Would you like to immerse yourself in nature and history? Do you love unusual paths? Then we suggest visiting one of the most iconic areas of Emilia Romagna; out of the traditional touristic routes. Thanks to our tour on the Great River PO (the longest river in Italy) you will discover the most beautiful and hidden corners of what we call “Bassa Reggiana”.
The named “Bassa”: an uncommon, and extraordinary place.
More than a place, Bassa Reggiana is, first of all, an imaginary drawn in the imagination by writers and directors who first loved this corner of Emilia. Bernando Bertolucci told the stories of his homeland in the twentieth century choosing among the different places also Guastalla. Brescello, on the other hand, is famous because cinema has made it the city where you can relive the adventures of Don Camillo and Peppone and the whole small world described in the books of Giovannino Guareschi.
Instead, the painter Antonio Ligabue came and lived in Gualtieri, once he had fled Switzerland. This year tha actor was described by “Volevo nascondermi” (I wanted to hide), a new movie by Giorgio Diritti, presented in world preview at the 70th Berlin Film Festival and then arriving in Italian cinemas, distributed by 01. Elio Germano brings us back to the life of the painter Antonio Ligabue, a man who lived in the only way he could, with the brush tight in his rickety hands or in his mouth transfigured by a grimace of pain and a palette full of those iridescent colors that reality did not allow him.
The Po River and its land: an indissoluble relationship
However, the real protagonist of this area is the PO river, which has determined the lives of those who lived in these areas. Its flow is sometimes tumultuous, sometimes slow course, and it marks the territory by creating microsystems with typical flora and fauna. Here, where dialects are in common use. At the beginning of the 1900s the same reclamation marked the landscape with water pumps, ditches, barrels, bridges, expansion tanks, canals, and banks. Rural farmhouses and mills testify, however, what the ancient rural economy that revolved around the river was. From June 2019 the middle Po Valley of the Po that in Emilia Romagna crosses the provinces of Piacenza, Parma, and Reggio Emilia, has been proclaimed UNESCO MaB Biosphere Reserve for the protection of biodiversity.
A unique territory, far from the stereotype of the classic natural area, but with an environmental and landscape richness that few large urban centers boast: an anthropized fabric where a river and a hill rich in habitats and historical and architectural excellence coexist together with a metropolitan area. This characteristic landscape offers beautiful experiences to those who explore it: naturalistic views, cycle paths, and … delicious food. Are you ready to discover this corner of Emilia with us?
Between history and nature
Our two-day journey will make us live and discover the landscapes and the excellence of the Great River, together with Guastalla, the capital of the Gonzaga duchy. The center has ancient origins, but under the Gonzaga reached its maximum splendor. It is from here that our itinerary will start, choosing between walks along the Crostolo river with its naturalistic oases and its villages of Sabbiaroli, the bicycle trip to Boretto and Brescello; or in the direction of Gualtieri, Luzzara or Riva di Suzzara; or even a Canadian canoe ride, where contemporary history has left traces like the three ships sunk during the Second World War. We will stop for a few moments of pleasure, there will be a tasting of local products, an excellent way to get to know the specialties of the area and the outstanding Lambrusco, stopping at a typical restaurant in the area. Are you ready to discover this outstanding corner of Emilia Romagna with us? Let’s discover our tour here Experience Po River
