Romagna Gypsum Cycle Route

Starting from the Brisighella train station, the route climbs toward the Rocca and the Monticino Sanctuary, where you can choose to continue along the main road or take a more challenging alternate route—accessible only when the ground is dry—that passes through the Monticino Open-Air Geological Museum, housed within a large abandoned quarry. It is a landscape of contrasts, where gypsum outcrops and karst formations alternate with Mediterranean vegetation on the south-facing slopes and cooler forests on the north-facing ones.

The route then enters the heart of the Vena del Gesso Romagnola Regional Park, reaching the Ca’ Carnè visitor center, amid chalk outcrops, sinkholes, and wooded areas. From here, the route climbs toward the Passo della Valletta and then descends rapidly to Zattaglia, where you can tackle a second loop around Monte Mauro, the main peak of the Vena del Gesso and one of its most representative karst landscapes.

On the northern slope, the landscape changes once again: you’ll cross a strip of clay before descending into the Sintria valley floor and reaching Passo del Gatto, amid sinkholes and karst groves, before heading back toward Brisighella.

The bike route runs mainly along low-traffic paved roads, with some trail alternatives recommended only when the ground is dry. The full route is about 30 km long, while riding only the first loop shortens the distance to about 21 km. The climbs and elevation changes require a good level of fitness, but the option to shorten the route allows you to tailor it to your own abilities.

The Ciclovia dei Gessi Romagnoli is part of the Ciclovie dei Parchi dell’Emilia-Romagna, a network of ten cycling routes designed to explore the region’s parks and nature reserves.