Road to Montemanulo
Travelling time, amateur: 2 hours
This medium-difficulty track offers plenty of fun on its trails. It also includes a stop at the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie di Montemanulo, a place of worship that has existed since the 18th century.
Start from the car park of the T-Club in Tabiano, the local sports centre. After a small initial “climb” you will return to the main road and head towards the village of Castello di Tabiano.
Passing through the town centre of Tabiano and along the Porcellini urban park, you will come to the first path on this route: 1.5 km of uphill gravel road with an average gradient of 7%.
Following this warm-up, you will head towards the foot of the village of Tabiano Castello, but before you reach it, you will first be led along the forest paths that run alongside the city walls and are used by MTB enthusiasts for training. While this route might present some minor challenges for the less experienced, it offers nothing extremely complex, and it promises a lot of fun.
Next head back up the coast until you reach the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie di Montemanulo, built in the first half of the 18th-century when reports of miraculous events first began to appear there, centring around a memorial stone on which the image of the Virgin was depicted.
Leaving Montemanulo, a few kilometres of coastal paths await you.
You will be accompanied by green hills on your left and right until you reach the asphalt of Boffalora road.
Follow the route for a few kilometres in the direction of Castello di Tabiano; in the last stretch you will begin to see the manor standing on the edge of a hill protecting the valley. Continuing on your way, just before entering the village of Castello di Tabiano, you will come across a 16th-century church dedicated to Saints Gervasio and Protasio..
The castle (which can be visited) was once owned by the Pallavicino Marquises. It survived the struggles between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, becoming a private residence in the late 1800s.
Besides admiring the watchtower and drawbridge of the castle, you can observe the upper part of the village, characterised by its walls built in the 12th and 13th centuries to defend the manor.
Pass through the village and down the last path back to your starting point. This last stretch will take you past Tabiano’s Terme Respighi, which is known as “Le Terme del Respiro” (breathing spa) for the beneficial and curative powers of its sulphurous waters, used in particular for respiratory treatments.
Finally, return to the T-Club to retrieve your car.
Elevation profile
Places
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Tabiano T-Club
Start 0,0 km
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Tabiano Castello
2,8 km
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Montemanulo
4,9 km
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Fornacchia
8,9 km
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Strada della Boffalora
11,2 km
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Tabiano Castello
13,9 km
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Tabiano T-Club
19,2 km
Length: 19 km
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Height difference: 511 m
Minimum height: 190 m
Maximum height: 376 m
Road surface: Asphalt, gravel road, trail
Highlights of the itinerary
Parco Porcellini
Opposite the Respighi facilities in Tabiano, the Porcellini Park is a green oasis of maples, magnolias, white poplars, and juniper bushes, which slowly descends into the centre of the town. The park is dedicated to Arrigo Porcellini, who was mayor of Salsomaggiore Terme from 1961 to 1979.
Tabiano Castle
Built at the beginning of the 11th century, Tabiano Castle was one of the fundamental garrisons of the Pallavicino Marquises, responsible for the control of the salt wells of Salsomaggiore and Tabiano. After centuries of dispute, in the 1800s the castle was transformed into a private home and the centre of a farm.
Church S.S. Gervasio and Protasio – Tabiano Castello
The small parish church of Tabiano Castello, built in the Romanesque style of the 16th century, is dedicated to Saints Gervasio and Protasio.
Mountain bike trails
Discover the range of trails
Routes of different difficulty, length, and duration. Here there are also some real mountain bike trails ideal for regional competitions.
Road bike trails
Discover the range of trails
The area around Tabiano Terme offers cycling enthusiasts routes of varying difficulty, length, and duration, ideal for admiring the history, nature, landscapes, and culture of this place.