In a world increasingly characterized by pollution, noise and traffic, the bicycle today represents a unique and ecological means of transport capable of making you appreciate the surrounding landscape with tranquility and absolute peace.
While many realities of Italy are characterized by the lack of suitable infrastructures, Parma offers cyclists the presence of well-structured cycle paths that encourage cyclists to travel even urban stretches without the invasive danger of cars: PedalArt PARMA2020 is a network of cycling routes, made by FIAB Parma, in collaboration with FIAB Reggio Emilia and FIAB Piacenza, associations, bodies and municipalities of Parma and Reggiano, included in the events of PARMA2020.
The Student's Hostel San Leonardo is characterized as a real City Bike Hostel.
Ideal to accommodate single cyclists and / or large groups of lovers of this wonderful lifestyle.
You will find:
- a large garden where you can park your bikes for free;
- all the equipment to repair the bikes in case of breakdown or puncture of tires;
- a convenient and economical laundry and drying service including detergent for washing clothes;
- all the information and information material to choose the most appropriate cycling route for you among those that propose the wonderful lands of the Parma;
- possibility to rent bikes directly at the hostel.
The wealth of cultural excellences, but also of small treasures, within the Parma, Reggio and Piacenza area is enhanced with a sustainable and slow tourism offer that allows you to grasp its beauties and uniqueness. For this reason, these itineraries are perfectly integrated with Tourer's spirit of discovering the widespread cultural heritage and landscape of Emilia-Romagna, the first step in the collaboration with FIAB to be extended to the whole region. The time of slow travel is not wasted time, it is time that acquires a value, a dimension of its own in the discovery of the landscape, in the encounter with people, in the dialogue with the traveling companion: "travel beats time" and " true voyage of discovery does not consist in seeking new lands, but in seeing with new eyes ”(M. Proust).
The routes integrate with the European, national and regional cycle routes, such as Eurovelo 5 (Francigena), Eurovelo 7 (Ciclopista del Sole), Eurovelo 8 (CicloPo) and BicItalia 16 (Verona-Sarzana). Not only that, the Student's Hostel network also meets these needs: you can follow all the routes from Parma to Reggio Emilia using the same services also available at the Student's Hostel della Ghiara in Reggio Emilia. And, for the more adventurous and performing, willing to follow the itineraries that go towards the Po delta, you will find the Estense Student's Hostel in Ferrara, another city bike hostel in our network.
Greenway of the Parma Ducal Residences
Cycle route that connects the places where the residences of the Duchess Maria Luigia, Colorno, Parma, Sala Baganza can be seen, along the Parma and Baganza waterways, from the plain to the first hill.
Parma castles
The route is an invitation to discover some of the most significant and evocative fortified residences of the Parma hills: Torrechiara, Felino, Sala Baganza.
Parmesan peasant civilization
The route takes you into the peasant world surrounded by the Parma foothills: the Corte Giarola in the Taro Park, the pasta and tomato museums and the Guatelli Museum
Liberty in Parma and the Magnani Rocca Collection
The tour leads to the Liberty "Iron and concrete flowers" in Parma and the surprising art collection collected in Villa Magnani Rocca in Mamiano.
The Resistance in Parma and the Cervi Museum
The itinerary aims to make known the symbolic places of the anti-fascist struggle in Parma and the museum dedicated to the sacrifice of the 7 Cervi brothers.
Along the Enza between nature, art and history
The route allows you to discover the castles of Montechiarugolo and Montecchio and the Cronovilla Oasis, arriving there in an unusual way, from below.
Guareschi and the lower Parma area
The route leads to discover the world of Guareschi, made up of men, landscapes, passions and bicycles: Parma, Diolo, Fontanelle.
Verdi and his land
The path leads to the places where Maestro Verdi was born, lived and wrote his famous works: Parma, Roncole Verdi, Busseto.
Petrarch between culture and silence
The route reveals the places of Parma, Monticelli Terme and Val d’Enza with the Tempietto di Selvapiana, where Petrarch lived for about ten years, a little known fact.
Parmesan Romanesque churches
The route allows you to discover some of the most beautiful parish churches in the Parma area, places of passage and welcome on the Francigena: S. Croce, Gaione, Vicofertile, Madregolo, S. Genesio (S. Secondo)
Matildic castles
The route leads to some of the most beautiful and best preserved castles where Countess Matilda di Canossa lived, protagonist of the struggles and reconciliation between the empire and the papacy at the turn of the year 1000.
Piacenza castles
The route leads to the discovery of some of the castles of the duchy in the Piacenza area: Agazzano and Rivalta.
The Small World of Don Camillo and Peppone
The route allows you to enter the Po landscape and see the places of the films taken from the books by Giovannino Guareschi.
Parma: art, culture and humanity… listening to the statues
The tour introduces the most significant places, monuments, streets and squares of Parma, listening to the talking statues of the Talking Teens project.
The Po, music, landscapes and flavors
The route enters the lands of the Po that saw the genius of Giuseppe Verdi at work and guides you to discover the landscapes of the great river, Unesco heritage with the Mab Po Grande reserve, pedaling along the embankment and rediscovering ancient flavors.
The guardians of salt: castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza
The itinerary leads to the discovery of the most evocative castles that dominate the hills around Salsomaggiore, a land of vineyards and spas since Roman times.
Parma thermal baths
The route allows you to discover the thermal baths of Salsomaggiore and Tabiano, immersed in the gentle landscapes of the first hill that slopes down to Fidenza.
The Via del Sale of the Cistercian Monks
The route connects the salt pans of Salsomaggiore with the abbey of Chiaravalle, retracing the road that the monks took to stock up on the precious salt.
Cistercian abbeys
The itinerary leads from Parma to Fiorenzuola pedaling to the discovery of some splendid Cistercian abbeys, protagonists in the Middle Ages of the reclamation of a flat land rich in water.
You can find more information, with routes complete with guides, gps tracks and much more by visiting the website: https://www.tourer.it/itinerari?id=1