Discovering the hinterland of Cervia
A rural itinerary in Cervia's country-side along the Savio river, perfect for anyone wanting to discover Cervia's rustic heritage, between historic churches and rural landscapes of great interest.
A one-day completely flat route of about 25 km, from the ancient Pisignano, through Cannuzzo river park to Castiglione and Savio: are you ready to go?
A visit to the Parish Church of Santo Stefano in Pisignano
The journey starts from Cervia either by car or bike, it continues towards the hinterland along the charming road by the salt pan to reach Via Crociarone, a street dotted with remarkable examples of rural architecture. At a short distance there's the entrance of Pisignano, a prominent farming center. On the right you can see one of the most ancient churches in the Ravenna area: the Parish Church of Santo Stefano, surrounded by a beautiful countryside landscape. You may want to visit both the exterior and the interior to marvel at the fine frescoes by Luca Longhi and other artifacts dating back to the Roman era, like the mile stone placed at the entrance. After the visit the route heads towards Via Salara in the same direction, the second stop of the itinerary.
Cannuzzo and Savio river park
You can find three different entrances to Cannuzzo river park along the road. One of them is near the Madonna degli Angeli Sanctuary, a church famous for its marvelous 16th century frescoes.
You can park outside and then proceed either by foot or bike along a path by the river to reach Castiglione.
The Park has an area of about 1 km, it delves into the typical environments of the river banks, between the humid zones and dry plains which open up in the wood of willows and white poplar trees.
The Park’s center is a large circular square surrounded by shaded areas and two clearings equipped with tables, benches and barbecues made of serene stone, a typical material found in Romagna. It's the perfect place for a break before continuing to the next stop.
From Castiglione to Savio by bike
The Park ends at an intersection with the bridge on the cervese road; from here you can take a path by the river, the pedestrian and cycling path of Savio. It's a route of about 7 km that from the height of the river bank towers over the rural city of Castiglione and the surrounding country-side.
At about halfway you can see the entrance of the Duke D'altemps' wood, a green area of about 1 km with plenty of majestic oaks that make it worth a visit.
Keep following the river to reach the town of Savio. From here it's simple to reach both Milano Marittima and Cervia through the Romea Nord street until it joins with the Via Ascione bike path. This street passes in front of Casa delle Aie, an impressive farmyard house very relevant to the history of Cervia, today the location of a cultural center.
By following the last section of countryside you'll find yourself in the Cervia and Milano Marittima pinewood, from here you can decide which way to take to reach one of the two cities.
Official Tourist Information Site of Cervia