Bicycle route rich in scenic and cultural appeal, going up a long stretch of Italy’s largest and most important river, the Po.

Pedaling through an area strongly characterized by its medieval and Renaissance history. The monastic order of Benedictines, in particular, radically transformed this land, and even today we are fortunate beneficiaries of their work.

As we leave the Po River and travel up the Mincio tributary to Mantua, we will learn about the birthplaces of Publius Virgilius Maron, the distinguished classical poet who set his Bucolics right here in the warm, misty Po Valley.

Technical description:
The 60-kilometer route presents no difficulty, with an entirely asphalt course.

We start from Ostiglia, on the left bank of the Po, and move west toward San Benedetto del Po, crossing the Great River at Revere near the Boschina Island Reserve.
We then arrive at San Benedetto where we can admire the majestic Abbey, which is also the result of the conservation work that the monks have pursued over the centuries, before leaving the Po and heading north up the Mincio River. The road to Mantua-one of the most important centers of the Italian Renaissance, a cradle of artistic and natural treasures-crosses the localities (between Andes and Pietole) where Publius Virgilius Maron, the supreme classical poet and author of the famous Bucolics, was born on October 15, 70 B.C.

Length: 60 km
Elevation gain: 21 m
Height difference on descent: 23 m
Highest point: 23 m
Lowest point: 7 m
Type of surface: asphalt

Municipality of departure: Ostiglia
Starting location: Ostiglia
Municipality of arrival: Mantua
Place of arrival: Mantua

Recommended period: all year round