Menconico

At the foot of Mt. Penice, this ancient possession of the Abbazia di San Colombano di Bobbio passed to the Malaspina family in the Middle Ages and then to the Dukes of Milan. As well as the eighteenth century parish church dedicated to St. George, Santuario della Beata Vergine, built on the summit of Mt. Penice at an altitude of 1460 metres with very long views, also merits a visit. Menconico also has a nature reserve - Riserva Naturale Monte Alpe (an EC site since 2005) - covering 328 hectares of conifer, beech, downy oak and hornbeam forests, the habitat of a wide range of fauna. Access to the nature reserve is free of charge and its footpaths are well signed and equipped with information boards.