The best traffic-free bike rides in Lombardy

I learned here that it's not the elevation gain that truly tires you, but the gradient

The Locks of Bellinzago Lombardo are an important historical hydraulic engineering work located along the course of the Naviglio della Martesana. They represent one of the best-known stopping and points of interest for cyclists and hikers who frequent the canal bank. These historical hydraulic systems (locks or sluices) originally served to regulate the flow of water and allow commercial navigation between the Adda and Milan.

The Martesana cycle path starts from Cassina de' Pomm at the corner of via Melchiorre Gioia and extends for 30 km passing through the municipalities of Cologno Monzese, Vimodrone, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Cassina dei Pecchi, Bussero, Gorgonzola, Gessate, Inzago and Cassano d'Adda

The road surface is worn but easily rideable with a road bike. Little traffic, almost completely in the shade and with breathtaking nature. Personally, I would not ride it in rain / wind, as the risk of falling rocks is very high - at least after a thunderstorm, there were some large stones and branches on the road.

Naviglio della Martesana is perhaps the least known of the ancient artificial canals connecting Milan to the great Lombard rivers. It originates from the Adda in Concesa, a hamlet of Trezzo d’Adda, crosses the Martesana sub-region, northeast of the provincial capital, and once in the city, it plunges underground beneath Via Melchiorre Gioia, at the height of Cassina de’ Pomm. It measures approximately 38 km in length, with a width varying from 9 to 18 meters. However, once upon a time, the Naviglio della Martesana continued in the open air all the way to the center, where a lock system centered on the Conca dell’Incoronata connected it to the short Naviglio di S. Marco and the urban network of the Navigli. The lock was inaugurated in 1496, utilizing lock gates designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The canal had been opened in 1471, under Francesco Sforza. By connecting it to the other Navigli, Leonardo laid the foundations for realizing a dream of the Sforzas: to travel by water from the Ticino, and therefore from Lake Maggiore, all the way to the Adda.

The route runs alongside the Naviglio della Martesana, perhaps the least known among the ancient artificial canals connecting Milan to the great Lombard rivers. It originates from the Adda river in Concesa, a hamlet of Trezzo d’Adda, crosses the Martesana sub-region, north-east of the provincial capital, and once in the city, it plunges underground beneath via Melchiorre Gioia, near Cassina de’ Pomm. It measures approximately 38 km in length, with a width varying from 9 to 18 meters. However, at one time, the Naviglio della Martesana continued in the open air right into the center, where a system of locks centered on the Conca dell’Incoronata connected it to the short Naviglio di S. Marco and the urban ring of the Navigli. The lock was inaugurated in 1496, utilizing lock gates designed by Leonardo da Vinci. The canal had been opened in 1471, under Francesco Sforza. By connecting it to the other Navigli,

The construction of the Naviglio Piccolo, later called della Martesana, was initiated by Francesco Sforza in 1475 to move along the route "machinery, oil presses, spinning mills, paper mills". It originates from the Adda river, on the right bank, below the Castle of Trezzo and reaches Milan at Cascina de' Pomm, ending up buried at San Marco. The Naviglio della Martesana, definitively completed in 1496 under the guidance of Ludovico il Moro, flows from Trezzo sull’Adda to Milan for a total length of 38 km. The route runs alongside the ancient Roman road that crossed the Adda with two branches: at Vaprio and at Cassano. Concurrently with the improvement of the agricultural structure thanks to irrigation, a notable flourishing of stately villas occurred in the Baroque era. The irrigational function of the Martesana marks the clear boundary between the dry plain to the north and the irrigated plain to the south.

The construction of the Naviglio Piccolo, later known as the Martesana, was started by Francesco Sforza in 1475 to transport along the route "grinding stones, oil presses, spinning mills, paper mills". It originates from the Adda, on the right bank, below the Castle of Trezzo and reaches Milan at Cascina de' Pomm, ending buried at San Marco. The Naviglio della Martesana, definitively completed in 1496 under the guidance of Ludovico il Moro, flows from Trezzo sull’Adda to Milan for a total length of 38 km. The route runs alongside the ancient Roman road that crossed the Adda with two branches: at Vaprio and at Cassano. Concurrently with the improvement of the agricultural structure thanks to irrigation, a notable flourishing of stately villas occurred in the Baroque era. The irrigation function of the Martesana marks the clear boundary between the dry plain, to the north, and the irrigated plain, to the south.