A sunny weekend in Liguria? One day by the sea and one in the mountains to compromise.
The ideal activity to keep fit, forget the stress of the week and let yourself be enriched by the beauty of the landscapes of nature is to visit the Antola Park which offers easy excursions on the snow during the winter and great walks in the summer.
Crossroads of many paths and ancient mule tracks in the heart of the Ligurian Apennines, the Antola Regional Natural Park stretches between the Scrivia Valley and the Trebbia Valley, in an area that preserves a biodiversity heritage but also traditions, history and good food.
Here it’s where the local farmers come to sell their vegetables, milk and cheese to visitors.
People walking with snowshoes in Liguria
Among castles and sanctuaries, daffodils and ponds, the Antola mountain (over 1500 meters in height) gives rise to an imposing mountain range that extends radially around its panoramic peak, on the border between 4 Italian regions (Liguria, Piedmont, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna).
In the Park it is possible to rent snowshoes and, at the end of the walk, after returning snowshoes and sticks to the headquarters of the Ente Parco di Torriglia, you can give yourself an all-round stop under the banner of the protagonists of this valley: the canestrelli cookies.
The canestrelli are delicious flower-shaped butter cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Liguria is crossed, on the border with Piedmont and France, from the mountain range of the Maritime Alps and the rest of the region features the Ligurian Apennines, so you do not need to go far to feel like in the mountains and go trekking in winter.
Strolling with snowshoes also allows you to enjoy landscapes never seen before, also because in the snow you immediately see the footsteps of roe deer, foxes, squirrels and even wolves: it is really exciting, especially for children.
In Liguria there are a few parks such as the Regional Natural Park of Beigua, and the naturalistic area of the Aveto. Both are worth visiting year-round as they have something to offer in every season.
The Mount Beigua Regional Park offers great snowshoeing opportunities because from its peaks you have the opportunity to enjoy the sea view. In the perimeter of the natural area there are also some tracks of the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri (High Path of the Ligurian Mountains), well-marked panoramic paths that take you through the woods to the town of Sassello (famous for its amaretti cookies) and along the ridge routes in the Orba Valley and the Stura Valley.
Snowshoeing is fun in Liguria
The Parco dell’Aveto is located just twenty kilometers from Genoa. Here one of the best routes to do is the one that goes from an old Roman building not far from the beautiful village of Torriglia, and which leads up to the top of the mountain. From up there you will see the peaks of the Penna and Aiona mountains and, once you reach the summit, you can refresh yourself at the recently renovated shelter restaurant at the top.
From here you can get in a short time to the Val d'Aveto, where there are the highest points of Liguria.
In the province of Savona, a beautiful route leads to the Carmo di Loano mountain. The departure is in San Nicolò, about seven hundred and forty meters high, where there is also a Romanesque chapel, with frescoes from the 1400.
