The Fountains Trail et the Oltrepò Pavese

A beautiful path of fountains winds through small villages, woods and streams at the Oltrepò Pavese.

This Path is a nature trail of about 7 kilometers in the Alta Val di Nizza.

You should know that the entire hilly area to the left of the Nizza stream from which the valley takes its name is very rich in active natural water sources.

Images taken from the Google page of the Sentiero delle Fontane

A reference area arround the the fountain trail is the small village of Poggio Ferrato , with its characteristic stone houses.
Not far away, in Casarasco, you can admire the remains of an ancient castle: Rocca di Casarasco’s Castle – once owned by the Obertenghi’s family, nowdays is a private residence – only a sturdy tower remains that still preserves some rooms with the original size.

Images taken from quatarobpavia.it article Guided tour of the FAI Oltrepò to Poggio Ferrato on the Sentiero delle Fontane and from the Wikipedia page dedicated to the Rocca di Casarasco

In the Monte hamlet we come across the Boiolo spring ; not far away we arrive at the Fontanino spring , while four other springs on this naturalistic itinerary are the Croesa spring , the Calasco spring , the Fracion spring and the Moglie fountain , just below the village of Poggio Ferrato.

This excursion in the Oltrepò Pavese is quite easy even for those who are not trained, is a nice way to carve out a few hours to get in tune with nature, crossing centuries-old paths, entering pretty villages with ancient charm and admiring the amazing views that the Oltrepò hills can offer.

There is also a stop to rest for a while, not far away at Panchina Gigante 259 .

Restaurants and Agritourism

For the delight of the taste, here are some suggestions.

The agritourism La Capannina in Casa Schiavo Hamlet has a large indoor and outdoor spaces.
It offers delicious appetizers such as savory pies, omelettes, bruschetta, cured meats, homemade Russian salad and cheeses with homemade jams, then crepes, fresh pasta and risotto with porcini mushrooms, meat ravioli and lean tortelloni, before moving on to the meat-based second courses. In the cooler months, you can also enjoy boiled meat with mustard, an increasingly rare dish to find. Desserts are never lacking. Before leaving, it is a good idea to stock up on products from the agritourism area.

Images taken from the Agriturismo La Capannina website

The Agriristoro Oranami prepares bread and delicious pizzas in a wood oven, organic cheeses and offers craft beers and much more.
At the summer you can taste all these delicatessen in the outdoor area, in front of an enchanting panorama.

Image taken from the Facebook page of Oranami Azienda Agricola

The Agriturismo Cascina Serzego mixes traditional local cuisine with that of Piedmont, Piacenza and the Ligurian hinterland, as well as bread, focaccia grissimi and desserts made strictly in-house ,

Images taken from the Facebook page of Agriturismo Cascina Serzego

For a quick break, you can stop at La Piada Oltre il Blu , in Cascina Croce Piaggi, Località Nizza, Val di Nizza:
on Sundays for lunch. The “piadineria” is open , with a wide selection of “piadinas” prepared with zero-mile products, with the help of people with cognitive disorders and/or intellectual disabilities.

Images from the website of La Piada Oltre il Blu

Comfortable shoes, hat, backpack and off we go for a new trip out of town on the hills of the Oltrepò Pavese.
Leave enthusiasm and you will come back even happier!