TREKKING between the vineyards of Piemonte and Liguria

TREKKING between the vineyards of Piemonte and Liguria
The routes joining South Piedmont and Liguria have been used in the past by soldiers, pilgrims
and traders making their way to the sea through the Apennines with wheat or wine for sale in the
city of Genoa or other towns along the coast. Olive oil, salt, spices and silk were taken in the
opposite direction, from the coast inland, often transported by the selfsame merchants. Many of
these pathways have been trodden for a couple of thousand of years – ever since the Roman
conquest of Italy, in fact- along tracks that were always the fastest, or most hidden, or most
convenient routes possible.
The views from the various hill tops and mountain crests along the way are invariably spectacular.
Walkers are often immersed in landscapes from a time past, conveying a peace of mind and
rhythms of work from centuries ago. This ever-changing landscape is at once entirely new and
ancient in the extreme.
You will have the chance to journey through tiny villages clinging to the tops of steep-sided hills,
local inns serving splendidly rustic fare, breath-taking views, the silence and hard toil of times past
and the sea wind that arrives right to the very tops of the mountains.
This is also a splendid way to glean knowledge of local history: each of these different areas has a
story to tell, made up of a kaleidoscope of historical events together with local legend inscribed
into the stones of ancient towers and castles or woven into the sculptures of tiny medieval
churches.
Add to this the experience of two of Italy’s finest food and wine regions and you complete the
picture. There is so much on offer, for all tastes and pockets: inns and local ‘trattorias’, country
hotels, bed and breakfasts and country guest houses – these routes are ideal for tourists
searching for an authentic experience of the country
they’re visiting, far away from the clichés of mass
tourism.
Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the hillscapes
of the Langa, Roero and Monferrato, situated within
the provinces of Asti, Alessandria and Cuneo,
together with the ‘entroterra’ mountainous area of
inland Liguria – the part of the Italian Riviera which
offers the most spectacular landscape, uniting the blue
of the sea together with the intense green of the some
of the peninsula’s most beautiful mountains. These areas of the provinces of Savona, Genova and
La Spezia, which also contain the romantic Gulf of Poets and Nature Reserve of the Cinque Terre,
just cannot be missed.
Piemonte
Trekking around Nizza
Over the gentle Asti hills among woods, nature reserves and grand vineyards
Trekking in the Ruché Hills
From Asti to Moncalvo following in the paces of Aleramo, mythical first Marquis of Monferrato,
through Ruché, Grignolino and Malvasia territory
The Alfieri Hills Route
Along the Tanaro River to explore the Rocche cliffs, medieval hill towns, Baroque castles and
fruit orchards
Trekking in the Asti Langa Area
A round route from Canelli and back again to explore the medieval towers and frescoes, stone
terraces, salt roads and fresh goat cheeses of the Asti Langa area
Romanesque Churches Route
From Asti to Castelnuovo Don Bosco, along the Via Francigena Way
Trekking in the Barbaresco Area
From Alba to Neive along the banks of the Tanaro river, through the world famous Barbaresco crus
Trekking in the Barolo Area
Across hills and through vineyards: exploring the Barolo castles
Around the Source of the Belbo River
Exploring the mysterious countryside of Beppe Fenoglio’s novels among the hazel groves of the
Alta Langa and the cheese farms of Murazzano, along the course of the Belbo river
The Grand Route across the Langa
Through the feudal territories of the Del Carretto family with their terraced farmlands and ancient
watch towers
Trekking of the aromatic wines
Pleasant itinerary among the vineyards of Moscato and Barbera in an amphitheatre of vines
Trekking in the Borbera valley
Panoramic trek on the confluence of the Scrivia and Borbera torrents
Among valleys and farmsteads
A sea of soft sloped hills covered with vineyards, dotted with hamlets, castles and characteristic
stone houses
A view on the sea from above
Trekking on the discovery of Monte Tobbio, one of the most characteristic summits of the
piedmontese ligurian Apennine
Along the Salt Road
The first part of the border trail between the Piedmont and Liguria that connects to the itinerary of
the Via del Mare
LIGURIA
Trekking on the Manie plateau
From Finale Ligure to Noli through the Manie plateau, a panoramic area really near the sea
Between Ortovero and Vendone
Nice walks between wines and vineyards
On the Pilgrim’s Trail
A thousand metres of soft descent: on the high road of the Ligurian mountains and on the Via
Francigena toward Sarzana
The Poets’ Trail
From one end of the gulf to the other, in the footsteps of Byron and Shelley through terraced
vineyards and olive groves
The Sunny Hills
A short itinerary through the vineyards of the Colli di Luni DOC wine, by foot, on horseback or
by cyling
The villages of the Cinque Terre
From Riomaggiore to Monterosso, a discovery of the villages of the world famous coast
The green and blue Trail
From Levanto to Deiva on the Ligurian Riviera, through the territory of production of the Colline di
Levante DOC
Overlooking the Cinque Terre
Along a panoramic ridge trail, from Biassa to Levanto, on the border of the National Park
The Via del Mare
From the Apennine Mountains to the Ligurian Coast