Tourist Tour
Travelling time, amateur: 1 hour 30 minutes
Low-difficulty route ideal for beginners.
A light 35 km tour around the hills surrounding Salsomaggiore and Tabiano Terme.
This low difficulty trail along an asphalt road takes you around Salsomaggiore, exploring symbolic parts of the spa town such as Tabiano and Contignaco.
Starting from the spa town, (free car parking in Viale del Lavoro is recommended), the route goes up towards Tabiano. At the top of the hill, or with a small diversion, you will be able to admire the castle and the small medieval village.
Continue in the direction of Fidenza; after leaving Tabiano on a slight descent, you will come to the Romanesque parish church in Cabriolo dedicated to St Thomas Becket.
Located along the Via Francigena, the pilgrims’ route that led from Western Europe to Rome.
From Santa Margherita, proceed through the valley past Pieve di Cusignano, up to San Vittore, and then back to the route’s starting point.
We recommend a small diversion with a couple of hairpin turns off the track to admire the Pieve Romanica di San Giovanni in Contignaco and the Castello di Contignaco Fortezza degli Aldighieri.
Along the way, we recommend tasting Bargnolino, a traditional liqueur made from wild blackthorn berries. Bargnolino or “Bargnilén” is listed among the De.C.O. products – (Denominazione Comunale di Origine or municipal denomination of origin)
Elevation profile
Places
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Salsomaggiore Terme
Start 0,0 km
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Tabiano Bagni
3,6 km
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Santa Margherita
12,2 km
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Pieve di Cusignano
19,5 km
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San Vittore
28,3 km
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Piè di Via
31,9 km
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Salsomaggiore Terme
Arrival 35,3 km
Length: 35 km
Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Difficulty: Low
Height difference: 420 m
Minimum height: 69 m
Maximum height: 340 m
Road surface: Asphalt
Highlights of the itinerary
Fidenza, Cabriolo – Parish church of St Thomas Becket
Following the Via Francigena, in Cabriolo, 3 km from Fidenza Cathedral, don’t miss the beautiful Pieve di Cabriolo, dedicated to St Thomas Becket, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who belonged to the religious Order of the Knights Templar.
Church of San Vittore
The church was originally called ‘Plebs Curticellis’, a name that, according to some sources, can be traced back to the name of the locality of San Vittore in medieval times, ‘Corticelle’. As some hypotheses, this relates to the church’s inclusion in one of the small courts into which the territory was then divided.
Romanesque parish church of San Giovanni in Contignaco
The Church of San Giovanni was built on the top of a hill in pre-Roman times. Inside can be found a collection of 14th and 15th-century frescoes and paintings by a unique local artist.
Contignaco Castle – Aldighieri Fortress
The castle of Contignaco, with its tower standing over 30 m high, was built around the 11th century by Adalberto Pallavicino. Originally a fief of the Pallavicino family, in 1315 it was conquered by the Aldighieri family of Parma who sought to control some of the area’s salt pans.
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.