Discover what to do in Bergantino: a bike ride in Bergantino, the carousel museum, the Bergantino salami festival. Want to know more? First of all…
Where is Bergantino?
The municipality of Bergantino borders to the northeast with Legnago, to the northwest with Cerea, to the east and southeast with Castelnovo Bariano, to the southwest with Borgocarbonara, to the west with Melara.
Bike ride in Bergantino, Castelnovo Bariano and Castelmassa
The starting point of the itinerary is the town hall of Bergantino at Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 107. Leave the entrance of the municipal building behind you, cross the square and take the cobbled street leading to Via Bellini, then cross the road and climb the staircase leading to Via Argine Po.
Turn left and proceed for 9 km along the asphalt road that follows the wide bends of the Po River. From the privileged perspective of the embankment, you can gaze upon the extraordinary panorama of the Po, the sinuous natural border between Veneto and Lombardy from which emerge river islets cloaked in wild vegetation. Among these stands the majestic Isola Bianchi, a nature oasis where the migratory bird the great reed warbler finds refuge.
The floodplain area is shaded by cypress poplars, willows, elms, black alders, English oaks, elderberries, privets, dogwoods, brambles and dense formations of common reeds. Turning your gaze north, you can contemplate the lush rural landscape of the Rovigo area dotted with farmhouses and rustic buildings immersed in greenery.
At this point (45.01391224871096, 11.31056950895548) descend the embankment onto Via Cesare Battisti. Follow Via Cesare Battisti for 1 km, crossing the urban center of Castelmassa. At the intersection turn left and follow Via San Martino and Via Castello for 1.6 km, flanking sunny vineyards and a lush nursery.
Cross the provincial road and continue west along Via Castello and Piazza Municipale for 900 meters, then turn left onto Via Gramignazzi. Follow Via Gramignazzi for 800 meters among poplar groves and cornfields, then keep left onto Via Giacciana. After 600 meters keep right to return to Via Argine Po and retrace the road back to the starting point.
The carousel museum
Located in Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 85, the Museum of the Carousel and Itinerant Popular Entertainment traces the history of amusement parks through ancient musical instruments, meticulous reproductions of carousels and many other rides dating back to the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century.
The jewel in the crown of the museum exhibition is an ancient orchestrion, a mechanized organ once used during fair events to enliven the atmosphere and invite attendees to board the rides. In addition to the organ pipes, the instrument includes a bass drum, drum, cymbals and charming bells played by two painted wooden figures. A sophisticated system of gears, bellows and belts, originally hand-operated and perfectly synchronized, still allows you to hear the playful melodies that brightened the festive days of 19th-century amusement parks.
Located in Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 85, the carousel museum is one of the most original and fascinating exhibition routes in the region.
Bergantino salami festival
The 2023 edition of the Bergantino salami festival took place from Thursday 29 June to Sunday 2 July in Via Pasino, at the municipal sports field.
An unmissable opportunity for food lovers, the long-awaited event features spacious and comfortable tent structures where you can choose between delicious dishes, both indulgent and gourmet, that honor the regional gastronomic tradition.
The menus of previous editions have included specialties such as bigoli with sardines, duck fettuccine, macaroni with guanciale, and the exquisite risotto al tastasal. The latter consists of a mixture of lean and fatty pork meats, salted, peppered and flavored with cloves, cinnamon and rosemary.
Ideal for seasoning pasta, risottos and making first-choice hamburgers, tastasal takes its name from the habit of tasting the mixture to check the right level of salting.
In addition to tastasal, a renowned Veronese product of peasant origin, during the festival you can enjoy succulent beef cuts, ribs with slices of grilled polenta and the characteristic pinsin, to be paired with slices of local salami and local cheeses.
The ingredients of pinsin are flour, mineral water and a pinch of salt. Once rolled out with a rolling pin, the dough is cut into small rhombuses which are then fried in oil or lard.
If you are wondering what to do in Bergantino, the salami festival is a recommended event for those who want to spend the beautiful season with musical performances, dance evenings and culinary specialties to be savored in the splendid rural setting of the Rovigo plain crossed by the Po.
For more information about the lively event, you can consult the Facebook page Festival del Salame di Bergantino.
