OLTREPÒ PAVESE: un Angolo Nascosto d’Italia tra Borghi e Vigneti

OLTREPÒ PAVESE: un Angolo Nascosto d’Italia tra Borghi e Vigneti

A corner of Italy that few people know about yet, but that we are sure will amaze you. More than many other destinations that are definitely more famous. Today we want to talk to you about the Oltrepò Pavese, an area that we have always loved just a stone’s throw from our home. There are hills full of vineyards, paths and stone villages
that in our opinion create a fairytale landscape. If you like trips off the beaten track, authentic places and lots of nature, you are in the right place. Ready to discover the Oltrepò? A journalist from the Guardian a few weeks
ago defined this area as the Tuscany of the north. Perhaps this somewhat daring comparison
can help you understand the beauty of our hills. From the flattest plain there is, these gentle reliefs suddenly rise, first covered with vineyards and then with very green woods. The itinerary we have studied is divided into three days. Starting from the first hills we will reach
the most mountainous and wild area of ​​the province, the one near Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont. We won’t be able to tell you everything, but the video could be a good starting point to start exploring the area. But enough with this endless intro. Let’s start the journey. The first stop is a very special village for us,
a village nestled on the banks of the Po that in recent years has completely changed appearance and has been greatly revalued. We decided to start the video from Arena Po for two main reasons: the first is because we believe it is the gateway to the Oltrepò Pavese and secondly because this is Paolo’s village. He lived here for more than 20 years and I joined him when we met. We were here for about 2 years, so I feel this cute village is also a little bit mine. The Museo Arte Ambiente is an open-air path
through the streets of the historic center. The contemporary works of art that you come across during the walk are many, very different from each other,
different styles and materials that enrich the landscape. In the center you will also find the castle
which unfortunately is not open to the public. Maybe we are biased, but with the brick houses and paved streets it always seems beautiful every time we return. Moving a few kilometers we arrive at Zenevredo, one of the first villages in the low hills. Here Paolo, as a child, harvested grapes with his grandfather. If you pass by here you will find yourself driving on wavy roads between
rows of vines that at the end of June are beautiful and bright green. Every curve gives us a different view, it is undoubtedly an experience. We pass by Montù Beccaria. Here very often
the villages develop in very panoramic positions. Being an area famous mainly for the production of wines, you could think of participating in a tasting, a tour of the cellars or a picnic in the vineyard like the one we did a few years ago. Obviously there is not only wine, it is an area full of small villages and castles, such as that of Cigognola. I will tell you in advance, this will be a constant.
Most of the castles are privately owned and cannot be visited except on rare occasions, but it is still quite a sight to see towers and
manors pop up here and there on the tops of the hills. Cigognola is a very pretty village, typical of Pavia,
with a wonderful viewpoint from which you can see the center of Pavia and even the skyscrapers of Milan perfectly. From the main square there are many well-marked paths. If you want an easy walk to discover the surroundings, you can follow the signs for the Talanca well along route 315B. They are about 4 km in a ring with little difference in altitude,
immersed in the relaxation of the countryside with a very scenic view for the entire journey. Only the final part of the walk is done
following the asphalt road until you return to the village. Since walking has made us quite hungry, we reach Borgo Santuletta, a wonderful farm that, unlike many other agritourisms in the area, is also open on weekdays. For us this is a big plus. It is an incredible view of the vineyards surrounded by softly shaped rolling hills. In addition to the objective beauty of the village and its atmosphere, you can also eat very well and the menu changes
every week based on the production of the products. We tried ravioli and a zucchini-based lasagna, both delicious, but the highlight for me was the dessert,
a semifreddo with Oltrepò honey and lavender, in my top of the best desserts ever. I don’t need to tell you, it’s highly recommended! We move to a hilltop village that we also discovered recently. Golferenzo is a gem, a very well-preserved medieval village. Despite its small size, it hosts several businesses, restaurants, places for an aperitif overlooking the rows and
above all a beautiful scattered hotel called Il borgo dei gatti. If you are looking for something truly authentic where you can completely unplug, there couldn’t be a more relaxing place than this. By the way, a few weeks ago we worked on a wedding right here in the village. The imperial table was set up among the alleys of the village and it was beautiful. We have one last stop to make today. We have to get there on time because there is a special event waiting for us. Montalto Pavese is in a privileged position where you can rent electric bikes to tour the surrounding hills. Tonight, however, we are here because the guys from FAI Giovani Oltrepò were kind enough to invite us to the extraordinary opening of the castle. Being private property, it had been many years since it was opened to the public and it was practically a miracle to be able to visit it. And it is a real shame that it is not always visitable, because we were shocked by its beauty. It has nothing to envy to other much more famous historic homes. Unfortunately we were not able to take photos and videos inside, but we will only tell you that there is a theater, a grand staircase worthy of the Royal Palace of Caserta and rooms where even the Savoy slept. We leave you the link to the FAI profile in the description if
you want to stay updated on upcoming openings and events. If you find yourself here at sunset, 5 minutes
from the center of the town there is the Madonna del Vento, a natural viewpoint where with a short walk you can reach a giant bench. In front of us we have the castle we just visited. While the sun goes down, we go home to rest.
Tomorrow we will continue with a new area. Second day in Oltrepò. The landscape has changed radically, we have left the vineyards behind us and now we have higher and golden hills with woods and spontaneous vegetation in front of us. Our first stop is the village of Fortunago, a village we know well, where we always like to return. Walking through its uphill streets, among brick houses
and lots of greenery, you arrive at the highest part where we find the church and the town hall.
Don’t expect the classic Italian tourist villages with little shops and lots of bars. Here you will hardly meet
other visitors except on weekends and those who live in the village are still used to greeting and chatting
with those who are passing through like us. A short distance away, immersed in a forest of centuries-old chestnut trees and oaks of the Staffora Valley, you can visit the hermitage of Sant’Alberto di Butrio, built on a rock spur at 687 m above sea level. In the church there are beautiful frescoes
dated 1484, but which do not bear a signature and at the back a quiet and silent courtyard with a small cloister and a well. Four friars and two priests currently live in the hermitage. They prepare honey and other artisanal products that you can find in the shop. If you meet one of them, know that they are always available and happy to tell you the history of the place. When we get back on the road we stop by Oramala next to its castle before reaching Varzi, the most important center of the valley. First of all we stop for a quick lunch. We found a nice place with an outdoor garden. Since the area is famous for the salami of Varzi DOP, we can’t help but take a small cutting board to try the typical cured meats, but also some sandwiches. The alleys of the historic center are very beautiful,
with colorful houses and wooden porches that give access to ancient cellars where I imagine
the wine was stored and the cured meats were aged. The city is also the destination of the Greenway,
a cycle path that connects Voghera and Varzi, precisely, the two largest centers of the western Oltrepò,
following the course of the Stafora stream. Varzi is not only a beautiful village in the hills,
but in the Middle Ages it was also one of the main hubs along the Via del Sale,
a route that connected Genoa to the north of Lombardy. Among other things, the Via del Sale is still passable.
Now it is about 100 km from Varzi to Genoa with a fairly significant difference in altitude of 3500 m
and can be done in 4-6 days. We have never tried, but we would like to do a small stretch. After a passage in the shadow of the towers and the Malaspina Castle, we drive along a spectacular road, right on the border with Piedmont, to then arrive in another village. But this time the village is not our final stop. We are going to see the Nivione badlands. We just left the car here on the main road. We recommend you do the same thing because there is a road that goes up, but it is very narrow and there is no parking, so it is better to go on foot. We take the climb that initially passes between the houses and then leaves space for fruit trees and beehives.
It is a very beautiful environment. Even though the sun is starting to set, it is still quite hot. At the end of the road we find the signs for the Casa del Partigiano, from here a not too steep descent takes us straight in front of the gullies, formations created by the passage of water on the clayey ground. It is an almost lunar landscape with these
vertical walls devoid of vegetation and light gray in color. Even though it is relatively close to home, it is the first time we have been there. We walk directly on the gullies to the casa del partigiano, a strategic meeting point for the resistance. When the sun begins to set, we retrace our steps, while several stag beetles pass by us. We had never seen them in nature and it was beautiful. We want to go to Ca’ del Monte for the sunset and it’s about a twenty minute drive to get there. Fun little fact. This is the exact spot where we took the photo that we’ve been using as our YouTube profile picture for the past 4 years. This place is incredible, in a position that couldn’t be more panoramic. It may seem like just another place, but there’s actually a lot to discover. Here in Ca’ del Monte, despite being a relatively small area, there are so many activities to try. For example, the spot I showed you before, the one in the profile picture, from there you can go paragliding, which I’d also like to try. Right in front of it is the farmhouse where you can have dinner and also sleep. We’re going home today because we’re quite close, but a few years ago we stopped to sleep there and had a great time, so we recommend it. This behind me is the astronomical observatory
which is fantastic, it is in a super position, there are hills that block light pollution,
so in the evening you can see the stars in a crazy way. We have already been there
twice and in one of these we managed to see Saturn perfectly with the telescopes. It was really exciting. There is still something we want to tell you, so now let’s take a little leap in time and start a new day. Third and last day of exploring the Oltrepò. Today we are going towards the most mountainous and wildest part of the territory in our opinion. First stop, since we passed through Varzi again and yesterday it was closed, we stopped here to taste a typical dessert. The Galaverna almond cake is simple but delicious. Next to the small shop you can see the almond grove that has been cultivated for generations and from which all the almonds used for the artisanal production of sweets are taken . Stop by, I’m sure you won’t regret it. After this breakfast we head to the Pregola hut. This morning in Pavia it was 34°. To give you an idea of ​​the difference, here it is now 22° with a nice breeze. It seems unreal. To be honest, apart from during the holidays or when there are autumn festivals, the town does not have much to offer, except a glimpse of Italy in the 70s. It feels like a journey back in time when you visit it. However, it is an excellent starting point for trails or bike rides. Not far from the main square there is a large, cool and shaded beech tree. It is not the first time we have come for a walk in this beech tree and we like it a lot. We had been in another season in autumn and when everything is red it is even more beautiful. We get back in the car and start climbing towards Prodongo crossing hamlets and immense fields. We are right under the top of Mount Lesima with its unmistakable radar balloon. English: By the way, a few years ago
we reached it on foot starting from Cima Colletta, a fairly challenging but very rewarding trek. Once we arrive at Piani del Lesima
we find ourselves in front of a large meadow dotted with huts that seem to have arrived directly from Trentino Alto Adige. Each one is more beautiful than the other. We decide to stop for lunch at the Sport Hotel Prodongo. We try a plate of their own cured meats and two very good first courses, especially my malfatti. We weren’t expecting such a particular corner of Oltrepò. It was a nice surprise! The area where we are now is called “the four provinces”, a crossroads where the provinces of Pavia, Piacenza, Alessandria and Genoa meet. It is an area characterized by a shared Apennine mountain culture with songs, dances, musical instruments and similar landscapes. The border between Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna is traced by the Trebbia river that flows with its clear and frozen waters. Given the heat today, we couldn’t resist and went down to at least wet our feet. we could have brought our swimsuits if we thought about it… Our trip is almost over, but on the way back we still have one more stop to make. We cross the Staffora stream and arrive in Fego. We chose to end the trip here, since we opened it with Arena Po, which is Paolo’s town, and we’re ending it here,
which is where my dad spent his summers as a child. By the way, I don’t think I’ve ever told you, but my dad writes books, he writes novels
that I think are beautiful. The first one he wrote a few years ago is set right here in Fego. So, what better occasion to recommend my dad’s books? I’ll put the Amazon link below, if you’re interested. And it’s directly from here that we say goodbye! Thanks for following us today on this adventure close to home. While you’re watching this video, we’re doing an on the road in a really cool place. Are you following him on Instagram? We can’t wait to tell you all about it in a video! Don’t forget to subscribe if you don’t want to miss the next releases. So, thanks again for everything.
Here on the right you will find another little publicized area of ​​Italy that in our opinion is very worthwhile, Lunigiana. We will see you soon. A hug. Bye bye bye.

Benvenuti nell’Oltrepò Pavese, un angolo autentico e poco conosciuto della Lombardia! In questo video vi portiamo tra borghi medievali, vigneti infiniti e panorami mozzafiato, alla scoperta di un territorio che sa sorprendere chiunque lo visiti.

📚 Il libro ambientato a Fego scritto da mio papà: https://amzn.eu/d/idQOfjB
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