The best traffic-free bike rides around Villafranca Padovana

The former Cocche station is located along the route of the Treviso-Ostiglia, the historic military railway, now transformed into one of the most spectacular cycle paths in the Veneto region. Situated in the territory of Vigasio, in the province of Verona, this station represented a fundamental rural hub for the transport of goods and people in the lower Veronese area. Today, the station building is an iconic stop for those travelling along the cycle path. The building retains the sober and functional style typical of early 20th-century railway infrastructure, immersed in the silence of the countryside. Its position along the green corridor of the Treviso-Ostiglia makes it a landmark for cycle tourists crossing the plain, offering a nostalgic glimpse of what was once called "the unfinished railway".

Safe routes for gravel running lovers, corroborated by unique countryside environments, poplar groves and small woods traversable via white roads and trails.

A park and biodiversity oasis where lavender reigns supreme. A great place for mental respite, with a small children's play area. Products for sale.

One-way traffic

Equipped refreshment point

Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua / Basilica of Saint Anthony, Padua The Basilica of Saint Anthony, known as "the Saint," is the city's most important religious center and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year, especially on June 13, the saint's feast day. The basilica was built in 1232 to protect the tomb of the Franciscan friar Anthony, who died in Padua in 1231. The large building presents a complex structure with a fusion of styles: Romanesque elements in the façade, Gothic elements in the ambulatory, Byzantine elements in the eight domes covered with lead, and Moorish elements in two tiers. The Church of Saint Anthony holds numerous reminders of the Carrara Signoria. In 1350, Cardinal Guido de Boulogne came to the cathedral to acknowledge the saint's miracle and was greeted by Jacopo II da Carrara and Bishop Hildebrand. Members of the Carraresi family, such as the Lupi di Soragna and the Conti, chose the basilica as the site for their own mausoleums. The Chapel of the Black Madonna now stands on the site of the earlier church, dedicated to Santa Maria, Mother of the Lord. The polychrome Madonna is by Rinaldino di Francia and dates from 1396. Rinaldino is also likely the artist of the shield bearing the portrait of Stefano da Carrara, now in the city museums. A funerary monument to Raffaele Fulgioso, a renowned jurist from the University of Padua, is located to the left of the chapel. The Chapel of Blessed Luca reveals even closer ties to the Carraresi family: it was built between 1380 and 1382 by Naimerio and Manfredino Conti, executing the will of Fina Buzzaccarini. They commissioned Giusto de'Menabuoi, a painter from the Carraresi court, to create the frescoes. The stories of Saints Philip and James, arranged on the chapel walls, reveal a surprising new sense of spaciousness. In the center, within the lunette, are portraits of the patrons: Saint Anthony, Blessed Luke, Saint Francis, and Saint Louis of Toulouse, as they are presented to the Virgin. Text / Source: Turismo Padova https://www.padua.info/de/padua/was-zu-sehen-ist/details/basilica-di-santantonio

It's beautiful but it makes a mess when you ride a bike through it.

Great place to stop, lots of tables but not much space to park your bike if you don't have a stand.