Cervesina is located in the plains of Oltrepò Pavese, on the right bank of the Po River, near the confluence of the Staffora stream, just a few kilometers from Voghera. The Parish Church of San Lorenzo is one of the main places of worship in the town, housing precious works of art. The Castle of San Gaudenzio is an imposing structure that captivates visitors with its history and evocative appearance. Cervesina and San Gaudenzio were once two separate municipalities; during the Middle Ages, San Gaudenzio was more important, especially from a religious perspective, as it was the seat of a pleban church overseeing several surrounding villages. The Castle of San Gaudenzio, a historical oasis of Lombard heritage, has preserved the charm of the place and the sweetness of life through time. Its history is intertwined with the Visconti family and the fate of Pavia: it is a complex dating back to the 1400s that belonged to numerous noble families (the Beccaria, Taverna, and Trotti families) who passed down its grandeur. Originally a place for hospitality and rest, hosting balls, banquets, and celebrations, the castle has naturally retained this role as a splendid hotel full of charm. Inside the castle, you will find beautiful red and black marble fireplaces, furniture, portraits, and decorations dating from the 1500s to the 1700s. Adjacent to the castle is the ancient church dedicated to San Gaudenzio. What was once a place of delights for a few privileged individuals has today become a pleasant gathering spot for anyone looking to enjoy the subtle charm of the Oltrepò Pavese countryside, just a short distance from the bustling industrial cities. The idea of giving a new purpose and social utility to the remains of this glorious castle led to the creation of the Ristorante San Gaudenzio within the ancient fortress. Continuing this tradition, the castle offers a series of rooms and apartments, elegantly furnished and equipped with modern amenities. The sobriety, elegance, and harmony of the castle are reflected in the adjacent park-garden, which complements the 15th-century structure. The recently created garden has significant features of 17th-century design, representing a period of not only ideological transition but also stylistic change. The garden, once strictly geometric and Renaissance in style, is gradually transforming into a park, offering a sense of liberation and vitality. Tall trees, flowering shrubs, and fruit-bearing plants create the floral composition of this space. Conifers and broadleaf trees alternate, enhancing the visual appeal of the area. Statues, a pergola, and a temple contribute to the artistic elements of the park. Along the entrance to the castle and beside the old moat, imaginative flowerbeds offer an example of "Ars Topiaria."

A tower with a small fortress built in the 11th century marks the origins of Torrazza Coste. Visitors are welcomed by the ancient tower and the remains of the Castle of Castagnolo, with its fascinating legends and the beautiful Baroque Church of San Carlo Borromeo. According to legend, the beautiful lady of the castle was thrown into the well, and ever since, on windy nights, her cries can be heard echoing through these valleys — rich in vegetation and lined with the orderly rows of fine vineyards. THE GORGES OF SANT’ANTONINO (or Monte Marcellino) A karst depression where the sea once was The gorges, probably formed after deforestation, were later shaped by the erosive action of water, which carved deep into the rocks, creating spectacular canyons. The white limestone and clayey marl walls drop vertically, forming crevices where interesting rocks, minerals, and even marine fossils can be found. Cover photo: the Gorges of Sant’Antonino.

Valle Lomellina is a populous town in central Lomellina, rich in agricultural and industrial activities. Many industries in the town are involved in rice refining; there are small artisanal workshops that mill rice as was done in the past, as well as large food industries that distribute Lomellina's rice throughout Europe. At the heart of the town, with its typical layout of low houses along wide, irregular streets, stands a curious 14th-century castle, altered in the 19th century with romantic additions. Due to its unique semicircular shape, central structure with cylindrical towers, arcaded loggias with pointed arches, and its rich collection of battlements and beccatelli, the castle is an architectural complex that is decidedly unusual and worthy of being imagined as the setting for a Walter Scott adventure novel. The adjacent neighborhood is also interesting, having preserved the typical features of a medieval village. In addition to the 17th-century parish church, the small church of Santa Maria del Castello is definitely worth a visit, where 15th-century frescoes were recently discovered, as well as the 16th-century Sanctuary of the Madonna di Casaletto, located just outside the town center along the road to Lomello. Every Sunday, Valle hosts a lively and colorful market, unique in Lomellina on the holiday. SOURCE: MUNICIPALITY OF VALLE LOMELLINA

Depicted in the Montescano heraldic coat of arms, eighteenth century Fontana Missaga is fed by the waters of the nearby torrent of the same name and called after Carlo Missaga, Montescano's first mayor after Italian unification. Popular traditions attribute it with special properties and as an elixir of long life in particular. Photo: Comune di Montescano

In terms of location and environmental characteristics Casteggio's are some of the most beautiful views in the area like the panorama from Certosa Cantù, a splendid eighteenth century residence which now hosts the collections of the Civic Archaeology Museum and the Civic Library with its multimedia space. Another splendid view is to be had from the small village of Mairano with its nineteenth century Villa Marina whose guests have included Giuseppe Mazzini. The dome of Pavia cathedral and the Alps are visible on a clear day from its verdant vineyards.  

In an evocative landscape inside a 17th century oratory in the fields Tempio del Moscato welcomes its visitors with tastings of typical Oltrepò wines accompanied by platters of cured meats and cheeses.

A small center of Lomellina, located between the territories of Vigevano, Mortara, and Cilavegna, Parona has about 2,000 inhabitants, spread over an area of 9.34 km² at an altitude of 113 meters above sea level (click here for the map of the town center). Parona is an ancient village that has transformed in just a few years from a rustic and somewhat "old" town into a modern, dynamic, and welcoming municipality. Over the years, the town’s economy has gradually changed: from being an agricultural center, it has slowly become a town of small artisans and entrepreneurs, as well as a residential area for the many workers employed in nearby Lomellina towns. Parona is redefining its identity, yet it remains a small, human-sized town immersed in countryside that creates ever-changing and charming landscapes, with unique features that deserve to be discovered. Notable is the Parish Church, dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle, rich in valuable frescoes. In the altar of the Madonna, within a beautiful golden wooden urn, there is a 1700s wax figure of the Baby Jesus (pictured here in a Christmas exhibition). This figure was placed in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem and laid down on Christmas Eve in the very spot where the shepherds worshipped the celestial infant. The church also houses the majestic painting "Tibi dabo claves" by the painter from Parona, Lorenzo Toma. The same artist created the fourteen panels of the Stations of the Cross along the central nave. Also characteristic is the Church of San Siro, no longer used for religious services, whose bell tower (pictured above) is considered a symbol of Parona, having been chosen as the emblem depicted on the packaging of the "Offelle di Parona." Parona also once had a Castle, home to several feudal families, of which little remains today. Among the notable architectural works, Piazza Nuova stands out (pictured here); inaugurated in 1989, it gave a new look to the town center. Despite these changes, the marks of Parona's rural past are still evident, reminding us of a not-so-distant time when daily life was hard but simple and genuine, with traditions passed down from father to son, of which the religious aspect was essential. A common thread that connected everyone was the language, the dialect, spoken by everyone, from the elderly to the children; this dialect is now almost extinct among the younger generations. To discover the rural past of the town, it may be interesting to visit the eastern part, where traces of Parona's rural world can be found, starting with the Santo Spirito mill, followed by nearby farms still in operation: the Cascina Castello, also called "Cascinino," and the Cascina Scocchellina (pictured), named after archaeological finds, "cocci," in the surrounding area. There is also Cascina Scoglio, which houses several marble sculptures inspired by rural mythology from the late 1920s, as well as frescoes depicting the four seasons. Along the state road to Vigevano, there's Cascina Naïna, now a restaurant, where, in addition to the decorations on the buildings, the chimneys are very similar to those in Vigevano’s Piazza Ducale. The traditional culinary aspects of the area are harder to find, although in recent decades, both in Parona, with the now-famous Sagra dell'Offella, and in other Lomellina towns, various events are held to rediscover and protect typical local products. From an environmental perspective, noteworthy are the Acqualunga Forest with the nearby Newborn Park and the Rampi Forest. In addition to the already mentioned Lorenzo Toma, there are other notable figures who were benefactors of our community in the 19th century and have linked their names to part of the history of our small town. Culturally, several literary works by local authors are worth mentioning: some research on our village by historians Mario Rampi and Angelo Gravanaldi, two poetry collections by Lino Negri and Paola Bellavite, a fairy tale published by Carla Masutti, and a publication for children ("Il mio paese") published by the Pro Loco, which every year donates copies to the children in their first year of elementary school. The municipal historical archive has also been fully restored. Finally, we cannot overlook the events organized by our Pro Loco throughout the year, first and foremost the aforementioned "Sagra dell'Offella" on the first weekend of October, whose first edition dates back to 1969. More recent, but equally attractive, are two other major events: "Parona téra böna," held on the first Sunday after Easter, and "Un paese per giocare," on June 2. The latest event organized by Pro Loco is a grand "Treasure Hunt." (Source: Proloco Parona www.parona-lomellina.it) Photo: Alessandro Vecchi / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

The village of Codevilla stands near the point where the Staffora stream opens out into the plain, and its history is closely linked to that of the hamlet of Mondondone, where a defensive outpost of the fortress of Codevilla once stood — of which only a few, yet fascinating, remains survive today. Mondondone served as the municipal seat until the early 16th century and was partly owned by the Pavia Monastery of Santa Maria and Sant’Aureliano, known as “del Senatore.” The surrounding landscape is remarkably beautiful: on the hills overlooking the hamlets of Mondondone and Piana stretch dense woodlands of broad-leaved trees — oaks, robinias, and chestnuts. Also noteworthy is the Sanctuary of Pontasso, which, according to local legend, was founded by a Lombard warrior named Asso. During the siege of Pavia, he had ventured into the Oltrepò woods to hunt. Lost among the thick vegetation, he vowed to build a chapel if he managed to find his way back. At that very moment, a lady appeared and guided him safely out of the forest.

Canevino is a small town perching on a wooded hill which dominates the valley and whose ridge divides the Versa and Scuropasso valleys. The parish church dedicated to the Assumption is located on the top of the hill in an isolated and panoramic position and is a walking and pilgrimage destination. The town is an excellent base for footpaths through the forests and sandstone flysch. Photo: Andrea Iuculano  

Brallo di Pregola is in the heart of the Apennines on the border between the provinces of Piacenza, Genoa and Alessandria and it is precisely for this reason that the area can be called the 'land of four provinces', a place in which different traditions, cultures and dialects meet. Standing in a panoramic position above the town, the church of Sant’Agata is now merely a ruined perimeter. This dependency of the monastery of San Colombano di Bobbio is definitely reported only in the ninth century, but the archaeological relics found here show that it has an even older history, which dates at least from the seventh century, the era of San Colombano and the Longobard kings.

Corvino San Quirico is a small municipality located in the heart of the Oltrepò Pavese, in the province of Pavia. With a population of fewer than 1,000 inhabitants, this village sits on a hill overlooking the surrounding plain, offering breathtaking views of the Lombard countryside. The town is known for its characteristic rural landscape, dotted with vineyards that produce some of the region's finest wines. Viticulture is one of the main economic resources of the area, and the local wineries are a point of reference for wine lovers. Named Corvino until May 20, 1871, it became Corvino San Quirico, taking the name of the patron saint of the parish church (Quirico was the son of Giulietta, who, along with him, was martyred in Greece in the 4th century AD). The toponym "Corvino" may reflect either a Latin or medieval personal name, Corvino. Scholars in the past interpreted it as a reference to M. Valerius Messala Corvino, who is believed to have had possessions in the area. Since 936, it was owned by the Monastery of San Salvatore in Pavia, having been donated by Emperor Otto. It later became part of the Casteggio fief, which was dismantled in 1470 and assigned to the Arcimboldi family. In 1504, it passed to the Mezzabarba family, who obtained the countship title in 1602. The territory of the municipality is nearly identical to that of the parish (with the exception of the Casa Chiodi hamlet). It is populated by various groups of houses stretching from the plain to the hilltops of Oltrepò Pavese. Source: Comune di Corvino San Quirico Photo: Edoardo Vaccaroli  

In the second half of the 19th century wine making began to play an important role in the local economy and make its presence felt on the landscape as something of a monoculture. Today Montecalvo Versiggia is the foremost of the Oltrepò towns in Pinot growing together with Rocca de' Giorgi and Canevino. The original Corkscrew Museum is worth a visit.