Passo Croce Arcana – Motorcycle adventure in the Appennino

“Croce Arcana pass” is the motorcycle adventure you were looking for in the Appennino tosco-emiliano.

If you are planning to cross the Appennino tosco-emiliano to visit the beautiful landscape of Tuscany or vice-versa to reach the astonishing lanscapes of the northern Italy, this is a perfect way to enjoy your travel away from the usual roads!

When I went there in the late June 2020 I was totally unaware the heavy rains destroyed the route (article here), so it has been quite difficult to get there full loaded and with the passenger! Fortunately I read the track have been restored so you can go there and safely enjoy your advenure to Croce Arcana!

The escape from the city starts from Fanano (MO) where a narrow asphalt road drives you through the green landscapes of the emilian valleys. This winding road will tease your “throttle addiction” but my suggestion is to slow down and enjoy the landscape that is wrapping your journey!

After few kilometers “Capanno Tassoni” marks the beginning of your off-road path straight to the peak! From here a forest track of about 5 km districates through the woods on a quite rocky surface opening up to a wider gravel track as soon as you get out from the forest.

As I previoulsy noted, it has been quite complicated to bring our 400kg to the top dodging the half a meter deep gullies that were furrowing the track and “jumping” the drainage channel emerging the pavement for about 20cm, but at today all should be repaired.

After about twenty minutes you will reach the top of Croce Arcana at 1669mt, literally split in a half between Toscana and Emilia-Romagna.

Here you can enjoy the beautiful panorama that is sorrounding you, have some rest (a really god spot for a pic-nic on the grass) or follow the several hiking trails that go up and down the mountain.

After you took your time in this astonishing place, it is time to go down! 3km of graveled track awaits you till the beginning of the valley when the road become easily praticable. The winding asphalt road will drive you to Cutigliano, a very small and intimate village, that welcomes you in the beautiful Tuscany.

From there you can join the main streets that will lead you, in only 1-2 hours, straight to beautiful cities of Firenze, Lucca, Pistoia.