Attractions and Places To See around Gropello Cairoli - Top 20

L'Alzaia del Naviglio di Bereguardo is the historic towpath, today transformed into a splendid cycle-pedestrian path of about 19 kilometers, which runs along the artificial canal of the same name. It connects Castelletto di Abbiategrasso (where the canal originates, branching off from the Naviglio Grande) to the municipality of Bereguardo, finally flowing into the Ticino river. Built in the 15th century at the behest of the Dukes of Milan (the Visconti first, then the Sforza), the canal served as a fundamental commercial route (particularly for salt and cheeses) to connect the city to the Po river and the sea.

The Naviglio di Bereguardo is a historic artificial canal in Lombardy, 18.85 kilometers long, which originates from the Naviglio Grande in Castelletto di Abbiategrasso and ends in Bereguardo, a short distance from the Ticino river.

The Parco Lombardo della Valle del Ticino is crossed not by a single canal, but by a complex and historic hydraulic network. The main ones are the Canale Villoresi and the Panperduto (Somma Lombardo).

The Lombardo Park of the Ticino Valley is the oldest regional park in Italy, established in 1974, and represents the first river park in Europe. With an area of approximately 91,800 hectares, it develops entirely in Lombardy, running along the Ticino River from Lake Maggiore (Sesto Calende) to its confluence with the Po River (Pavia), crossing as many as 47 municipalities in the provinces of Milan, Pavia, and Varese. Together with its twin, the Piedmontese Natural Park of the Ticino Valley, it forms the largest protected river area on the continent, also recognized as a MAB UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

A dignified, impressive building in a wonderful park. A must-see.

This imposing brick castle was built between 1360 and 1365 by order of Galeazzo Visconti and served as a fortification and residence. The north wing of the castle was destroyed at the battle of Pavia (1525) between the French and the Spanish. Petrarch loved the building and assembled a rich library there, which later moved to France. The large courtyard has arcades and an ornate loggia with twin windows.

According to legend, some pilgrims wanted to attend midnight mass in the city on Christmas Eve in 999, but due to the thick fog their boats could not cross the river. Suddenly, a man dressed in red arrived and promised that he would immediately build a bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross the bridge. The man in red was the devil, and only the Archangel Michael, who had come from the nearby church, recognized him. Michael pretended to agree to the deal, but once the bridge was built, a goat crossed it first. The bridge is therefore also known as the Ponte del Diavolo ("Devil's Bridge").

The covered bridge has its origins in Roman times. The current one was constructed in the 14th century and covered in 1583. Upstream of the bridge you can still see pillars of the original bridge, reconstructed after the Second World War. A memorial stone on the bridge tells that Albert Einstein stayed in Pavia for several months and loved the place.