Motta Visconti stands on the edge of the Ticino valley, south-west of Milan, where the land drops from the Lombard plain into the broad, wooded corridor of the river. The Ticino here is wild and braided, flowing in multiple channels between gravel banks and islands, and the valley is protected as the Parco del Ticino, one of the oldest regional parks in Italy and a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
The forests along the river are home to herons, kingfishers and many other birds, and the riverside paths are popular with walkers and cyclists. Just upstream, at Bereguardo, a pontoon bridge made of boats crosses the river, one of the last of its kind in Italy, and riding across it is a memorable experience. A little to the north, the Cistercian Abbey of Morimondo, founded in the twelfth century, stands among the rice fields, its brick church and cloister beautifully preserved.
As a start and fuel stop, Motta Visconti is convenient, with service stations in the area and in nearby Abbiategrasso and Bereguardo. The roads here are flat, running through rice fields and along the river, with long straights and gentle curves. In spring, when the rice fields are flooded, the plain becomes a vast mirror reflecting the sky, and on clear days the Alps appear on the horizon.
Traffic is light away from the main roads, but watch for farm vehicles and mosquitoes in summer. Surfaces vary. From here, the roads north lead to the lakes and the Alps, the start of a great day of riding.