Visit to Piozzano: Route 1

With itineraries piacentini go today visiting Piozzano at the edge of Val Luretta, a small green strip of land that lies between the Val Tidone and Trebbia.
Wide open spaces and broad meadows crossed by streams is the picture, enclosed in a frame of history and ancient traditions. In its territory Piozzano holds numerous ideas of considerable interest, which, cleverly enhanced by careful municipal administration, represent a tourist attraction for a growing number of visitors, who can enjoy a pristine natural environment, dotted here and there with historical finds and architectural touches.
There are two events that our section dedicated to the municipality of Piozzano and in this first will touch the town of Monteventano, of Montecanino, Pomaro and other places, along a route that goes in and out of thick forests, vineyards and crops where the capable hands man has designed and invented geometric shapes that appear, from afar, like lying carpets from clean cut, decided to cover cakes and soft hills.
My guides today are Agostino Bongiorni and Tagliaferri Franco, the first councilor and wine producer, the second surveyor to the City, and both share a deep knowledge of the area, its history. Departure is from the center of the country (we visit in depth in an upcoming appointment ed), which we leave to head towards the castle Rezzanello, first stop on the itinerary.
The road, which is reached after passing the detour that signals the Farmhouse La Source (see box), interesting gastronomic stop, is narrow but smooth, and runs in an oak forest, some of which are of considerable importance as centenarian and of considerable size, for this under the protection.
Along the way we see take off some hoopoe, we will encounter later numerous. Once at the castle, private property, we find it under renovation. We leave the car and follow the path that initially lining its walls and then into the woods.
Where ends the front side of the castle, at the angle, Augustine pointed out to me one of those ancient oaks protected, high, imposing, majestic.
It goes back in the car and go back the same road traveled previously and open, surprising, front and sides, glimpses and views of an environment of strong suggestion, that I had overlooked along the road in the opposite direction.
These places, in fact, change, vary its landscapes, scenery, around every corner, every little passed off and the images follow one another, always new and always different, united by a common denominator is that of a thriving nature relaxing in infinite spaces, that are lost on the horizon.
A hare we cross the street and for some runs parallel to us and then turn suddenly and get lost in the vegetation.
Back in town, we leave on our right the bridge that leads to the provincial, where the front seat of the municipality, to turn left instead.
The road immediately begins to climb slightly. A few miles and we make our second stop at the castle Canova Chitti where we are greeted by the friendly owners who are thinking of good use as a part of the beautiful building in bed and breakfast.
I personally think a great idea, I trust them, given the structure and the area where it is located and, in while having a pleasant conversation, accompany me on a visit to this beautiful manor of the sixteenth century.
Ancient drawbridge, I point out, there are only a few tracks, but the entire fort is still well preserved. Just around the green forests with hiking trails easy to follow.
We say goodbye and go on. In just a few minutes to meet on our right we see many horses run free. Just beyond, on the left a few bungalows, after a few hundred meters the seat of one of the most well-known equestrian centers of the province of Piacenza: The Bosana.
For almost twenty years farm, the center is however best known among fans of the horse.
A brief stop for a visit and see in handling a group of guys who are following a course, under the watchful eye of Irene who runs the business with family.
We also appreciate here the great outdoors and the rich vegetation, while we take the way back again towards the center of the country.
After reaching the road turn left and take direction Pianello. Once past loc. Guada and a trattoria curious name Belly Full, we take a strip of asphalt that leads to Monteventano, where stands the castle of the same name.
It is a beautiful structure that has suffered a lot of destruction, by Barbarossa before and Ghibellines later, but was pardoned the beautiful donjon of about 30 meters high. Alongside is the church of the nativity.
Here known signal a CAI, the 205, which climbs up here after traveling, further downstream, a stretch of the stream Luretta. We return to the car and take the direction of a road sign indicating Poviago. Exceeded fraction Lassano, Franco pointed out to me on the left the view that opens onto the castle Monteventano, just visited.
Worth a stop and some shots that did not perform late.
The picture that emerges is one that does not escape ever a landscape painter, where the subject, the ancient castle, stands surrounded by poppy fields, giving a delicacy route from rough formation of gullies The Ripe that stand on the side.
The next stop is the church of San Gabriel, homonymous village, we leave after the fleeting visit to a dirt road, although it is road, called La Caldarola.
A few kilometers, past the deserted village of Basentico, to reach Pomaro, once the town hall, which houses the parish church of San Vitale of the tenth century. We know the pastor, Don Enzo NUCCA, busy at work among laborers and gardening, to make the place more welcoming and pleasant and aims to accompany us on a visit to the building. A few minutes and a few photos, greetings and see you soon, in order to continue our journey that involves two stages. The first is in loc. Vidiano with the church of St. Christopher of the tenth century, the next, and last, is Montecanino, an ancient village well recovered. Here you visit the church of San Giovanni Evangelista with the curiously detached from the bell tower, which rises steeply to the right. Then you see the remains of the ancient castle that once stood in the domain of the surrounding area, destroyed by Barbarossa. Here beauty combines with the good, since they have headquarters here two cottages, ideal for a relaxing and tasty culinary enjoyment. Just adjacent to the church is the Gelso, for many years stop for lovers of good and genuine cuisine Piacenza. Nearby, on the other hand, placing the young farm Agronauta, which was immediately inserted in the circuit of farmhouses of excellence, circuit signaling activities that stand out for the quality of the cuisine, the products used, the services offered. Characteristics common to all those farms that we are going to meet in our routes and advise that in the pages of our section.