01/10/2024 - 30/11/2026
Incontro, Volpedo

Description
A day spent discovering the most beautiful villages of Italy between Piedmont and Lombardy. Small villages where time has stopped, hidden treasures to experience slowly, between authenticity and tradition.
From medieval castles full of history of Oltrepo pavese, to the villages in the province of Alessandria in Val Curone and Val Grue custodians of products of excellence and ancient trades, and places of itineraries between nature and art following in the footsteps of famous painters.
Note
Our journey begins in Garbagna, a medieval village with a strong Ligurian influence. The heart of the town is Piazza Doria with its four horse chestnut trees. From here, narrow, colorful streets unravel, leading to the Castle or the Parish Church of San Giovanni Decollato, which houses an important work by Guglielmo Caccia, known as Moncalvo. Garbagna is also famous for its Bella di Garbagna cherry, a Slow Food Presidium variety. Its distinctive, deep red color and crispy texture make it particularly appealing when preserved in alcohol.
Transfer to Volpedo, the birthplace of Giuseppe Pelizza, who created his works here, infusing them with his love for his hometown and the rural atmosphere of the late 19th century. Visit the artist's studio, a 19th-century atelier that preserves his work tools and everyday objects. Follow the itinerary dedicated to Pellizzi's places, with reproductions of the artist's works placed in strategic locations, contrasting with the views and landscapes that inspired them.
Each work is supported by an easel made from a cast of the original kept in the painter's studio. Next, visit the Piazza del Quarto Stato, where, by standing in the same position where the painter painted, you can imagine the scene from the Fourth Estate. Then, visit the Educational Museum, where modern multimedia installations will help you learn more about his masterpieces.

Free lunch: on Saturday, we recommend a stop at the Antico Mercato di Volpedo, where local farmers and artisans will introduce you to the local delicacies. On the last Saturday of the month, you can have lunch and sample traditional local dishes.

In the early afternoon, transfer to Zavattarello, a small village located in the Alta Val Tidone in the Oltrepò Pavese region. Dominated by the imposing Zavattarello Castle, it will offer you an incredible journey through history, culture, traditions, and legends.
This ancient medieval village derives its name from savattarellum: "the place where slippers (savatte) are made." Even today, in the local dialect, the village is called Savataré.
Visit the "Warehouse of Memories" Museum, designed by Virgilio Bruni, which features reconstructions of the doctor's office, schoolroom, tailor's room, barber's shop, and artisans' workshops as they once were.
The goal of the Cultural Association that manages the museum is to perpetuate the study and preservation of the Oltrepò's rural and artisanal culture and share it with future generations. Next, visit Dal Verme Castle: built of stone and comprising about forty rooms, a chapel, stables, and a fortified shelter. The top floor of the fortress houses a contemporary art museum with over one hundred works of Italian art, from the second half of the 20th century to the present, as well as old master paintings by Count Giuseppe Dal Verme, an artist admired by Carlo Carrà. With a guided tour, you'll discover its history and legends, such as the one surrounding its inhabitant, the ghost of the condottiero Pietro Dal Verme, Marquis of Pietragavina, poisoned by Chiara Sforza, his second wife, on October 17, 1485.
And to conclude the day, you'll discover the Oro di Zavattarello, the honey that is the symbol of the village.
From April to August, a visit to the lavender grove at a farm includes an educational tour and a tasting of typical products accompanied by honey. (Picnic lunch surrounded by 900 lavender plants is available after the Volpedo tour – supplement €25.00 per person)