space surrounded by porticoes, designed by the architects of the Vignola school. Here, every year, the Palio di Isola Dovarese brings the seventeenth century back to life: an event that transforms the village into a large open-air theater, among period costumes, flags in the wind and historical reenactments. But Isola Dovarese is also nature and slowness: the Oglio River embraces the village and invites contemplation, the discovery of paths that wind through woods and countryside. A place where history meets quiet and where every journey becomes an experience. (Anna)

Beautiful stretch of the cycle path that leads to Cremona

Penultimate stage of the Oglio cycle path

Beautiful bell tower that stands out with its white twin of Pontevico

Square where they hold the goose palio

The Naviglio Civico di Cremona or Navigli Cremonesi cycle path follows the artificial canal of the same name for 27 kilometers, crossing the province of Cremona. Points of particular interest along the route include the "Sentiero dell'olmo," a two-kilometer unpaved nature trail, and the "Tombe Morte" area, a crucial waterway intersection where the Naviglio Civico di Cremona meets the Canale Vacchelli and the Naviglio Grande Pallavicino, and from which 11 irrigation ditches begin. The route is flat and presents no difficulties. An integral part of the "Music in the Wind" cycle-musical itinerary, it crosses the plain between the Adda and Oglio rivers in the provinces of Bergamo and Cremona, and is composed of three routes: the Cremonese Canals itinerary, the Adda and Serio itineraries. The routes mainly follow protected cycle paths or trails, as they are almost always within the protected natural areas of the Serio Park or the Adda Sud Park.