Mio modello disegno

Forward
It is still difficult to imagine that an event in our area is at the centre of the world’s atten tion; in spite of the years of preparation and the final, frantic activity in the run up to it, we
have not yet fully understood its magnitude. Expo 2015 is a unique and unrepeatable occasion for meetings, experiences and knowledge for everyone and in particular for those of us
who find ourselves in the role of hosts of this exceptional event. As such we are seeking to
give of our best, making available the best resources to enjoy our area: it is in this spirit
that we have prepared this handbook for those who choose to spend some of their time at
this universal exposition on a bicycle. We are not newcomers to the idea that two wheels
are the best way to get around and explore the world around us; the bike, besides its many
other advantages, goes at a speed that allows us to assimilate what we see. With the uni versal exposition in view a number of cycle paths have been created ad hoc, the Waterways
of the North are linked directly to the site of the exposition and a cycle path follows the
canal bank along a very interesting scenic route. While preparing this booklet we have been
able to appreciate the results of the work of our local administrations in the development of
a useful cycle network, which we are happy to place at the disposal of our visitors from
near and far. The area North-West of Milan, while densely populated, nevertheless offers,
within pedaling distance of the site of the Expo, open spaces where one’s gaze is unobstructed, coming to rest on the ample historic and artistic testimony of religious buildings
and aristocratic villas which at various times in history have left their mark on an area which
has always been intensively farmed.
The last words of this short greeting can only be ones of thanks to the curator Andrea
Scagni, to Legambiente and FIAB for their collaboration, and to all those who in various municipalities have made available the material which has been compiled to create a resource
which we believe will be valuable to those who love the bicycle.
Enjoy the ride!
Rho, 22 marzo 2015
Gianluigi Forloni
City Councillor
Responsible for Mobility
City of Rho
Pietro Romano
Mayor of Rho
President of the Pact
for the North-West
Why by bike
Getting around by bicycle is enjoyable. It’s easy. It’s convenient. It’s beneficial for
everybody, for those who do it but also for everyone else. Every bike on the move
is in fact most likely one car less in circulation, and it removes all the associated
problems: the pollution, the noise, the excessive occupation of space, a precious
resource in urban areas. What’s more, cycling is convenient: 1000 Km. covered by
bike instead of by car represent a saving of about € 350, just from the point of view
of the traveler.
Besides, cycling on a regular basis is good
for your health: without overdoing it, even a
few kilometers every day keeps you fit, stimulates the circulation, exercises the heart.
And the pollution? Well, that’s a problem for
us all, but remember: 90% of the time the air
inside a car is more polluted than the air
breathed by the cyclist, who in any case
doesn’t get stuck in queues and traffic
jams… Finally, and for exactly the same reasons, cycling is intelligent: it’s a sign of a civilized society, a positive move both for yourself
and your community.
EXPO and the bike:
EXPO and the bike:
a winning combination!
a winning combination!
The decision to become a regular
cyclist is ultimately a choice that you
can be rightly and quietly proud of.
Anything but a “loser”: whoever goes
around by bike is an important person. When you meet a cyclist, treat
her with respect – indeed, if possible, join her….
2
Even in the context of a great event like EXPO
Even in the context of a great event like EXPO
a small thing like a bicycle can make a contria small thing like a bicycle can make a contribution towards improving the quality of life:
bution towards improving the quality of life:
• less congestion and pollution due to
• less congestion and pollution due to
motorized traffic;
motorized traffic;
• fewer parking problems in the area near the
• fewer parking problems in the area near the
exposition;
exposition;
• less crowding on trains and Underground;
• less crowding on trains and Underground;
• an easy way of getting around the EXPO
• an easy way of getting around the EXPO
area easily thanks to the cycle path that
area easily thanks to the cycle path that
starts directly from the entrance square
starts directly from the entrance square
Cycling around EXPO
Precisely because cycling can be
a pleasure, its use as a means of daily travel – for work, study, for errands – goes
side by side with its use for leisure and for bike-trekking. In other words, here’s
how to combine convenience and delight! In fact, the light exercise that comes
from the daily use of the bike allows us to begin to explore the world with new
eyes: those of the “environmentally friendly” visitor and tourist. No more time
wasted searching for a parking space, no more arrival and departure schedule imposed by the need to avoid the worst traffic, no more long walks across endless
derelict squares full of mountains of sheet metal...
During leisure time, in fact, cycling is above all connected to freedom: to live in direct contact with the environment, to choose or improvise your route, to do some
sports or relax, to stop where you like, as often as you like, for a moment or for an
hour, to go very fast or very slow, to enjoy the beauty of a little flower or a great
monument. Then, if your bike is a mountain bike, you have the added freedom of
going easily where others have to stop. A brief experience of bike-trekking is
enough to make you realize that the world is divided into two halves: where you
can get to by car and where the car can’t take you…. you can guess which half is
cleaner, quieter, and less crowded!
And don’t forget that if your legs
aren’t enough, the solution is at
hand, and it’s called Bike+Train.
The transport of bikes on the train
accompanied by the cyclist, a service offered by Trenord, makes it
possible to expand the horizons of
cycle touring while fully respecting
the environment.
Besides, the numerous railroad
lines that intersect at Rho-Fiera Milan Station offer the visitors to
EXPO a vast choice of possible
destinations.
By bike in the Fontanili Park in Rho
3
Getting around the EXPO by bike
The road network of the municipalities in the area north west of Milan envisages
two types of layout conceived specifically for the transit of bicycles:
• the “protected” cycle tracks, designated for use by non-motorized traffic;
• the bike lanes, marked but not separated from the road by physical constraints.
Protected tracks may seem preferable, but they are not always the best option:
• in many cases the lack of space does not permit to build tracks, but only lanes;
• protected tracks must be easily accessible, otherwise they are not convenient;
• sharing space with pedestrians becomes difficult in the city centre, where they
are more numerous.
Protected track remains appropriate for getting around safely, especially with children, outside urban areas, where motorized traffic is faster and more dangerous.
Nowadays the urban areas are well served with bike lanes, while there are by now
various out-of-town cycle tracks connecting towns and serving the areas of outstanding natural and cultural interest.
But… for those who don’t bring a
bike with them, where to find one
near the Expo? No problem: the
EXPO by BIKE rental service in Rho
allows you to book and have some
nice bicycles at your disposal directly at your hotel or B&B, or at the
EXPO entrance square, by booking
online at www.expobybike.it. Alternatively, the EXPO by BIKE bicycles
Protected cycle track in Settimo MIlanese
are always available at the bike park
at Rho Central Station. On the website you will also find organized excursions with
a guide in Italian and English, arranged in collaboration with FIAB (Federazione
Italiana Amici della Bicicletta).
Velo EXPO
Another possibility for bike rental
locally is VeloExpo, in operation at Bollate Nord station near the
Groane Park and also in Lainate at Villa Litta. For
information, details and bookings www.veloexpo.it
4
FIAB and Legambiente:
a profile of the volunteer
associations
Cycling around EXPO
FIAB is an environmental organization, whose main objective is the promotion of
the bicycle as an ecological means of transport, in the context of a general move
towards environmental sustainability. FIAB lobbies public authorities in order to obtain policies that enhance the safe and comfortable circulation of cyclists and, in
general, to improve the quality of urban life (limitation of traffic, cycle tracks, com bined use of the bike and public transport); it organizes events, and offers proposals and projects to help achieve these goals.
Other organized activities include bike-trekking events (excursions, trips, meetings), to promote bicycle use also during leisure time, helping the meantime to
raise awareness of the environmental and cultural aspects of the visited areas.
For cycle touring FIAB publishes routes and itineraries (e.g. the Ciclopista del
Sole and the national network BicItalia www.bicitalia.org), and promotes bikefriendly touristic initiatives (e.g. www.albergabici.it). Since 1998 FIAB has been a
non-profit organization affiliated to ECF (European Cyclists’ Federation).
Website: www.fiab-onlus.it
Legambiente is an organization of women and men who share a passionate concern for the care of the territory and the safeguard of the environmental, cultural
and scenic resources of our beautiful country. It is an “open” organization which
brings together the most diverse forms of environmental endeavour, and it is currently the largest environmental organization in Italy with 115,000 members.
Among the most popular initiatives of Legambiente are the large-scale information
and awareness campaigns on environmental issues which involve thousands of
people every year. Some of these are: Let’s Clean the World, A Hundred Streets to
Play in, Green Train, Save the Art, Bad Air, Operation clean schools, Little Big Italy,
Alpine Caravan, Operation Rivers. Issues related to waste disposal, energy, protected areas, and problems connected with urban development and the territory
are addressed both locally and nationally.
Website: www.legambiente.org
5
Il quadro dei principali percorsi
ciclabili intorno a EXPO
The following pages display the mapping of the whole area adjacent to Expo with
particular reference to the cycle paths, so as to allow unaccompanied cyclists to
travel as comfortably and safely as possible. Besides the cycle paths, the country
roads are also clearly marked, as the latter often allow those with all-terrain bicycles to avoid sharing the road with motorized traffic. Finally, the two longest cycle
routes are marked even more clearly with a wide coloured band:
 the Villoresi cycle path, uninterrupted from the Ticino river to the city of Monza;
 the cycle path that runs right across the Groane Park from North to South.
This map, and all those which follow, has been reworked from the “open source”
map OpenStreetMap, specifically the OpenCycleMap version. To visualize other
parts of the map on the Web – and if need be to print them – go to http://www.opencyclemap.org/.
Key
------ cycle-pedestrian paths or bike lanes
------
Villoresi Cycle path
------ country roads
------
Groane Cycle path
Discovering the routes in this booklet the easy way
The Rho-based rental service EXPO by
BIKE offers guided tours for small groups
(10 to 20 people) along the itineraries proposed here, organised in collaboration with
FIAB (Italian federation of bicycle friends)
and its experienced guides. So if would not
like to put your orienteering skills to test, or
if you like the friendly atmosphere of a
group, just check the www.expobybike.it
pages for the list of the excursions that are
already planned or may be organized on
FIAB
6
Milano
Ciclobby
request, and book them online! All routes
start from the Expo access square near
RHO-FIERA MILANO rail and underground
stations; you'll find your bicycle right there
or, if you prefer you can ask for bike delivery directly at your accomodation or any
place of you choice.
Cycling around EXPO
7
RHO
Area
EXPO
8
Cycling around EXPO
9
The most beautiful bike tour
itineraries around EXPO:
territory, art, nature
The bicycle, besides being a fast and efficient means of transport over short distances, is also naturally the ideal tool for open-air recreation in freedom and harmony with the environment. The chaotic lifestyle of our cities leads a growing number of people to seek in the bicycle a simple and pleasurable way of escaping from
the undisputed dominance of cement and asphalt, to savour once again a meaningful connection to nature.
Alone, with friends or with the family, a bike excursion represents a pleasant
change from a sedentary lifestyle, affording some healthy physical exercise at
whatever pace we prefer. Clearly not all trails are the same: a real getaway from
motorized traffic is indispensable for your enjoyment of the excursion in safety and
tranquility.
Here, then, are a series of suggested bike-trekking itineraries which share the
starting point from EXPO square, but which may also be used starting from your
hotel or B&B in the Rho area by making a few changes to the route.
Each route is described in detail with reference to the distances covered, the road
surface, points of interest along the way
where it is worth stopping to take a look,
and the natural environment that you
pass through.
The trails are designed for excursions
of a half day or at the
most one day, for
people without sportspecific training. On
the Rho City Council
website all routes are
available in GPX format.
Autumnal Excursion in Groane Park
10
Cycling around EXPO
The “trained” cyclist
can obviously shorten
the times considerably: however, even
the fastest are advised
not to race without
stopping – indeed,
covering the route in
less time should be an
incentive
to
take
longer and more “important” breaks.
Grown-ups and little ones together at the WWF Nature Reserve in Vanzago
If it is true that on a
bike you live “inside” the territory that you cross, while in a car you watch “from
outside” like a television documentary, even on a bike you can sometimes go too
fast and not really see what is around you.
So rather than race, why not invite on the excursion a friend who is afraid of not
being “up to it”, or who considers him/herself too lazy.... or perhaps get the whole
family involved, who may normally be somewhere awaiting your return?
Around EXPO – where to go, what to see
Although it may seem surprising today, the
area north-west of Milan was for centuries
the “land of delights”, a holiday resort for
the rich and powerful of Milan, at a time
when “holidays” were a privilege that few
could afford and a synonym of country
grandeur: the holidaymaker was in fact normally the owner of a villa, as sumptuous as
possible, which became the focal point of
rural life and was often also the centre of
agricultural activity. This explains the presence in the area of various stately homes
which remain imposing even today in
places where there is no longer any other
trace of the residential buildings of cen-
turies gone by. These are the buildings of
greatest historical and artistic interest in the
area, above all the Arconati villa in Bollate
and the Litta villa in Lainate, together with
numerous others. For religious architecture
the main point of reference is the great
Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Sorrows
in Rho, whose construction started in 1584
at the site of a miraculous apparition.
Also from a naturalistic point of view the
area boasts a number of surprising natural
habitats in a landscape normally considered highly urbanized: of first importance
are the Groane Park and the WWF Nature
Reserve in Vanzago.
11
The best cycle routes around EXPO
41 km
asphalt
well-maintained
dirt road
nature
art
Itinerary 1
Groane Park, Castellazzo of Bollate and
Villa Arconati
The Groane Park is the most important
parkland area in the “cyclable” vicinity
of Rho with a layout designed for naturalistic excursions. Compared to other
less suitable areas, then, it offers a
large variety of trails and points of interest, too many to describe in detail here.
So we propose an itinerary partly based
on the main trail that crosses the entire
park from north to south, (more detailed
indications can be found on the official
trekking map of the Park, available on the website http://www.parcogroane.it).
Starting from the Expo square, take the cycle path and head towards Arese after having crossed viale De Gasperi. After crossing the A8 motorway continue the path alongside the water channel, remaining at the outskirts of the town of Arese, lying on your
left. At the traffic lights in via Ghisalba in Ospiate cross the SS233 main road, turning
left on this road but leaving it as soon as you meet a majestic line of trees bordering a
fine country road, which takes you away from the state road. Here you find Villa Arconati and the fascinating, antiquated country hamlet of Castellazzo of Bollate, whose
antique charm deserves a careful look, in spite of the dilapidated condition of most of
the buildings. The restoration of the Villa has only recently begun, allowing you to admire some parts of the majestic facade already restored to their original splendour,
alongside other parts still awaiting urgent refurbishment. Having passed through
Castellazzo the path takes you beside the railway line, before continuing into the densest woods of the Park. In the vicinity of Cesate you can stop and rest in the tranquility
of the countryside near the farm-holiday building. It does not end here because the
path takes you towards the Villoresi Canal cycle path and in this direction as far as the
splendid view that frames the Villa Bagatti Valsecchi of Varedo. On the way back, follow the Villoresi cycle path once again until it crosses the railway line near the “Parco
Groane” station; after a short stretch along the railway line, head straight down the cycle path towards “Bollate Nord” station and from here, following the cycle paths of the
town of the same name, you return to your starting point.
12
Cycling around EXPO
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13
The best cycle routes around EXPO
17 km
asphalt
well-maintained
dirt road
architecture
history
Itinerary 2
The city of Rho and the new Milan Trade
Fair
A short and simple itinerary which offers a glimpse of the most interesting aspects
of the city of Rho, whose territory hosts part of the exposition area of EXPO. From
the Expo square take the railway station underpass, passing along the side of the
New Trade Fair where – right beside the monumental entrance to the exposition
site with its distinctive pavilions (called “Sails”) – you enter the one-way circuit
which passes closest to the gates of the Trade Fair. When you catch sight of the
leaning towerblock-hotels, take a U-turn to enter the park that surrounds them and
make your way down the fine cycle path than runs alongside the Trade Fair area.
With the artificial hill marked “RHO” in large letters on your right, climb over the
panoramic walkways and go straight on, following the pictograms of the cycle path,
along via De Gasperi and via Pace into the centre of Rho. After a short stretch of
ordinary roadway you reach the Pasquè (modernist square/fountain), from where
you enter the “city parlour” closed to traffic (via Matteotti). At the entrance to piazza
St. Vittore you come upon the 17th century Colonna della Peste, before mov14

Cycling around EXPO
ing on to the adjacent piazza Visconti, with the early 20th century municipal building in the guise of a medieval castle and on the left, beyond a graceful fountain,
the Villa Visconti. Leaving the central squares and passing through the quiet via
Martinelli you come within sight of the Santuario Mariano (be very careful, because
of the heavy traffic, when you cross Corso Europa). From here you move away
along the fine tree-lined pedestrian street beside C.so Europa; passing the Fire
Station the vast parkland of the new Europa park appears on your right, elegantly
decorated with artistic installations, and to the left the aristocratic courtyard of the
Villa Burba. With the villa on your right, cross the small but handsome garden, for
the final stage to the Villa
Schleiber and the adjoining
Castellazzo, before entering
the long tree-lined road behind the villa that takes you
back to the city, first towards
the old city and then back to
your point of departure by
way of the cycle paths of via
Pace and via De Gasperi,
turning right into via Grandi
for the last short stretch towards the Expo square.
The elegant porticos of Villa Visconti
15
The best cycle routes around EXPO
40 km
asphalt
well-maintained
dirt road
architecture
history - art
Itinerary 3
The graceful water games
of Villa Litta and the WWF
Nature Reserve of Vanzago
Villa L
Leave the Expo square in the same direction of Itinerary
1. Once you have passed the motorway, go instead to
your left, towards the centre of Arese which you can easily navigate thanks to the extensive network of cycle
paths, until you reach the Villa della Valera. Moving on,
you pass the former Alfa Romeo factory (now the site of
a museum dedicated to the famous car brand) joining the
Villoresi cycle path on your left, which brings you very
quickly to the entrance of the gardens of Villa Litta in
Lainate (the guided tour of the famous “water games” is
highly recommended). Continuing along the Villoresi, after a couple of km. turn left into a fine shady path near a
large water overflow tank, which takes you to the chapel
commemorating the place where the hospital for the victims of the plague was situated in the 17th century. Beyond the district of Grancia di Lainate you head for Rho,
Palazzo Calderara
Oasi WWF
di Vanzago
crossing the Sempione state road, passing alongside the
new park towards Castellazzo and from there down a
quiet little road as far as Vanzago, where it is worth stopping at the courtyard of the aristocratic Palazzo Calderara (now the Municipal building) before going on to the
16 nearby WWF Nature Reserve, a protected area of
special naturalistic interest. The return journey makes
use mainly of country roads suitable for cycling.
Cycling around EXPO
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17
The best cycle routes around EXPO
43 km
asphalt
well-maintained
dirt road
architecture
history - art
Itinerary 4
The green belt parks West of Milan
The trail crosses the three main green areas west of Milan and the old hamlet of
Cusago, returning to Expo through agreeable natural environment. Moving South from
Expo square through the railway underpass, follow the cycle path through the park of
the “leaning” hotels to the halfway point, turning left (opening in the fence) onto via
Battisti cycle path. At the first junction turn right into Cerchiate; at the edge of town in
via Cavallotti take the cycle path, beside the high speed rail viaduct. After the motorway bridge, enter the Rho Fontanili Park, and beyond the Scolmatore Canal follow
the bend to the left until reaching the covered square of the Park. Shortly after, within
sight of the Ghisolfa farm, turn right into a small, easily visible pathway; skirting the
fields you arrive at the Figinello farm and then, again on paved road, at Figino. At the
traffic lights take via Ponte del Giuscano to the Osteria del Ponte: a path to the right
takes you to Bosco in Città, a captivating “wild” park only a few metres from Milan. After a kilometer turn right and circumnavigate a small lake, on a meandering path near
the water with romantic views of the opposite shores. On reaching the Park farmstead,
move off to the left on a straight road, turning right and then left onto a small wooden
bridge reaching another farm. In front of it, turn right and enter a wooded area, approaching the cycle bridge on the state road, and arriving at the Parco delle Cave, an
old sand pits area now transformed into fine small lakes. Having crossed the whole
park along the waterways, come out in the Milan district of Baggio, leaving the city on
via Mosca, taking the walkway towards Muggiano, beyond which you turn right and
then left on the cycle path to reach the 14th century Abbey of St. Maria la Rossa (to
your right). From here go straight on into the centre of Cusago, dominated by the imposing bulk of the Visconteo Castle built in 1369. From the central roundabout, follow
via Bareggio for 3 km, where an unsurfaced road on the right takes you, in the tranquil
countryside, near the Italtel factory. From the tree-lined road, before the junction you
turn left into another fine little roadway among dense woods, and proceed to the canal,
which you follow to the right on the towpath. To your left on Via Monzoro, you skirt a
refurbished farmstead passing through the park on the right after the chapel of St.
Rocco. Here you find the Favaglie Farm (Italia Nostra), a well-preserved corner of rural
antiquity, with an imposing icehouse built in 1830 and an agricultural museum. Back to
the canal, cross a small industrial area and take a country road to Settimo Milanese,
home to the Mantegazza Chapel, a fine frescoed chapel belonging to an aristocratic
family from the 16th century (nearby, see also the locomotive museum “Gamba de
Legn”). Keeping to the cycle path you cross Vighignolo and return to the network of
18 paths in the Fontanili Park and from there to the Expo square.
Cycling around EXPO
Area EXPO
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19
The LET (Landscape Expo Tour) are circular cycle touring
itineraries, between 12 and 35 km long, designed for
leisure time and to explore and enjoy agricultural landscapes, woods and watercourses, but also old cities, farmsteads and churches in the local districts.
LET 1 – Historic Villas and Groane. The trail extends
the north of the Expo area and offers a great diversity
landscapes: from the urban route to the Villoresi canal,
the Groane woods to some of the most beautiful Villas
delight in the province of Milan.
to
of
to
of
During Expo 2015 the LET’s Bike initiative will take place:
six bike rides to endorse and promote the cycle-pedestrian
trail “LET1 – Historic Villas and Groane”.
One meeting a month – from May to October – with a different theme each time: parks, historic villas, agriculture,
water, industrial archeology.
In May we start with the first bike ride: “To Expo by bike”.
From each of the seven municipalities along the LET1
route – Arese,Bollate, Cesate, Garbagnate Milanese, Lainate, Limbiate and Senago – it will be possible to reach
Expo in a fun, easy, fast and ecologically sustainable way.
“LET’s bike”, one of the winning projects of the EXPOniamoci 2014.3 competition organized by the Fondazione
Comunitaria Nord Milano, has been brought into being by
Koiné Cooperativa Sociale Onlus in association with the
Municipality of Garbagnate Milanese, the Groane Park and
under the patronage of the cultural centre Insieme Groane.
Get the dates of the six bike rides at koinecoopsociale.it
3392659230 | [email protected] |
EXPOniamoci
The project is financed by: ASM Garbagnate Milanese Spa, GeSeM Nord Milano Srl, AIM Associazione Interessi Metropolitani,
Airone servizi Srl, CReC di Bollate, Joll Graf Srl.
The complete map of the cycle paths of Groane Park is available
from the Park Office – via della Polveriera 2 – Solaro (MI) – tel 02
9698.141 and on the website www.parcogroane.it.
EXPOvagando
Cycling aroundinEXPO
bici
Inside and Outside the Expo
area by Bike+Train
The “bike+train” service, which allows you to travel by train taking your bicycle with
you, greatly expands the horizons of environmentally friendly bike-trekking.
The bike+train avoids the inconvenience typical of the “car+bike”: the Sunday
queues on the return journey, parking in unsafe places, pollution, the need of always taking circular routes which end at the point of departure. The possibility of
taking different railway lines for your outward and return journeys actually gives
you more freedom in the choice of itineraries.
With bike+train you can take advantage of the wide choice of regional trains which
stop at Rho-Fiera Milan, in front of the Expo Square, to reach all the places within
cycling distance of a railway station. There are numerous opportunities in Lombardy and the nearby region Piedmont:
 the Varese line give access to the splendid cycle paths surrounding the lake of
the same name and the other lakes in the Varese area;
 the Arona-Domodossola line takes you
to the start of the Ticino and Grand Naviglio cycle path (Sesto Calende station),
the longest in Lombardy at 75 kms all the
way to Milan;
 the Novara-Turin line, besides allowing
visits to the fine cities of Novara and Vercelli, allows you to explore the enchanting
landscape of the rice fields, thin expanses
of water as far as the eye can see.
A few rules applying to the service:
 Bicycles are carried only on regional
trains;
 Some trains have a special place for
bikes; others in any case carry a maximum of 5 bicycles per carriage;
In Lombardy a bicycle ticket costs €3; to
travel into Piedmont you need a €3.50 ticket.
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Cycling around EXPO
Moreover, many other stations on
the Milan-Rho and Milan-Saronno
lines allow you to easily reach by
bike+train the areas of our itineraries setting out from Milan or from
the other municipalities of the hinterland. Among the most relevant are:
 Bollate Nord (line S1 Milan-Saronno) – connects the centre of Milan with the
southern part of the Groane Park, near Villa Arconati and the adjoining Castellazzo of Bollate. It is a quiet suburban station, with direct access to the Park by
cycle path. Bike hire available VeloExpo.
 Garbagnate Parco Groane (line S1 Milan-Saronno) – the next station on the
S1 line, at the intersection of the cycle paths of Groane Park (the main one,
through the Park from North to South) and of the Villoresi Canal, an important
long distance cycleway, running uninterrupted from the Ticino Park to Monza.
 Magenta (line S6 Milan-Novara) – the last Lombard station on the line, it offers
access to the immense naturalistic area of the Ticino Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. A paradise waiting to be explored ... only by bike!
 Pregnana (line S6 Milan-Novara) - in a good position to shorten the journey
from Rho - Fiera Milan to the WWF Nature Reserve in Vanzago or to reach Itinerary 3 from Milan.
 Rho (line S6 Milan-Novara) – the central station of the city, of historic interest
and very close to the old city, which you can reach on foot in less than 5 min utes. Bike hire available from EXPO-by-bike.
 Vanzago (line S5 Milan-Gallarate) - from Milan or Rho-Fiera Milano, one km.
from the WWF Nature Reserve, another convenient access point for Itinerary 3.
 Varedo (line S4 Milan-Camnago) – Another station offering easy access to the
Villoresi cycle path and Itinerary 1 from Milan; located very close to the Bagatti
Valsecchi Villa, from which you can ride down the majestic avenue with very tall
trees that leads away from it. At the end of it, you reach the Villoresi canal: turn
right to reach the areas nearer to Expo, or left to head towards Monza.
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Links and further details
Websites of the North-West pact municipalities:
• www.comune.rho.mi.it
• www.comune.cesate.mi.it
• www.comune.bollate.mi.it
• www.comune.solaro.mi.it
• www.comune.arese.mi.it
• www.comune.senago.mi.it
• www.comune.garbagnate.mi.it
• www.comune.settimomilanese.mi.it
• www.comune.lainate.mi.it
• www.comune.pero.mi.it
• www.comune.cornaredo.mi.it
• www.comune.pregnana.mi.it
• www.comune.pogliano.mi.it
• www.comune.baranzate.mi.it
• www.comune.novate.mi.it
• www.comune.vanzago.mi.it
Websites of important historic-artistic monuments:
• Villa Arconati, Bollate: www.villaarconati.it
• Villa Litta, Lainate: www.amicivillalitta.it
• Cascina Favaglie, Cornaredo: www.italianostramilano-nordovest.org/cascina_favaglie.htm
• Villa Bagati-Valsecchi, Varedo: villabagattivalsecchi.it
• Santuario Vergine Addolorata, Rho: www.santuariorho.it
• Cappella Mantegazza, Locomotive “Gamba de Legn” museum, Settimo
Milanese: www.prolocosettimomilanese.it
Websites of the parks and other areas of naturalistic interest:
• Oasi WWF, Vanzago: www.boscowwfdivanzago.it
• Boscoincittà and Parco delle Cave, Milano: www.cfu.it
• Parco delle Groane (various municipalities): www.parcogroane.it
• Parco del Ticino Lombardo (various municipalities): www.parcoticino.it
• Bosco della Giretta, Settimo Milanese: www.larisorgiva.it
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Printed in April, 2015
texts, photos, editing, cartography and layout: Andea Scagni
editing counselor: Roberto Trigila – Distretto 33
cover: GianLiugi Minoggio – Spaghetti designa
Translated from the Italian language by Pandora Association – Rho
Sponsored by Rho Cicty Council and Patto del Nord-Ovest Milano in partnership with
FIAB - Federazione Italiana Amici della Bicicletta
Legambiente Rho
Free distribution