While many of my friends are skiing, I choose to go hiking since I can’t ski.
One of my favorite walks to do during the winter is the Lavagna village walk. I particularly like it during this season because the path is well-kept but narrow and during the summer it is too crowded with beachgoers. It is a panoramic walk close to Genoa which overlooks the bay and goes through the woods.
The woods repair you from the wind but the trees are not that many so it’s not cold either and it is the perfect place to visit at this time of the year.
In Liguria there is a magnificent path that crosses the region from one end to the other going along the coast, between sea and mountains, and the Lavagna trail is part of this.
The Ligurian trail measures over 500kms and it connects the Ligurian coast of Ponente (West) near the border with France with that of Levante (East) up to the border with Tuscany.
This long trail is immersed in centuries-old villages and in a nature that is always ready to surprise with the sea on one side and the woods on the other. Divided into 20 trail areas, the path goes for a stretch along the ancient Julia Augusta, the ancient road used by the Romans, and it is not uncommon to find Roman ruins along the way.
The path winds completely along the coastline passing through villages, towns and inhabited rural areas, allowing you to discover the region slowly. Its particular conformation allows you to start it at any point along its many stages, to cover it entirely or only for a short distance and to sleep and find food comfortably along the way. Many local guides even offer gourmet tours to try out the local products and restaurants.
The stretch I did near Lavagna in Genoa does not present significant difficulties; in fact it proceeds mainly between stairways and paths flanked by olive groves and drystone walls. However, a minimum of training is recommended, along with adequate clothing and equipment since the highest elevation reached in my case was 700 meters above since level and I started the walk by the sea.
I arrived early in the morning and so, before setting off, I took a stroll in the historic center of Lavagna.
Lavagna is a quaint fishermen village and it’s a wonderful corner of silence and tranquility, ideal for gathering some energy before setting off on my trail.
I strolled around and I visited the cathedral which overlooks the suggestive Piazza and here is the marked starting point of the trail.
This church is one of the most important medieval monuments in Eastern Liguria, with Romanesque-Gothic architectural elements. In particular, it is nice to take a look at the marble facade and the massive tower with four windows that were once used to spot possible enemy incursions from the coast or from the hinterland.
The first part of the marked trail is an old carriage road which was once used for trading.
I also went through a peaceful little cemetery overlooking the sea.
The signs are present all along the route and my guidebook says that this trail mostly retraces the path once taken by the women who carried the slate slabs extracted from the quarries downstream on their heads and which could weigh up to several kilograms.
It was certainly a huge and tiring daily activity, even more so when you think of the difference in elevation that the workers had to face.
At the top we could enjoy an amazing view of the bay and, since it was a sunny day, we could even see our house in Genoa city from a distance.
View from the top
