• Active & Green
    • Art & Culture
    • Food & Wine

Castles and Rice Paddies

A tour of Castles and Rice Paddies in search of a land of exquisite beauty

This itinerary will lead you through a landscape that tells the story of this territory and the labours of the people who live there. This area is known as the Lomellina, a mosaic of water and land, a smooth, flat surface where, amidst the sixty thousand hectares of rice paddies, the escape routes are the banks, the walkways that skim the water are the boundaries and the bridges. The perfectly levelled land of the Lomellina is dotted with villages (almost sixty municipalities and adjoining hamlets) and with vast cascine, the typical farmsteads. The history of the area lies in the effort of the people who, for more than one thousand years, have toiled to level the sandy dunes and the boulders smoothed by the flow of the three rivers (the Sesia, the Ticino and the Po), the basins and the valleys, guiding and channelling the streams and canals. 

A fertile land generous with numerous varieties of quality rice, asparagus, beans, red onions, pumpkins, frogs and salami, all gourmand agricultural products. This substantially manmade landscape is surrounded by natural habitat – such as the Ticino park – where the original ecosystem is being gradually restored, thanks to projects for the conservation of botanical and faunal biodiversity. Tradition, nature and culture (the Lomellina is a treasury of Romanesque and Renaissance art and architecture: historical towns, castles, ancient villages and churches) and history (for significant stretches the roads follow the steps of the pilgrims on the Via Francigena and its fertile fields were also the unforgotten battlefields during the Risorgimento).


Attachments

Scarica l'opuscolo dell'itinerario Castelli e Risaie
Take me here: Castles and Rice Paddies

On the same topic

Gardens Brescia

Let yourself be enchanted by the splendor of the green and the thousand colors of the nature of the gardens of Brescia
  • Active & Green
Gardens Brescia, the greener side of Lombardy

Train & Bike Valtellina

Discover Valtellina with the Train& Bike offer!
  • Active & Green
Train & Bike Valtellina

On the wings of winter

In winter at the Parco del Mincio to spot flocks of migratory birds.
  • Active & Green
The Vallazza Natural Reserve

Galbusera bianca

Rediscover the taste of life slowly immersed in unspoiled nature, visit the Oasis of Galbusera Bianca.
  • Active & Green
Galbusera Bianca

Thematic trail - The districts of Chiesa in Valmalenco

In addition to natural beauty, signs of art and culture contribute greatly to the identity of the Valmalenco area.
  • Active & Green
Photos by Felice Battaglia

Noci park

The Parco delle Noci, located in Melegnano, is one of the first Urban Oasis built in Italy.
  • Active & Green
Noci Park

Unforgettable Experiences on Lake Maggiore

  • Active & Green
Unforgettable Experiences on Lake Maggiore

Cycling from Col d'Anzana to Val Fontana

  • Active & Green
Cycling from Col d'Anzana to Val Fontana

The High Route of Valmalenco – 6th stage

Rif. Marinelli Bombardieri (2813 m) - Bocchetta di Caspoggio (2983 m) - A. Fellaria e Rif. Bignami (2382 m)
  • Active & Green
Passaggio dalla bocchetta di Caspoggio

Journey to the centre of the earth in Lombardy

Discover the secrets of Lombardy's mines: history, culture, mystery, and trade in the heart of the mountains
  • Active & Green
Viaggio al centro della terra, in Lombardia

Cycling from Aprica to Val Belviso

  • Active & Green
Cycling from Aprica to Val Belviso

Family walks to put a spring in your step

The transition from summer to autumn provides the ideal conditions for regenerating family moments along the scenic trails of Lombardy.
  • Active & Green
passeggiate_in_ Lombardia

Birdwatching in Lombardy

Parks, nature reserves and oases where you can take a glimpse into the secret lives of birds
  • Active & Green
Birdwatching in Lombardy

Guide Valmalenco

In the Valmalenco Guides group you can find professionals who can accompany you on your adventures whether you are an expert, or simply dream of taking your first step.
  • Active & Green
Guide Valmalenco

Secret nature in Bergamo and Brescia

Hidden parks and botanical gardens, amidst old palaces and monasteries, to rediscover the bond between nature, history and art.
  • Active & Green
(Ph: I Mille)

The Park Colonie Padane is open!

Come and discover the park!
  • Active & Green
The Park Colonie Padane is open!

Ca' branchi walk - Somasassa - Caven - Tresenda

  • Active & Green
Somasassa

Gardens Monza

Relax and nature among the rose gardens in Villa Reale of Monza and in the parks of the province.
  • Active & Green
Mete verdi lombardia

Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

An event that looks to the future, sustainability and inclusion, immersed in the charm of the Lombard landscape and tradition.
  • Active & Green
Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics

Kitesurf in Lombardy

Where to do kitesurfing in Lombardy
  • Active & Green
Windsurf, Como lake