The itinerary allows you to discover some picentine valleys in the immediate vicinities of Salsomaggiore, renowned for the production of DOC wines. Along the way you will meet historic villages, cities of art and ancient springs, in a continuous ups and downs, among enchanting views typical of the territory. Almost 83 km and more than 900 meters of altitude are the technical characteristics of this route all on the road. It starts from the spa town, (recommended free car parking in Avenue of Labor) to go up to the Stirone Regional Park going in the direction of the valleys and the piacentine territory. From Castelnuovo Fogliani, with the castle and the ancient parish church of St. Peter in Campocervaro, you arrive in Alseno and then proceed in the direction of Castell'Arquato art city and ancient medieval village ranked among the most beautiful in Italy. We proceed to Vigolo Marchesi, custodian of a Romanesque basilica dedicated to St. John. The route will then lead to Lugagnano Val D'Arda from where you will climb to reach Vernasca with the Pieve of San Colombano. After 400 meters of altitude, you return following: Borla, Trinity, Scipione Bridge with arrival at Salsomaggiore Terme.

Two possible deviations to be included in the route:

1) arrived in Lugagnano, adding 20 km, you can divert to Velleia, the thousand-year-old archaeological site of Roman times;

2) near Salsomaggiore, in the resort Scipione Ponte, on the ascent back to the spa resort, divert to Scipione Castello where the ancient manor of the Marquis Pallavicino is located.

The territory of the piacentine hills offers a wide choice of DOC wines, from reds: Gutturnio, Barbera and Bonarda (sweet), to whites: Ortrugo and Malvasia.

A note of merit goes to the "Vin Santo" of Vigoleno, produced with raisins according to ancient nineteenth-century processes, which allow to obtain a very aromatic dark amber wine with hints of candied fruit, honey, walnut and tamarind.

Crossed locations

• 1  Tabiano Bagni
   - partenza 4,0 km
• 2  Lodesana
   9,7 km
• 3  Ponteghiara
   13,4 km
• 4  San Nicomede
   15,9 km
• 5  Scipione Ponte
   18,4 km
• 6  Castelnuovo Fogliani
   24,3 km
• 7  San Lorenzo
   31,1 km
• 8  Castell'Arquato
   33,8 km
• 9  Sant'Antonio
   37,0 km
• 10  Vigolo Marchesi
   40,4 km
• 11  Chiavenna
   45,3 km
• 12  Lugagnano Val D'arda
   48,0 km
• 13  Vernasca
   55,2 km
• 14  Borla
   59,5 km
• 15  Trinità
   64,3 km
• 16  Scipione Ponte
   74,0 km
• 17  San Nicomede
   76,4 km
• 18  Salsomaggiore Terme
   82,9 km

Itinerary highlights