CROWNE PLAZA - TORNAVENTO

CROWNE PLAZA - TORNAVENTO

31km - 2,5 hours - medium difficulty

An easy tour along the canal towpaths in the Ticino Nature Reserve.

We start on a forested road, then quickly descend to the hamlet of Maddalena, were we cross the water captation works of the Industrial and Villoresi Canals. Next, we continue on the towpath until we come to the Hydro Power Station of Vizzola Ticino, where we can admire the navigational locks and then continue straight on, passing an ancient workhouse and crossing the canal to reach the banks of the Ticino river, which here flows fast and strong.

Having reached the iron bridge in Oleggio, we take an uphill section of the main road, paying attention to the passing traffic, and reach the Parravicino square in Tornavento, a great vantage point over the valley, surrounded by lovely rural buildings.
We make our way back downhill along the tight curves of the old customs house and then it's back up the hill from Vizzola to the buildings erected for the Caproni Land Reclamation and from there onto Case Nuove.

Some parts of the track in the woods are unpaved and bumpy, the riverside path is picturesque, in part difficult but short, while the canal towpaths and all uphill stretches are paved. The last hill is the hardest.