By the footsteps of the merchants in the Ancient Salt Road

A path along the ridge: wide pastures, beech forests, flowers as far as the eye can see . This is the Ancient Salt Road , once used to transport the precious sea salt from Liguria and to which, from Oltrepò Pavese, other goods such as wool were transported.

Centuries-old paths that have naturally lost their commercial function, but have become nature excursion routes, offering panoramas of incredible beauty.

🏁 The starting point is Varzi , in Oltrepò Pavese, and then reaches Portofino, in Liguria.

From Piazza del Mercato in Varzi, you reach the path that runs along the Staffora river, with the mouth behind you.
After leaving Varzi, the path climbs up, encountering wild vegetation, a short distance from the gullies, which are furrows created by climatic erosion along the sides of the mountains.
Here in ancient times there was the sea, which is why in some places there is a sandy bottom.
Continuing, the panorama we find is typical of the mountains, made up of woods and pastures.
It is not uncommon to encounter grazing cows, in fact.
Continuing along the ridge, you reach Monte Chiappo (1699 m).
It takes about 7 hours on foot to go from Varzi to Monte Chiappo.

Map of the Salt Road Varzi-Monte Chiappo

Along the route, there are some places to stay overnight.

• You will find the “Albergo Staffora ” in Santa Margherita di Staffora, in the Frazione Casanova Destra.
• The”Campeggio Alta Valle Staffora a Pian del Lago“ is a place found by an altitude of 800 metres over the sea level; small dogs are also welcome.
• Still in the municipality of Santa Margherita di Staffora, at Pian dell’Armà which reaches an altitude of 1,470 metres, you can stay overnight at the Hotel dell’Armà.
• At the Agriturismo Sulla Via del Sale , on the Monte Lesima plains, in the municipality of Brallo di Pregola, you can spend the night.
  Here you can breathe an authentic air of conviviality and sharing at the table, with a single large table that welcomes the various guests. You really have to try it to fully understand the sensation of feeling like pilgrims…

Those who want to eat something good while travelling can stock up on supplies at some delicatessens before setting off, for example:

• Azzaretti in Varzi, is the place to find tasty sweet and savory baked goods. 
• Locanda Le Cicale in Varzi is ideal for those who want to enjoy the good salami of Varzi, as well as juices, biscuits and buy food products in jars, to take home.
  On site you can also buy the complete guide of all the stages of the Via del Sale, with the relative maps of the trails.

For those departing from Liguria, here are some places to stay once you arrive in Varzi.

• Just outside Varzi, in Ranzi, we find the  B&B La Corte di Nando , where you can make friends with the farmyard animals, try your hand at making pizzas and focaccias in the wood-fired oven and get familiar with the vegetable garden.
• The Albergo Primula Bianca in Castellaro, a Hamlet of Varzi, is a place of home cooking, excellent wines and relaxation.
• Le Fragranze is addressed by Località Gabarda, in Varzi: an enchanting place, in a stone structure that has a taste of tradition, just as the flavour of its culinary offering is of ancient tradition.

Those who wish can of course continue to reach the sea. More information on this fascinating Path can be found on the website of the Project “Le Vie del Sale” which also issues the Passport of the Walker of the Via del Sale .

It is truly exciting to think of starting from a place very far from the sea – the Oltrepò Pavese – following a “Path” on which people from a distant past have left their footprints and then, after a few days of walking surrounded by magnificent panoramas, glimpse the blue of the sea. 

It is certainly an experience full of sensations like the taste of the salt that has travelled this ancient path.