Cycling from Milan to Canton Ticino with minimal encounters with car traffic is now a reality thanks to the recently completed “Insubrica Cycle Path.” This approximately 77-kilometer itinerary links the Lombard metropolis to Switzerland, leveraging a network of existing cycle paths and greenways across the Alto Milanese and Varesotto regions. The route was finalized with the new connection between the Valle Olona cycle path, near Malnate, and the Valle del Lanza cycle path, enabling a continuous, protected journey to Mendrisio.
Albano Marcarini: The Expert Behind the Route
The itinerary has been meticulously mapped and documented on Komoot by Albano Marcarini, an urban planner, cartographer, and author of numerous guides dedicated to slow travel. Marcarini is widely recognized as a leading Italian authority in cycle tourism mobility. For years, he has explored territories in search of lesser-known routes, which he then meticulously details in his guides and editorial projects, combining technical precision with a keen eye for the surrounding environment. His recent publications include “Lombardy by Bike,” a guide featuring over 120 itineraries spanning more than five thousand kilometers, complete with GPS tracks and technical instructions, designed to help explore the region’s landscapes, art cities, and natural paths by bike.
A Long, Protected Itinerary
The “Insubrica Cycle Path” conceived by Marcarini is almost entirely on protected terrain, with approximately 95% of the route running on cycle paths or very low-traffic roads. The surface is largely asphalted, with an overall ascent of about 520 meters and a descent of 320 meters. The average travel time is around five hours at a leisurely pace. It is not a single cycle path but rather an itinerary constructed by connecting several existing infrastructures.
The route incorporates the Parco delle Groane cycle path, the Canale Villoresi cycle path, the Olona Greenway, and in the Varesotto area, the Valle Olona cycle path, culminating in the Valle del Lanza cycle path. The recent connection between the latter and the Olona cycle path, established in the Malnate area, has created a continuous route to the Swiss border, where it continues on cycle paths and secondary roads in complete safety.
Specifically, 36.5 km of the route are on dedicated cycle paths, just over two kilometers on state roads, and the remainder on secondary roads, farm tracks, and trails. Regarding surfaces, 39 km are asphalted, while the remaining 38 km consist of dirt roads, paved roads, and cobbled surfaces.
From Milan to Villoresi
The journey commences in Milan, at Piazza Maciachini, from where cyclists embark on the path leading north through the city’s peripheral districts. This section features cycle paths alongside roads or green verges, with shaded areas providing relief during warmer weather. After a few kilometers, the landscape gradually transforms as the route enters the Parco delle Groane, a vast natural area characterized by pine forests, heathlands, and dirt trails, representing a vital green lung between Milan and Brianza. This segment of the ride traverses Garbagnate Milanese and its surrounding countryside, dotted with historic farmhouses, including the notable Castellazzo di Bollate, and natural environments that starkly contrast with the nearby metropolitan area.
Upon exiting the park, the route intersects with the Canale Villoresi cycle path, one of the most significant cycling infrastructures in the Lombard plain. This section follows the course of the irrigation canal, designed in the 19th century, and winds through a landscape deeply shaped by agriculture and industrial development. Along this stretch, where trees provide a buffer from the surrounding urbanized territory, cyclists encounter towns such as Lainate, home to the impressive Villa Visconti Borromeo Litta with its renowned Renaissance nymphaeum, and Nerviano, the gateway to the Olona valley, where the cycle path skirts the Sanctuary of Colorina.
A short distance further lies Legnano, a city historically linked to the famous medieval battle of 1176, featuring a castle and the expansive Parco Castello, a green area accompanying the Olona river. Within Legnano, cyclists navigate one of the few urban sections, though it is brief. From Castellanza, the route enters the Olona Greenway, one of the most picturesque segments of the entire itinerary.
Industrial Archaeology, Lombards, Art, and War Memories
The cycle path closely follows the river’s course, traversing a valley rich in significant industrial archaeological sites: ancient cotton mills, watermills, and factories that narrate the manufacturing history of the area. Moving upstream, cyclists encounter centers of considerable historical interest. In Cairate, the ancient monastery of Santa Maria Assunta, founded during the Lombard era, stands proudly. Further along, Castiglione Olona, considered one of Lombardy’s most important Renaissance villages, is reached, renowned for its Collegiate Church and the frescoes by Masolino da Panicale.
Amidst these prominent sites, lesser-known gems await discovery: the Prospiano bunker, overlooking the square of the old station, the modern church of the village above, a work by architect Castiglioni, and the ancient small church of Lazzaretto. Beyond Castiglione, a section through meadows leads into the territory below Gurone and Malnate, thanks to the recent cycle path connection. Here, a scenic passage under the high bridge of the Ferrovie Nord and a route past the Gurone Mills, a small hamlet surrounded by a protective embankment like a small Dutch polder, can be experienced.
In the Lanza Valley
At Folla di Malnate, where mills and old textile factories are layered, the route veers towards the Lanza Valley, following the stream that flows through a verdant valley dotted only by a few farmhouses and mills. Here, the landscape transforms once more, offering a more secluded natural environment that escorts the cyclist towards the border. Not to be missed here are the Molera quarries, where stone extraction has created fascinating caverns.
Arrival in Canton Ticino and Possible Return by Train
Traversing border towns such as Cantello and Gaggiolo, the route eventually reaches Switzerland, entering the territory of Canton Ticino. Beyond Gaggiolo, a section of cycle path runs through the Laveggio valley (a brief detour to the small church of Santa Margherita di Stabio, with a grotto and horse farms nearby, is highly recommended). A 16th-century border marker between the State of Milan and the Swiss Confederation marks the transition. The destination is Mendrisio, where the route concludes near the train station. From here, travelers can return by TiLo train to Varese, Como, or Milan.
The complete Komoot track of the “Insubrica Cycle Path” by Albano Marcarini is available online.
Source: https://www.varesenews.it/2026/03/con-la-ciclovia-insubrica-da-milano-al-canton-ticino-in-bici-sempre-lontani-dal-traffico/2512651/
