Navigating rivers and lakes is a fascinating experience for tourists and highly practical for the transport of goods. A project for a waterway has long been in existence — a 550-km water route capable of linking Locarno to Venice via Milan. Steeped in history, this "navigable canal" will be able to attract 5,000–10,000 tourist motor vessels every year, as well as an endless number of rowing craft. The dream of the Istituto per i Navigli and the Associazione Amici dei Navigli could finally become a reality after delays and setbacks.

To bring the project to completion and make the waterway fully navigable, works are still needed at Varallo Pombia for the dam on the Ticino, and along the Naviglio Pavese stretch between the Darsena di Milan and the confluence with the Ticino at Pavia. Work is under way on the bed of the Po, and the Isola Serafini navigation lock should be completed in 2016. The Vizzola stretch, needed to allow navigation along the industrial canal, has yet to be designed.

To ensure tourism that is mindful of nature, tourist navigation from Locarno will be reserved for LPG, electric or hydrogen-powered vessels (the few that currently exist), as well as rowing craft. The intention is to finally give a boost to these forms of transport: Italy has until now lost significant shares of river-based tourism, both from those travelling by motorboat and from those who prefer to use kayaks and canoes.

Further scope for development is envisaged in navigation from Turin, through Mantua, Ferrara, Chioggia and the Lagoon.

In the meantime, while waiting for this important project to reach completion, it is already possible to navigate along the Lombard rivers and beyond, following evocative itineraries through natural landscapes and past artistic landmarks.

One possible route is called the Itinerario delle Conche; within Milan it touches on some of the city's symbolic sites, including the Chiesa di San Cristoforo, the Darsena and the Vicolo dei Lavandai.

The Itinerario delle Delizie (navigable from April to September) covers, through routes that differ from one another in landscape and duration, the stretch of the Naviglio Grande between Cassinetta di Lugagnano and Castelletto di Cuggiono, one of the most evocative navigable stretches of the Navigli, completely immersed in greenery. Travelling up the canal, one passes through Cassinetta di Lugagnano and Robecco sul Naviglio, with their famous and spectacular patrician villas, Ponte Vecchio di Magenta, Ponte Nuovo di Magenta, the historic centre of Boffalora Sopra Ticino, Bernate Ticino with its splendid Canonica Agostiniana, and finally Castelletto di Cuggiono with the majestic staircase of Villa Clerici.

The Itinerario dei Fontanili is a journey of discovery through the Parco Agricolo Sud Milano. Starting from the Darsena, the route follows the Naviglio Grande towards Gaggiano, passing through the towns of Buccinasco, Corsico and Trezzano sul Naviglio. At Gaggiano, accompanied by a guide, the tour continues by bicycle or by carriage through the Park to reach the "Lago Boscaccio" nature oasis.

The Itinerario del Ticino is a route along the Ticino river through the Parco della Valle Lombarda e Piemontese del Ticino. This river cruise connects Sesto Calende to Porto Torre via the Conca della Miorina, passing through the municipalities of Golasecca, Somma Lombardo, Castelletto sopra Ticino and Varallo Pombia: an evocative stretch of the ancient "via del marmo", the route that, in the fourteenth century, allowed the marble of Candoglia to be carried from Lake Maggiore to Milan for the construction of the Duomo.

There are thus many opportunities to navigate and be carried along by the water, while waiting to be able to reach Venice or Locarno.