The best road cycling routes around Calvignasco

The Naviglio di Bereguardo is a historic Lombard artificial canal, 18.85 kilometers long, which starts at Castelletto di Abbiategrasso (branching off from the Naviglio Grande) and ends in the municipality of Bereguardo, on the outskirts of Pavia. Built mainly in the 15th century at the behest of the Dukes of Milan (Filippo Maria Visconti and Francesco I Sforza), it was created as a strategic commercial waterway to transport goods such as salt, wine from Oltrepò, and timber from the Ticino and Po rivers to Milan. It lost its commercial function in the 19th century with the opening of the more modern Naviglio Pavese, transforming today into a fundamental irrigation canal and a renowned destination for outdoor cycle tourism.

The Naviglio di Bereguardo boasts a historic complex of 12 navigation locks (or sluices) IL NAVIGLIO DI BERE GUARDO - Il Motografo, designed to overcome a height difference of 24 m over a distance of just 19 km Naviglio di Bereguardo - Wikipedia. Inaugurated starting from 1438, these Navigli locks allowed boats to go up the Ticino and reach Milan, making the canal the famous "salt road" Il Naviglio di Bereguardo. Today the locks are no longer active for navigation Il Naviglio di Bereguardo and mainly serve as an irrigation canal. You can admire the best-preserved masonry remains and the original bottom gates near Cascina Conca (between Morimondo and Motta Visconti).

In Robecco sul Naviglio, the most famous and strategic public fountain for cyclists and runners is located directly along the Alzaia of the Naviglio Grande, near the historic Osteria da Ripa and a few meters from the characteristic pedestrian bridge of the town. It is a fundamental resting point for those traveling the cycle path, especially on hot days, as water supply points are scarce in that stretch of canal.

The Bridge of Cassinetta di Lugagnano is one of the most characteristic and historically significant monuments located along the Naviglio Grande, in the metropolitan city of Milan. Originally built of granite, the structure dates back to the 17th century, erected during the Spanish rule of the Duchy of Milan to connect the two historic centers divided by the canal. The bridge historically unites Lugagnano (on the right bank, of Roman origin) and Cassinetta (on the left bank, of medieval design). The bridge was completely rebuilt in a donkey-back shape in May 1862. This intervention became necessary both to repair the damage from the wars of independence (such as the nearby Battle of Magenta in 1859) and to facilitate the transit of commercial barges on the Naviglio.

The expression "leonardesque lock" is used because the entire system of Lombard locks is based on hydraulic principles perfected and designed by Leonardo da Vinci in his Codex Atlanticus. Among the leonardesque innovations applied to these structures are: Swinging gates: wooden doors arranged in a "V" shape (bacia vinciana) that exploit the pressure of the current itself to seal hermetically. Guillotine valves: small openings inserted into the main gates, manually operated to regulate the internal water flow and level the basin with minimal effort.

La Conca del Dazio is the first lock on the Naviglio di Bereguardo, located about 5 km south of Castelletto di Abbiategrasso. It takes its name from the toll that merchant boats had to pay at this point before entering the Naviglio Grande towards Milan.

Cassinetta di Lugagnano - The most beautiful villages in Italy, nestled in the Ticino Park Cassinetta di Lugagnano - Germoglio del Ticino along the banks of the Naviglio Grande The pleasure houses of the Naviglio Grande - in-Lombardia. Recognized for its bucolic environment and its centuries-old history, it is famous for its architectures and its relaxing waterways Cassinetta di Lugagnano in-Lombardia.

The Archinto Palace (known as "The Castle") and the Naviglio Grande represent one of the most evocative and emblematic corners of the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano.