66 – (ITA STAGE 18) – Polesella – Ferrara
| Place of Departure | POLESELLA |
| Place of Arrival | FERRARA |
|
Length – KM
|
22,8 |
| Nation of the route | Italy |
| Region | Emilia Romagna |
| Uphill Gap |
33 m
|
| Downhill Gap |
24 m
|
| CAI (Diff. Escurs.) | E |
| Praticability |  |
Stage 18 – Polesella-Ferrara – Short and easy stage, along the river Po. From Veneto you enter Emilia-Romagna through a long busy bridge.
Polesella is the last municipality in the Veneto before the great Po and the border with Emilia-Romagna. You then leave this beautiful flat town by crossing the long bridge over the Po. There is a ladder to climb up from the embankment, but it could be closed. Similarly in the Emilian part to go down the bank. In Emilia you enter the Municipality of Ro (cyclists must follow the road to avoid the stairs). The landscape is by no means monotonous if you know how to look carefully at the great river as it flows, if you know how to observe the bank with its clearings, its woods and the countryside below. On the left there are numerous inhabited centers more or less distant from the embankment. A small road takes you to Sabbioni and Fossa d’Albero. Then, along the embankment, is the small center of Pescara, where there is a fountain in front of the first house. Then you leave the Po river for good, cross Francolino; after a while the road is flanked by an excellent cycle path for about 6 km. Following other cycle paths in the green countryside, you reach the walls of Ferrara. You go to the Certosa area and, going almost in a straight line, you arrive in the historic center and the Castle of Ferrara.
18- Points of Interest
Ferrara – The founding of the city of Ferrara came about due to the continuous barbarian invasions that devastated Voghenza between the 7th and 8th centuries. From the 13th century, it was the capital of the Duchy of Ferrara during the era of the House of Este, when it was an important political, artistic and cultural centre. The urban development that took place during the Renaissance, the “Addizione Erculea”, transformed the city into a model city that earned it the title of “first modern capital of Europe”. In 1995, it obtained recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site for its historical centre, and in 1999 the area received a second UNESCO title for the Po Delta and its Este “Delizie”. It is home to an ancient university. Worth seeing: – The Este Castle. Undisputed symbol of the city, it stands with an imposing presence in the historical centre of Ferrara: it is one of the rare examples of a castle with a moat still containing water visible in Italy. Its construction began in 1385. Masterpieces by two artists from Ferrara are on display, Giovanni Boldini and Filippo De Pisis. – The Cathedral, reconstructed in white marble, has a Renaissance-style bell tower, designed by Leon Battista Alberti, that remains unfinished. – The Municipal Palace (ex Ducal Palace) was the residence of the Este family until the construction of the nearby Castle. The entrance is adorned with the imposing Staircase of Honour. – – Leaving the Cathedral Museum, we turn left and continue along Via San Romano. We come across the wonderful Via delle Volte, so called because of its distinctive arches and suspended passageways. – Corso Ercole I d’Este is considered one of the most beautiful avenues in Europe. It retains its authentic soul as it is free of shops and businesses. The beauty of the buildings that line it is to be admired. – We can decide whether to stop at the Palazzo dei Diamanti (Diamond Palace) or continue to the Medieval Walls. Its name comes from the approximately 8,500 diamond-shaped ashlars in white and pink marble that cover its two facades. Legend has it that one of the ashlars contains a real diamond. The Duke supposedly had the unfortunate foreman blinded and his tongue cut out, so as to keep the location of the precious diamond secret forever. The Palazzo dei Diamanti houses the National Art Gallery of Ferrara.
Further Exploration Jewish Presence – The Jewish community was a crucial part of the city even before the Este family seized power and the Signoria attained ducal rank, but an important qualitative change certainly took place in 1492. Ercole I d’Este, in that year, welcomed the Sephardic Jews driven out of Spain by the Catholic Monarchs. From then on, Jewish culture became increasingly integrated with that of the city until it became a fundamental, characteristic part of it. Even after the creation of the ghetto, there was no lack of Jewish participation and cultural life. During Fascism, the friendship of Jewish Renzo Ravenna with party official Italo Balbo allowed the Jews a certain amount of tranquillity. But after 1938, when the racial laws came into force, the situation of the Jews changed radically: the denunciations began and the ghetto returned to its former function.
please, see the Official Guide of the Via Romea Germanica (www.guidaromea.eu)
WARNING! in the wetlands of the plains provide yourself with products against mosquitoes
Bold type for structures we already used
Red type for structures we have an arrangement (with Credential*)
(*) Prices might change for special situations: please book early and ask for confirmation
How to arrive
| From airport (VENEZIA, MILANO-ORIO, VERONA) to Padova FS Railway Station; | TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Padova FS Railway Station – Rovigo/Polesella FS Railway Station | Autobus Rovigo/Polesella (www.oraribus.com/Polesella-Ferrara-autobus) |
| From Bologna Marconi airport (www.bologna-airport.it) > shuttle Bologna-FS = (www.tper.it); tel. +39-051-290290 – Airport Shuttle Service: www.airservicepadova.it. | TRAIN – (www.trenitalia.com) Bologna FS Railway Station – Ferrara/Polesella FS Railway Station | Autobus Ferrara/Polesella (www.oraribus.com/Polesella-Ferrara-autobus) |
Where to eat
 |
Typical Dishes = Il Cucchiaio | Typical Dishes = Dissapore | Typical Dishes = Gambero Rosso | Typical Dishes = Buonissimo |
| Sigma | Piazza Matteotti,414 – 45038 POLESELLA | |||
| Despar | Strada Statale 16, 2762 – 45038 POLESELLA | |||
| 381 Storie da Gustare – coop. Sociale | Piazzetta Corelli,24 – 44100 FERRARA | 0532 762052 / 320 2512214 | 381@ilgermoglio.fe.it | www.381storiedagustare.it Arrangement |
| Agriturismo Ca’ Nova Di Tasca Andrea | Via Dazio, 40 – 44030 RO FE | 0532 868239 | andrea.tasca63@yahoo.it | |
| Locanda del Po | via dei Calzolai 653, 44036 FRANCOLINO FE | 370-3265437 / 0532-724173 | locandadelpo@gmail.com | |
| Camplus Living Il Cenacolo | via Fabbri 414, 44100 FERRARA | 0532-742456 | info.cenacolo@campusliving.it | www.camplusapartments.it/chi-siamo/offerta-abitativa/ferrara-cenacolo/ |
Where to sleep
Bike Service
| BiciDeltaPo:Ferrara Store | Piazza della Repubblica,23 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-242759 | ||
| BiciDeltaPo:Hotel Europa | Corso Giovecca,49 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-205456 | ||
| Ceragioli | Piazza Travaglio,4 – 44121 FERRARA | 339-4056853 | ||
| Speedy Bici | Via G.Pesci,38 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-92330 | ||
| Frignani Lorenzo | Via XX Settembre,195 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-61155 | ||
| Garbini Cicli | Via C.Mayr,13 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-765318 | ||
| D’Arminio Elio | Via Argine Ducale,8 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-764195 | ||
| Barlati Moto Biciclette Accessori | Via G.degli Adelardi,1 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-206863 | ||
| Cavallari Giuliano | Corso Porta Mare,79 – 44121 FERRARA | 0532-752350 | ||
| Il Germoglio – coop.sociale | Via Darsena,132 – 44100 FERRARA | 329-0477971 | ricicletta@ilgermoglio.fe.it | www.ilgermoglio.fe.it |
Pilgrim Service
| VISIT – EMILIA-ROMAGNA | www.emiliaromagnaturismo.it/it/vie-di-pellegrinaggio/via-romea-germanica | |||
| I.A.T. FERRARA | Largo Castello Estense – 44100 FERRARA | 0532 209370 | infotur@provincia.fe.it | www.ferrarainfo.com |
| Tavalazzi Pamela – organizzatrice cammini | via Gramsci, 8 – 44011 ARGENTA FE | 338-6071909 – tavalazzi pamela | pamela@studiotavalazzi.com | www.studiotavalazzi.com |
| Gulliver Viaggi – Agenzia | via Bologna,82 – 44100 FERRARA | 0532-769515 | info@gulliverviaggi.eu | www.gulliverviaggi.eu |
Photos from the Track
