In 1457 work was begun on the Martesana – also known as Naviglio Piccolo – a feat of engineering to which Leonardo da Vinci also contributed: a canal to join Milan, the Adda and Lake Como.

The canal, built for Francesco Sforza, was a very important project and now with a cycle route alongside for over 30 kilometres.

Starting from Milan, the route begins near Cassina de’ Pomm, at the corner of Via Melchiorre Gioia, and passes through Cologno Monzese, Vimodrone, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Cassina de’ Pecchi, Bussero, Gorgonzola, Gessate, and Inzago, as far as Cassano d’Adda. The level and almost entirely surfaced route alternates between urban and green areas, with benches and areas equipped for stops. It is also perfect for families and amateur cyclists.

Historic and cultural points can be found along the route, including the villas of noble Milanese families, such as Villa Alari Visconti in Cernusco and Villa Borromeo in Cassano d’Adda, the Ponte delle Gabelle bridge in Milan, old mooring points and washhouses, and the characteristic wooden covered bridge in Gorgonzola. In Groppello d’Adda, you can see the “Rudun” water wheel, rebuilt from the original 1618 design. For a longer ride, you can continue on to Vaprio d’Adda, merging onto the Adda cycle trail to Lecco.

The Martesana cycle route is an itinerary that tells the story of Lombardy's canals, linking the countryside and historic villas, while offering sights of the city and nature along the water.