The best road cycling routes around San Secondo Parmense

The Sanctuary of Santa Lucia is a Catholic place of worship with Baroque architecture, located on Via Santa Lucia in Santa Lucia, a hamlet of Medesano, in the province and diocese of Parma. It is the seat of a parish in the pastoral area of Pedemontana. HISTORY The original place of worship was built in the Middle Ages; the earliest evidence of its existence dates back to 1354, when the Ecclesia Sancte Lucie de Varano Marchionum was mentioned in the Ratio Decimarum of the diocese of Parma among the dependencies of the church of San Giorgio Martire of Varano dei Marchesi, within the jurisdiction of the parish of Fornovo. In 1565, the temple was rebuilt. On May 13, 1607, the church was solemnly consecrated by the Bishop of Fidenza, Giovanni Giorgio Linati, and two years later it was elevated to the status of an independent parish church. Between 1731 and 1794, the place of worship was completely rebuilt in Baroque style; the rectory was also built adjacent to it. On October 21, 1952, the church was elevated to the status of a diocesan sanctuary dedicated to the virgin and martyr Saint Lucy. Around 1960, the church underwent restoration work. SOURCE and other information: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santuario_di_Santa_Lucia_(Medesano)

https://tabianoterme.it/arte-e-cultura/castello-di-tabiano/

Originally built between the 10th and 11th centuries, the castle was rebuilt in 1153 and expanded several times in the following centuries. With the exception of a few brief periods in the 12th and 14th centuries, the Pallavicino marquises maintained it almost uninterruptedly until their extinction in 1756. Assigned to the Sermattei family, the manor was purchased a few years later by the Landi cousins. Sold in 1882 to the Corazza family, the manor was renovated and transformed into an elegant stately home, rich in frescoes and stucco decorations. Since the early 21st century, the building, along with the surrounding village, has been used as a scattered hotel, with an adjoining farm. SOURCE: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabiano_Castello

Following the road of the Food Valley it is absolutely obligatory to pass through Roncole Verdi and consequently visit the birthplace of Giuseppe Verdi.

A really worth seeing place.

Planning the tour of the Castles of the Duchy of Parme and Piacenza we reached the "Fortress of Fontanellato". Rocca Sanvitale is an imposing fortress built in the 14th century on a pre-existing 12th century building. Subjected to numerous restorations, over the centuries it was transformed from a defensive fortress into the residence of the noble Sanvitale Counts who then inhabited it for around six centuries. It has a square plan with crenellated walls and four corner towers and is still surrounded by a large moat once fed by water produced by a spring and rearranged at the beginning of the 17th century by the Parma architect Smeraldo Smeraldi; the entrance to the internal courtyard is via a drawbridge. In 1948 the last Count handed over the Fortress with its furnishings to the Municipality, which subsequently transformed it into a museum.

wonderful panorama

Two hairpin bends that lead to via Gabbiano, where you can enjoy an excellent landscape, and you can cycle in complete tranquility, given the little traffic present.