From Milan to Mendrisio, crossing parks, cycle paths, trails, nature, and history, all this is possible thanks to the Insubric Cycle Route. It is a mostly cycle-friendly and protected route that leads from the Lombard capital to nearby Switzerland.A 77-kilometer journey that will take us through the provinces of Milan and Varese, all the way to the Canton of Ticino.
The itinerary is now entirely accessible by bike thanks to the A new section has been inaugurated between Malnate and the Lanza Valley, connecting the Olona Valley cycle path and the Lanza Valley cycle path.This work along the route has ensured greater safety, making the route accessible to all users, including families.
Milan and its parks
The Insubric Cycle Route starts in the northern part of Milan, specifically in the Dergano district, and immediately heads north. Leaving the city you can immediately perceive the change in landscape and panoramas, passing from the colors of the houses to the green of the North ParkAn area which contains within it a part of the history, including the cycle path of the city, with its velodrome and the dirt roads where you can cycle away from traffic.
Once we've crossed this first point, the itinerary takes us towards the Olona River and its cycle path. A dive into the province of Varese, which still allows us to glimpse the profiles of the skyscrapers behind us, but at the same time, it offers us the spectacle of the still-snowcapped mountains. The profile of Monte Rosa stands out in the background, as we slowly continue our journey.
Valleys and history
While the Olona cycle path slowly accompanies us, we continue in the opposite direction to the river, which will then take it to flow into the Lambro Meridionale and from there to the Po river. On the banks of the Olona river, in the Lainate area, you pass by Villa Visconti Borromeo LittaA residence built in the 16th century for the Visconti Borromeo counts, now open to the public. A visit to the famous Renaissance nymphaeum is also recommended.
Before changing route and entering the Valle Lanza cycle path, you pass through Castiglione Olona: one of the most important Renaissance villages in Lombardy and an excellent point for a first refreshment with a short stop at a bar.
The final section in the Lanza Valley takes the user through a third landscape, as different as it is evocative. From history and bricks we move on to nature, which in this small area near the Swiss border becomes the undisputed masterFarmhouses and mills are the only buildings you can come across. To enter the Canton of Ticino you can pass through the municipality of Gaggiolo, where the Valletta del Laveggio cycle path will take us to the final destination of our journey: Mendrisio.
When choosing a return trip to Milan and the surrounding area after cycling the Insubric Cycle Route, we recommend taking the train, which is equipped with comfortable carriages with racks.
