Our journey begins in Reggio Emilia, a lively and modern city rich in history and culture.

Known as the “City of the Tricolour” because the Italian flag was born here in 1797, Reggio Emilia is a welcoming and accessible city where you can spend a few hours enjoying good life and good food.

A stroll through its historic center is the best way to discover its most emblematic places and monuments, including Piazza Prampolini, overlooked by the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and the Town Hall, Piazza San Prospero, where the evocative Baroque basilica dedicated to the city’s patron saint stands, and the monumental Chiostri di San Pietro, now an art exhibition hall.

Discover what to see in Reggio Emilia in a 10-stage tour.

Once the tour of Reggio Emilia is over, the itinerary continues to the RFI station, close to the historic centre. This is where the regional train leaves for Ciano d’Enza, a town at the foot of the Reggio Emilia hills.
To select the train that allows bicycles on board, simply download the Trenitalia app and activate the ‘Travelling with your bike’ (Viaggia con la tua bici) option in the search screen.

The train, travelling through the fertile countryside of the Po Valley, takes about 45-50 minutes to reach its destination. Ciano d’Enza, built on the Reggio Emilia side of the river Enza, is today the main centre of the municipality of Canossa; its history is closely linked to that of the homonymous castle, the scene of great historical events in the Middle Ages.

Once you get off the train, it’s time to get on your bike.
After about half an hour’s ride (4.5 km) along the SP54 Via dei Castelli, we reach Rossena Castle, the next stop on the itinerary and the starting point of our cycle-tour circuit among castles and hills.

Rossena Castle is one of the best-preserved fortresses in the area.

Built around the year 1000 by the family of Matilde di Canossa, the castle became part of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza at the beginning of the 1600s and later, with the death of Duchess Maria Luigia in 1847, of the Duchy of Modena and Reggio.

Surrounded by green hills and overlooking the Rupe di Campotrera, now a natural reserve, the castle is a splendid example of medieval architecture, with patrol walks offering a splendid panorama.
It is possible to visit the castle, but only with a guide, by reservation.

From Castello di Rossena take Itinerary n. 504 | Canossa and surroundings, a circular itinerary that winds through cart tracks, paths and asphalt roads in the territory ruled by the famous Countess Matilda; details and GPX map available on the AppenninoReggianoBike site.

Along the way we come across the Castle of Canossa, one of the most important symbols of Italian medieval history.

In fact, this place became famous for the so-called Humiliation of Canossa: here, in January 1077, the Emperor Henry IV, in order to lift the excommunication imposed on him by Pope Gregory VII, was forced to humiliate himself by waiting on his knees for three days and three nights in front of the entrance gate of the castle of Countess Matilda.

The fortress has also been a source of inspiration for storytellers and poets. Ludovico Ariosto, who slept there, described in his Orlando Furioso the cliff on which he imagined the enchanted fortress of Atlas.
Today, the ruins of the fortress still dominate the landscape and offer an exceptional panoramic view of the surrounding valleys.

After completing the loop tour, return by bike to Ciano d’Enza and take the train back to Reggio Emilia.
To select the train that allows bicycles on board, simply download the Trenitalia app and activate the ‘Travelling with your bike’ (Viaggia con la tua bici) option in the search screen.

To end the day on a tasty note, stop off at a trattoria to sample local specialities such as erbazzone, tortelli verdi and Parmigiano Reggiano DOP.