• Active & Green
    • Cycle Tourism

Greenway Voghera - Varzi

A green way towards the Appennines

Just 50 km from Milan, the Po plain begins to ripple and rise gently along the valley of the river Staffora: here, in the heart of Oltrepò Pavese, begins a route exclusively for cyclists, pedestrians and nature lovers, a green way towards the Appennines.

Greenway Closure in Godiasco: Temporary Alternative Route

Due to the closure of the cycle path shortly after the town of Godiasco, caused by a collapse near the Staffora stream, users are informed that it is possible to continue along the SS 617 Penice road.
The detour along the road is approximately 900 meters long: please exercise maximum caution due to vehicle traffic.
After passing the "La Monella" Restaurant and Pizzeria in San Desiderio, you can rejoin the Greenway towards Varzi.
We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation.

It is the Voghera – Varzi Greenway, a shared cycle-pedestrian pathway that winds through fields, vineyards and small woodlands, following the old route of the Voghera Varzi railway. The Greenway is the ideal opportunity for discovering a land rich in historical and environmental attractions, the home of out standing food and wine like Oltrepò wine and Varzi Salami.

Situated in an area known as the Four Provinces, the Oltrepò Pavese, historically, is a borderland: a place where unique traditions meet, a blend of elements from Piedmont, Lombardy, Liguria and Emilia.

The entire path is suited to every type of user, from families with small children - the overall elevation difference is just about 320 m over 33 km (equal to an average gradient of 0.97%) - to sports people and expert hikers, because it connects to a dense network of gravel roads, paths and even more challenging routes.

The Greenway begins in Voghera, in the Po Valley, south of the river Po (at 96 m a.s.l.)  and continues along a long, false plain to Salice Terme (at 180 m a.s.l.) 14 km later (with an elevation difference of 84 m and an average gradient of 0.6%).

Right along the cycle-pedestrian path, and particularly on the stretch that goes from Retorbido to Rivanazzano Terme, is landscape of carefully tended farmland: оп the plains, there are mainly wheat, barley and corn fields (on soil particularly suited to growing cereals), while vines reign on the hills, having been cultivated there for over 2,000 years. There are still mulberry trees scattered here and there, a reminder of bygone times when they used to stand in rows. Thanks to the nearby Staffora river, a natural passageway for different wildlife, you may come across roe deer or even wild boar, down from the hills, or small animals like stone martens, badgers or foxes. Bird-watchers can spot the tree sparrow, the pheasant, the stonechat and the kestrel.

The Greenway is not just nature: in fact, from the route of the former railway, you can admire Nazzano, whose powerful castle built by the Malaspina marquises around 1000, strategically dominates the entrance to the valley and the entire Greenway. The ancient history of these lands appears in other points along the route: Rivanazzano Terme boasts one of the few pentagonal towers in. Europe, Retorbido is home to the neoclassical Durazzo-Pallavicini palazzo, and there are thermal springs in Rivanazzano and in the nearby Salice. From the noble and Roman Iria (Voghera) to the medieval village of Varzi, there are plenty of historical and monumental treasures in the Staffora, Ardivestra, Nizza and Tidone valleys, all waiting to be discovered, sustainably,from the shared cycle and pedestrian path.


Attachments

Scarica la Guida
Dowload english version

Other links

www.greenwayvogheravarzi.it
Sfoglia il travel book Ciclovie di Trenitalia
SCARICA LA TRACCIA GPS
Rilevazione flussi ciclo-pedonali
Take me here: Greenway Voghera - Varzi

On the same topic

Skiing in Teglio

Sport and fun for all the family, in a ski heaven with a gorgeous view on the Alps.
  • Active & Green
Skiing in Teglio

The most beautiful gorges!

The six most beautiful gorges to visit in Lombardy: those of Bellano and Nesso, the most famous, and the equally spectacular gorges of Caino, Cunardo, Val Taleggio and Via Mala
  • Active & Green
The most beautiful gorges in Lombardy - Bellano - discoveringbellano.eu

Action sports in Lombardy

From Lake Garda to Val Brembana, 5 action sports destinations offering a hefty dose of adrenaline
  • Active & Green
Action sports in Lombardy

Spring in Pavia

5 suggestions to spend a spring day in the name of outdoor in the territory of Pavia.
  • Active & Green
Boat trip along the Po river

4 locations to visit in winter

Winter is not just about sports you can do in the snow, it is also the time when nature reveals its fairytale heart.
  • Active & Green
4 locations to visit in winter

Gardens Pavia

Not just the city: a walk through botanic gardens and oasis for a green break
  • Active & Green
Gardens Pavia, discovering Lombardy

Resegone and Piani d’Erna

A real mountain holiday. Chilling and fun for the whole family. Piani d'Erna and the most extreme climbs on the vertical rock walls of Manzoni's mountain
  • Active & Green
Il Resegone e i Piani d’Erna

In between the lake and the sky

Episode 2
  • Active & Green
In between the lake and the sky

The unforgettable experience of a mountain hut holiday

Mountain huts in Lombardy: discovering the secrets of the mountains
  • Active & Green
L’indimenticabile esperienza di una vacanza in rifugio

Swim away from the crowds in Lombardy

8 little-known destinations to swim in Lombardy
  • Active & Green
Swim away from the crowds in Lombardy

Sustainable tourism in lombardy

There is a way of sustainable travel capable of establishing a deep connection with the places that are visited.
  • Active & Green
Sustainable tourism in Lombardy

Family walks to put a spring in your step

The transition from summer to autumn provides the ideal conditions for regenerating family moments along the scenic trails of Lombardy.
  • Active & Green
passeggiate_in_ Lombardia

Le bine

You want to see the Lataste frog, one of the rarest amphibians in Europe, then come to the Le Bine nature reserve.
  • Active & Green
Le Bine

Where to Go Fishing in Lombardy

Carps, chars, trout. River and lake fish. Some advice on where to go fishing in Lombardy. From Pavia to Como
  • Active & Green
Where to go fishing in Lombardy, hints and ideas

Mounts San Primo and Palanzone

On the highest peaks of the Triangolo Lariano, visitors will enjoy a 360° view of the Alps and of the Po valley
  • Active & Green
Monte San Primo e il Palanzone

Unforgettable Experiences on Lake Maggiore

  • Active & Green
Unforgettable Experiences on Lake Maggiore

Hiking: 6 easy routes

Walking in the Lombardy mountains: 6 routes suitable for kids
  • Active & Green
Gemelli e Pizzo Becco

Lombardy on the road..

Lombardy: wonderful views to see on the road.
  • Active & Green
Lombardy on the road

Ice skating in Lombardy

Here's where you can twirl amusement and some fall.
  • Active & Green
Ice Skating

Under the ground, to discover the caves of Lombardy

On a trip to the caves of Lombardy
  • Active & Green
Under the ground, to discover the caves of Lombardy