Novarese

Landscape of Bassa Novarese

da Novara a Garbagna Novarese (43,00 km)
Loading...
Highlights and tour details

In the territory of the boroughs of Vespolate, Tornaco, Terdobbiate, Nibbiola, Garbagna and Borgolavezzaro, crossing the ‘parco della Battaglia’ to discover the landscape of the lower Novara area, between humps, rice fields, canals and historic farms, between the rivers Sesia and Agogna.

Departing  from Novara, via Monte San Gabriele; then take Via Mercadante.

Deviation to the right - Cascina San Maiolo

You reach Vespolate

From Vespolate, taking the dirt road that runs alongside the cemetery, you reach the intersection on the left for Borgolavezzaro; you can continue straight and visit the Cascina Caccia and the Parco della Ghina

You reach Borgolavezzaro and taking the SP 96 to get to Tornaco

Continuing on the SP 7 you reach Terdobbiate

Taking the SP 6 on the right, crossing the SR 211, you reach Nibbiola, after 1 km turning right onto a dirt road.

You reach Garbagna and before entering the town turn left on the dirt road that flanks the area of an environmental protection and agricultural park  re-entering onto via Mercadante. Turning right to return to Novara

 

Points of interest

Novara - Cascina San Maiolo: San Maiolo was an abbot of the abbey of Cluny, the same to say that the farming tradition of the cascina dates back to the beginning of the second millennium, in the Middle Ages, and continues today.

  • Faithful to its deep roots, Cascina San Maiolo is dedicated to the cultivation of rice in the most ancient and modern way there is, according to the principles of integrated production.
  • Vespolate - Parish Church of Saints John the Baptist and Antonio Abate: The Parish Church was built in 1772 on the remains of an ancient oratory of the 16th century, undergoing modifications in 1827. Exquisite frescoes and paintings dating back to the 16th century, are present inside.
  • Vespolate - Pieve of San Giovanni Battista: Situated in the countryside, along the road that leads to Tornaco, the Pieve, mentioned in a document of 1024, presents a single nave with semi-circular apse. The frescoes that embellish the pieve date back to the second half of the fifteenth century. Of great artistic interest is the altarpiece of the altar, which depicts the Virgin Mary with Child, between St. Augustine, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Francis of Assisi.
  • Vespolate – Castle: Dating back to 1053, fully restored, it now presents a square plan; a high tower stands next to the building
  • Borgolavezzaro - Palazzo Longoni: Built in the early 18th century by a local landowner, in 1849 it was the general headquarters of Marshal Radetzky during the Austro-Piedmontese war.
  • Borgolavezzaro - Parish Church of Saints Bartholomew and Gaudenzio: It was designed in 1858 by the architect Alessandro Antonelli who also designed the Mole torinese and the Cupola of San Gaudenzio, the symbol of Novara. The building, with one nave, is preceded by a pronaos; worth pointing out the 17th century bell tower.
  • Borgolavezzaro - Cascina Caccia: The rural complex was built in the 16th century by the noble family of  Conti Caccia from Novara. It is the typical Cascina with large courtyard surrounded by buildings in which decorative traces of the Baroque era are still visible. To point out is an ancient mill equipped with rice track and the enchanting dormitory that hosted thousands of mondine (rice weeders) who worked until the 1960s.
  • Borgolavezzaro – Nature Reserve: Set up thanks to the Association Burchvif with the purpose of preserving the habitats typical of the Po Valley, it extends over a surface area of close to two hectares. Today, it presents itself like a botanic garden with shrubs, trees and flowers fully marked, not only with the appropriate botanic terminology, but also in dialect.
  • Tornaco - Villa Marzoni and Museum of Civilization and Culture of the Lower Novarese : the building rises on the remains of the ancient castle dating back to the 15th century. The current 19th century manor house is home to the Museum of Civilisation and Culture of the Lower Novarese.
  • Tornaco - Parish Church of Santa Maria Maddalena: Dedicated to Santa Maria Maddalena, the parish church appears to date back to the 12th century but underwent many alterations and extensions in the following centuries.
  • Terdobbiate - Castle: Already documented in the tenth century and then rebuilt in the fifteenth century, it presents military architecture characterized by a moat and cylindrical towers; since 1530 it  has been the property of Conti Cicogna, to whom the fief of Terdobbiate is entrusted. Transformed over the centuries with important embellishment works, it is now an elegant country house with a large garden of great landscape and botanical interest
  • Terdobbiate – Oratory of Saint Peter: Situated close to the parish church, the small single-nave oratory is rich in frescoes of the 15th and 16th centuries, attributed to Francesco Cagnola.
  • Nibbiola - Castle: evidence of the castle exists as early as 1198, but the current castle dates back to the fifteenth century; on the southern side is the fortress, formed by 4 corner towers and by a tower above the drawbridge.
  • Garbagna - Church of Santa Maria di Campagna: The Romanesque church, better known as “Madonna di Campagna”, was mentioned as early as 1077 and preserves a cycle of 15th century frescoes, including a Pietà of the early fifteenth century and the Crowned Madonna enthroned, by Tommaso Cagnola in 1481.

 

Departure, arrival and municipalities crossed
Departure
strada Mercadante
28100 Novara (NO)
Novara
see on map
Arrival
28070 Garbagna Novarese (NO)
Novara
see on map
districts passed through
Borgolavezzaro, Garbagna Novarese, Nibbiola, Novara, Terdobbiate, Tornaco, Vespolate
Links
Local Tourist Board for the Province of Novara
Please note that the routes may include some sections where there is traffic.
The information contained in the pathways is not binding on the authors and verifiers of the pathways.