Bicycle trails

Reaching the hamlet of Castello di Scipione, you will find the manor of the Marquises Pallavicino (which can be visited) from whose main tower it is possible to see on clear days the outlines of Parma, Piacenza, and Cremona. Taking a downhill stretch through the vegetation along the dirt road will take you past the Osteria del Castello. You will then pass through Case Boselli before turning left towards SP57 in the direction of Vigoleno (SP109).

Past Trattoria Cavallo, at the fork, keep to the right along the provincial road which will bring you to the “La Bocca” rest area in the Parco Regionale Fluviale dello Stirone. Here it will be possible to take a break among the park’s lush vegetation, which includes poplar, elm, oak, cherry, blackthorn, and hawthorn trees.

Having enjoyed your stop, resume your journey along the path that runs alongside the Stirone stream. Heading along the single track among the trees of the riparian wood, you will be able to see fossil outcrops dating back to the Upper Miocene period (8 million years ago). At the end of the route, you will reach the “Tre Pioppi” area. Here, you will take the dirt road on the left, which leads to the SP109 and continues in the direction of Vigoleno.

Catch your breath, shift gears, and ascend the hills to reach the Vigoleno Castle village, where you will be able to admire the walls and flawless integrity of its defence system.

Entering the inner courtyard, you can admire the keep (which can be visited) and, if you are hungry, enjoy refreshment at one of the village inns.

After the stop, continue downhill towards Case Sozzi. The road, a carriageway flanking the ridge, leads you between hillside views and rows of vineyards down into the valley towards Villa.

At the end of the descent, follow the asphalt road along the bed of the Stirone stream. The route will take you further downhill, crossing the Stirone stream on the Case Passeri bridge before continuing along the dirt road that passes by the Pietra Nera — an ophiolite, or rocky spur, evidence of the geological transformations of the Apennines – and the small lake below, formed by a natural spring.

Follow the off-road track and climb towards Cangelasio Costa, which flanks Monte Combu.

At Costa, a short uphill tarmac road brings you to the start of a new downhill dirt road.

The hike continues along dirt roads and paths through the hills, skirting the slopes of Mount Pianazzo. You will reach an asphalt road at Piè di Via. On the last part of the route, you will see on your left Contignaco Castle, built by the Pallavicino family in the 11th century. The stronghold can be visited and offers tastings of wines produced by the local winery.

Continue to the Romanesque parish church of San Giovanni, perched on the top of the hill.

Continue uphill following the main road, which will turn from asphalt into dirt track. At the top, get ready for a descent, with thick woods on the left and scenic views of the valley on the right.

The route leads on to San Vittore and then continues along Boffalora road. Pedalling through rolling hills, you will cover 5 km equally divided between uphill and downhill, which will lead you to the village of Tabiano Castello.

On the way, you will come across the 16th-century church dedicated to Saints Gervasio and Protasio. The Castle of Tabiano was once the property of the Marquis Pallavicino. It survived the struggles between the Guelphs and Ghibellines and is now a private residence open to the public. You can admire the watchtower and drawbridge, which provides the main entrance to the castle. The upper part of the village is characterised by the walls built between the 12th and 13th centuries to defend the castle.

In this quaint little village, there will be the possibility to stop off at an adjacent inn.

Returning to the valley, you will reach Colombaia before climbing the tarmac road to Variatico.

After a couple of kilometres, the asphalt gives way to a double track that leads you to Bargone road and from there to a castle of the same name, the last Pallavicina stronghold that you will encounter on this route, which is now privately owned.

In the square in front of the castle, the Church dedicated to the Assumption houses a wooden statue of Blessed Orlando. Each year on the day of the Saint’s feast, many local residents bring their pets for an annual blessing.

Finally, continuing down a last path through the greenery will bring you towards Salsomaggiore Terme, where this hike will end.

In Salsomaggiore, you can visit some of the city’s historical sites: the railway station, the Mazzini Park, built at the beginning of the 1900s, or, along the promenade, the Piazza Lorenzo Berzieri with its magnificent Art Nouveau palace alongside the Pozzo Scotti, which was drilled at the end of the 1800s for the extraction of sodium chloride, bromide, and iodide water. This is an ideal spot for taking a break and enjoying a delicious homemade ice cream.