The Taro river, from its source to Fornovo, passes under ancient and modern bridges, offers perfect spaces for fishing and in summer becomes a beach.

The Francigena along the Taro, variant 19/bis

It is a very pleasant and varied route, which in the first part crosses the Park of the Woods of Carrega, and then runs through the hills of the Taro valley, with beautiful views of the Po Valley and the Apennines.

The variant follows the eastern bank of the Taro river, which links Parma, Collecchio, Fornovo di Taro, a route since ancient times.

Leaving Parma, from Porta Santa Croce, the pilgrims left the Via Clodia (Via Emilia) at the church of San Pancrazio, reached the church of Vicofertile and then, following in part the residual traces of the Roman centuriation, Madregolo, with its parish church and its hospice, an important stopping point also for pilgrims who came from the nearby ford of the Taro.

And from here they started at the hospice of Collecchiello and along the eastern bank of the Taro to the Court of Giarola, and to the monastery of Oppiano, to Qualatica (Ozzano) and finally to the parish church of Fornovo di Taro in the good season; or during the winter months, when the valley floor was impassable, towards the parish church of Collecchio to reach the hospice of Talignano and its parish, and then up towards the road of the Coast to Fornovo di Taro.

Born from Mount Penna, in the Ligurian Apennines just above the village of Santa Maria del Taro, about 1300 meters high, and flows into the Po, it is its right tributary, after a course of 126 km in the province of Parma. it has a torrential regime and offers a wide choice of areas dedicated to seaside tourism, with suggestive corners of particular naturalistic value there are also areas where fishing is allowed, for example in the municipalities of Tornolo and Bedonia two tourist fishing areas have been established.

For info office uit Bedonia 0525-824765

The most popular places of the taro:

• Il groppo: historic beach with natural pool, between the municipalities of Bedonia and Tornolo -the waterfalls of the copper mines- in Santa Maria del Taro, just outside the town, an easy path leads to the first of the two waterfalls, in the area of the copper mines (the second requires more training but is reachable.
• The Waterfall of the eagles of Val Lecca in Bedonia is another splendid incredible natural glimpse. Reaching the waterfall is very simple and affordable for everyone. In fact, there are only 600 meters that separate the falls from the parking lot.
• The Gorotta is a tributary of the river Taro and flows in front of the town of Foppiano. In its descent it digs its path between the rocks forming seven beautiful waterfalls. The Val Gorotta, which takes its name from the river, is located about an hour’s walk from Bruschi di Sopra and Carniglia. (High difficulty trail, passable only by experienced hikers and accompanied by a guide)
• The potholes of the giants – in the municipality of Borgotaro, along the Vona stream, there is an example of “potholes of the giants” waterfalls carved into the rock. A fairly simple path, the one cai 851, which allows you to closely observe these particular conformations.