• Emilia-Romagna

• Regional Parks

• Apennines - Po River Basin - Rivers and Lakes

Activities in the Park

You can visit Taro Park by going along the equipped trails, or by "experiencing" it.
Experiencing the Park means knowing the rules to better use it, respecting its balance and the freedom of the other visitors.

In the Park you can practice the following activities:
( PDF files)

• Go fishing (PDF - 231Kb)
• Cycling (PDF - 217Kb)
• Horse riding (PDF - 225Kb)
• Sunbathing (PDF - 232Kb)
• Working as a volunteer (PDF - 2,8Mb)
• Picking up mushrooms (PDF - 294Kb)
• Hunting in the adjacent area (PDF - 261Kb)

Corte di Giarola: Spaces and Structures

Corte di Giarola welcomes the offices of Taro River Park. It is situated at about 15 km from Parma and 2 km from the town of Collecchio.

The ancient monastic complex dating back to the Middle Ages was acquired as a public property in 1998 and the offices were terminated in 1999. They were inaugurated on 24th May 1999 by the Minister of the Environment at that time, Edo Ronchi.
Since then, a continous and gradual work of restoration has given the opportunity to recover many spaces which are dedicated to different activities:

(the following links all lead to Italian texts)

• the Visitor Center with the itinerary "Sotto il segno dell'acqua"
• the Auditorium
• the Environmental Education Center
• the Infopoint dedicated to oenology and gastronomy
• the Historical Lab on the Resistance Movement
• the Restaurant to welcome tourists

Meeting Halls of the Ancient Corte di Giarola

Within an imposing medieval complex and surrounded by the wonderful frame of Taro River Park, the structures of the ancient Corte di Giarola are ideal places to organize initiatives dedicated to the public: meetings, press releases, seminars, conferences, conventions, training courses. The use of the Hall can be integrated by several services.
There are two meeting halls: the exclusive "Sala del Granaio" and the simple "Sala del Borgo".

For further information... (PDF - 110 Kb)

Corte di Giarola: Services

• Exhibit Route "Sotto il segno dell'acqua"
  A "tasting" of Park inviting the visitor to discover and appreciate its values and peculiarities.
  - free entrance
  - open on Sunday afternoon and when there are scheduled events
  - Guided visits to the exhibition route (booking only - groups of at least 15 persons)
  - duration of the visit: about 1 hour
  
  
• Guided visits along the trails
  - Groups of at least 10 with required booking (Euros 4.50 per day for children)
  Duration: about 2.30 hours

For information and bookings: Esperta srl, Società di Promozione, Educazione Ricerca Territorio e Ambiente - Strada Giarola, 11 - Loc. Pontescodogna - 43044 Collecchio (PR) - Tel. +39 0521 803017 - E-mail: info@espertasrl.com - web: www.espertasrl.com

Catering

Osteria Giarola, Strada Giarola - Loc. Pontescodogna 43044 Collecchio (PR)
Tel. +39 335 6045454 (Mr Silvano Brianti)

Bird Watching in the Park

The territory of Taro Regional Park is situated on a very important migratory route linking the Tyrrheanian Sea to the Adriatic Sea. The diversity of environments present in the area, from the river shore to the wet woodland, from the dry meadows to the basins deriving from the environmental recovery of former quarries, make it an ideal place for several nesting or migratory bird species and for important species, safeguarded at a European level, which transformed this area into a Special Protection Area.
Several birdwatching activities area carried out throughout the Park territory to look for the rare Stone-curlew; however, equipped areas for the observation of birds can be found at Medesano small lakes, or in the naturalistic area of Le Chiesuole, or again in Madregolo di Collecchio, where an observation hut and tower can be found: these structures give anyone the opportunity of gettin closer to this interesting activity. Also less expert birdwatchers can enjoy the observation of Herons nesting in the area, of Common Terns nesting in areas situated in the middle of the lake, and of all the other species coloring this territory in all seasons.

Accessible Areas for People with Disabilities

Taro Regional Park has recently started a series of works aiming at transforming the Park into a more open and accessible place. At the moment, there are three points in the Protected Area which are accessible also for people with disabilities: the Park Center at Corte di Giarola, the observation area of Chiesuole, and the picnic area along the trail of Fornovo di Taro.

• Corte di Giarola: The entrance is large and the structures do not present differences in height; therefore, there are no architectural barriers in the places open to the public and welcoming visitors. In both wings of the Corte where you can find welcome structures, there are standard toilets with access for wheelchairs. The exhibit route "Sotto il segno dell'acqua" presenting the world of the Park has been made with panels characterized by embossed writings at an accessible height if you are standing: the letters can be read also by blind people.
  
  
• Laghetti delle Chiesuole: The naturalistic area obtained from a former quarry, particularly important for the observation of migratory birds and the observation of amphibians and marshy vegetation, is accessible for people with physical disabilities. The ring-route develops along a flat and large ground, giving the opportunity to wheelchairs to freely move.
  
  
• Picnic Area of Fornovo Taro: The area is accessible in an autonomous manner both for people with physical disabilities and blind people. The wooden tables are equipped with benches only on one side, so that it is possible to place a wheelchair on the opposite side. Along the trail leading to the Picnic Area there are wooden kerbs leading the walking stick of blind people along the trail they can follow.

These three places are the departure point of a "non selective" opening and accessibility started by the Park, and will be shortly followed by the creation of the social theater within Corte di Giarola.

Text you will find on the panel situated at the entrance of the accessible area for people with disabilities (translated here into English)
Here you are at the entrance of the accessible area of Taro Park. A large trail will lead you inside it. On the right you will find a kerb on the ground leading you up to a rest area with trees, where you will find three tables and three benches. The whole area is delimited by a wooden handrail. From the rest area, the route is no longer marked, and ends in a ring-route by running on the right along a channel with wetland.