Po River
The Po River, the longest Italian river, has always been an important and strategic communication point: different kinds of boats have been ploughing its waters since centuries. Its banks, still rich in flora and fauna, offer many itineraries for all those people who are fond of history and nature. Leaving from Milan, just 45 minutes by car from Piacenza, we meet the Po River in Castel San Giovanni: the gothic – Lombard Collegiate Church of St. Giovanni is in the centre of this lively town.
Driving along the right bank, from Castel San Giovanni towards Cremona, we reach Sarmato, where the fountain, the church and the cave of St. Rocco remind us of the holy pilgrim. After Sarmato we meet Rottofreno, important medieval centre situated along the Francigena Way.
Next to Calendasco, in Soprarivo (Boscone Cusani) a Roman Stone shows us the Po ford along the Francigena Way , described by Archbishop Siric in his famous diary. Going towards Piacenza, from the river bank, looking southward, we can see the imposing Palazzo Farnese and the tall bell towers of some churches.
From May until October, you can discover Piacenza wilder side off the banks of the Po River on Calpurnia motor-ship, whose name comes from Julius Caesar’s wife who was born in Piacenza.
This floating journey starts in Piacenza up to Caorso, where the Chiavenna River flows into the Po. Its mouth can be navigated by boat to check out birds and fowl, above all in the nearby of Oasi De Pinedo. The presence of a nuclear power plant, inactive since years, has changed a lot the surrounding area. The absence of houses, no fishing and no hunting areas let year by year many species of birds stop and nest here: birds of prey and herons, among them the rare Purple Heron. The cycle track from Caorso to Castelvetro Piacentino is perfect for nature and sport lovers. In Monticelli d’Ongina the XV century fortress is the location of the Ethnographic Museum, the Po River aquarium and the Country Folk Museum: a remarkable collection of objects useful to understand ancient trades. From Monticelli we get to Isola Serafini, where the Po River forms a very narrow curve. Here the river current creates a little waterfall, useful for the turbines of the hydroelectric power plant. Here the banks, practicable on foot or by bicycle, are particularly interesting. From Isola Serafini we can reach Villanova d’ Arda and Sant’ Agata, places that remind us of Giuseppe Verdi, the great composer, because he spent part of his life in Villa Verdi, a mansion surrounded by a beautiful park, still inhabited by his descendants.