Forward. Rho, 22 marzo Gianluigi Forloni City Councillor Responsible for Mobility City of Rho

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3 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

4 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

5 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

6 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 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 4

7 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 and promotes bikefriendly touristic initiatives (e.g. Since 1998 FIAB has been a non-profit organization affiliated to ECF (European Cyclists Federation). Website: 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: 5

8 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 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 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.

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12 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

13 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

14 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 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

15 Cycling around EXPO Agriturismo Villa Bagatti Valsecchi Villa Arconati Useful Usefulinformation information Area EXPO The The route route can can easily easily be be shortened shortened by by omitting the round trip along omitting the round trip alongthe thevilloresi Villoresi canal canal towards towards villa villa Bagatti Bagatti(from (from41 41toto 32 km) or even by heading straight back 32 km) or even by heading straight back toto Bollate Bollate Nord Nord after after the the visit visit toto Villa Villa Arconati Arconati(from (from32 32toto15 15km). km).for Forthe thevisit visit toto the the Villa Villa Arconati Arconati complex, complex, go go toto seethe thewebsite websiteofof the Cultural Centre Insieme the Cultural Centre Insieme Groane Groane

16 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

17 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

18 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

19 special naturalistic interest. The return journey makes use mainly of country roads suitable for cycling. Cycling around EXPO Statues, fountains at Villa Litta Litta Villa La Valera Area EXPO Useful Usefulinformation information The The visit visit toto the the Water Watergames games ofof Villa VillaLitta Littaisisaaguided guidedtour, tour, which adds to the visual splendour the thrill of the story which adds to the visual splendour the thrill of the storyofofhow how this thisrecreational recreationalpark parkofofthe therenaissance Renaissanceperiod periodentertained entertainedits its visitors. visitors.for Foropening openingdays daysand andtimes, times, 17

20 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 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.

21 Cycling around EXPO Area EXPO Bosco in città The Sails of Milan Fair Parco dei Fontanili Cappella Mantegazza Bosco in città Cascina Museo Favaglie Bosco della Giretta Parco delle cave Castello di Cusago 19

22 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 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 lets-bike@koinecoopsociale.it 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 and on the website

23 EXPOvagando Cycling aroundinexpo bici

24 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. 22