Fornovo Di Taro between the Via Francigena and the Taro

Between the Via Francigena and the Taro

Fornovo Di Taro combines pilgrimage history, river landscapes and an unusual industrial past. If you are looking for a place with diverse cultural and scenic points of interest for your trip to Italy, you can discover a multifaceted picture of the Province of Parma here.

In the Province of Parma, the Via Francigena passes through Fidenza, Noceto, Medesano, Fornovo di Taro, Terenzo and Berceto. The historic variant from Parma runs along the Parco fluviale del Taro and rejoins the route in Fornovo di Taro. In Ramiola in Fornovo di Taro, one of the access routes to the Taro River coincides with the Via Francigena. A path leads through the Parco del Taro and ends at the Pieve di Fornovo di Taro.

River Landscape and Protected Area

The Parco regionale Taro extends for about 20 kilometres along the Taro from the Via Emilia to Fornovo. Natural gravel banks, islands and branching river channels shape this river landscape. More than 270 bird species have been observed in the Parco regionale Taro, making the area an interesting destination for nature observation as well.

Fornovo di Taro is one of the municipalities affected by the protected area IT4020021 – ZSC-ZPS Medio Taro. The protected area covers the approximately 23-kilometre stretch of the Taro River between Noceto and Fornovo. For your planning, you can therefore consider nature and cultural experiences separately and tailor the focus of your trip to your interests and preferred pace.

Getting There and Choosing Where to Stay

Fornovo Taro can be reached via the motorway A15 exit of the same name. The Parma–La Spezia railway line and public bus routes also serve Fornovo Taro. When choosing accommodation, you can therefore first consider whether travelling by road, train or bus, as well as your preferred excursion and cultural themes, are your main priorities.

Places of History and Technology

Villa Carona stands on a hill on the outskirts of Fornovo, overlooking the Val Taro, and encompasses more than eight centuries of history. The villa can only be viewed from the outside. In Vallezza, the preserved oil extraction site features pumping stations, beam pumping units, chain systems, connecting rods and gears. The MuPe – Parco Museo del petrolio is located in the former Cantiere SPI in Vallezza, Fornovo di Taro.

The Vallezza oil extraction area extends across agricultural land and is considered a unique example in Italy. Oil was first extracted in Italy in the Vallezza area. Alongside the river landscape, this places a tangible chapter of Italian industrial history at the centre of attention.

Pieve, Bridge and Remembrance

The Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta is a Roman Catholic Romanesque-style religious building on Piazza IV Novembre in Fornovo di Taro and belongs to the group of historic parish churches in the Province of Parma. The pieve houses a reliquary cross from the 11th or 12th century depicting the crucified Christ, which was venerated by pilgrims.

The Ponte sul Fiume Taro in Fornovo di Taro is a monumental 19th-century bridge with twenty arches and four marble statues representing local waterways. A commemorative plaque in Fornovo di Taro recalls the battle of 1495 between the army of Charles VIII and the Italian League.

Further places to include in your travel plans for Italy: Monticelli Terme, Signatico, Lemignano, Collecchio, Soragna, Borgo Val Di Taro, Albareto and Felino.

To the main travel overview: Parma.