A walk through Riserva Naturale Regionale Adelasia

Exercise yourself

It's getting warmer and warmer with the spring. And if you enjoy hiking and walking in the woods, then Riserva Naturale Regionale Adelasia is a nice choice to spend a day or two.

It is about 25 km from Savona to there and you can choose either the highway or the country roads. Anyhow, if you are fond of winding narrow mountain roads, you'll find them on your way to Reserve Adelasia.

There are various hiking routes there: longer or shorter. We took 2 hour round trip among the woods.

We still could sense the remains of the last winter: the trees haven't been bloomed yet and there wasn't so much vegetation as expected in April. We even saw few piles of snow in the distance.

There were many streams that crossed the walking paths so it is a good idea to be well prepared with hiking shoes or with a spare pair of stockings at least ☺

And since "Adelasia" is a natural reserve, all of the species there - its flora and fauna - are protected by law. So don't tease the little creatures that you encounter...

But surely, you can admire them.

Alright, we started from the main entrance of Adelasia and followed trail No 1. We very quickly reached a refuge and a laboratory for environmental education (Cascina Miera) which was 767 meters above the sea level.

Cascina Miera

If you want to make a reservation for an environmental workshop, get a hold of the hut at:

CEA Province of Savona Via Amendola, 10 - 17100 Savona Tel 019/8313547 
E-mail: @ f.mordeglia provincia.savona.it

Website: www.provincia.savona.it


At the hut we had a quick snack and moved on. We passed through tall trees and lianas, a soft blanket of dry yellow leaves and moss, accompanied by the whistle of birds. We even saw a wildlife laboratory, probably used by the students from Cascina Miera. Next we reached a beautiful panoramic rock from which you could see the snowy peaks of the Alps.

I think I saw a hook in the rock and we assumed that probably some people had used it for climbing.

I must say the place is not crowded with tourists. You can enjoy the nature and your trip distracted only by the wild inhabitants of the forest...

After the rock we waded through shallow streams and at that point I regretted I hadn't taken a second pair of stockings with me. Anyway, dipping into cold spring water can be refreshing indeed ☺

Soon after that our trip finished. Route No 1 offers you quite easy excursion through the forest and you can take it for approximately 2 hours and a half. On your way you might find mineral stones and interesting plants and perhaps, you will rarely encounter animals since most of them avoid human contacts.

There are 4 major walking routes in Reserve Adelasia that last from 2 to 6 hours and vary in difficulty level. You can check them out here.

Buon viaggio!

A day in the countryside

Exercise yourself

One of the best-loved sides of Savona (for me), besides being a coastal city, is its relatively close position to the mountain. So take out your car or get on a bus number 11 and head for Quiliano village and the mountain.

Quiliano is located northwest from Savona and is a typical mountain village where people are friendly and during the spring, trees are covered with lovely blossoms.

Actually, our prime destination was la Chiesa San Michele Arcangelo which you can reach after travelling on a winding road after you exit Quiliano. It is about 10 km far from Savona and so, if you follow "Montagna" (mountain) signs on the road you won't be mistaken. However, in case you lose your way to the mountain, local people will be very open to help you...

A view to la Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo

We parked the car in an off-road area just below Montagna village (northwest after Quiliano) and reached the church after climbed a steep, but short, path among the woods. The actual date of its construction is unknown. However, the church is mentioned in old books dating from 1141. It is speculated that it was built by Lombards - German people that migrated to and in fact, invaded Italy and ruled a kingdom there.



It was closed on Sunday so we took our time to look around.


Montagna (Quiliano) is an amazingly tranquil place in the Ligurian Alps. Later, I found information on the hiking and bicycle routes in the area so you can check them out here.

The Ligurian Alps have a lot of paths leading to the summits and thus, it is a favored place for hiking treks, and which reminds me about a Chinese proverb saying that you can test whether someone is a real friend of you, if you only take them with you in the mountain... /take a minute to think about it/




With respect to us, visiting Quiliano and Montagna in a sunny day was quite a relaxation and an energizing experience.

First of all, you can get dizzy by the alternating scenes of colorific gardens and steep alleys. I have to admit that our strange presence barked the dogs in the village but people we met there were so friendly and seemed so lighthearted. I bet they have problems of their own as anyone else but do not look overtaken by them.

And we meowed the only cat (in the perimeter). I think it expected us to give it something delicious...










I spotted so many lovely creatures in both Quiliano and Montagna like goats (well, maybe devilish ☻), sheep, hens, I only heard a sound of what I thought might have been geese, and a pony that posed for my camera!

Moreover, I learned a new expression of greeting in Italian: Salve!

I've noticed that people in Italy have a sense for placing a group of junks together in such a way that they look just fantastic. For instance, a cellophane pack cut into pieces and tied to a fence to wave on the wind. Not to mention their genuine fondness of flowers, especially in Liguria where different kinds of flowers grow during the various seasons of the year.

At some point, a light rain began to fall down and took our little excursion to an end. We hurried through the downward path back to the car. And as we left the mountain, any trace of the rain vanished. We left behind the cheerful montagna and made a wish to visit it again.

What do you like to do on Easter?

Piazza

The Easter is preceded with processions on the streets of Savona. Children on age of 10 or so walk on the streets of the city carrying wooden stages of Biblical scenes and led by two priests. They stopped right under my balcony and sang songs to praise Christ.

This happened the day when we returned from our little trip to Bulgaria. And passing through ice and snow in Slovenia, we arrived at sunny Italy ☺

It rained cats and dogs on Saturday, but on Sunday, the Easter day, the spring came back to Liguria and we made our minds quickly - we took out the car and went out for a walk in Spotorno.





Spotorno is a splendid town in the Italian Riviera. That day, on Easter, its streets and piazze were crowded, its cafes and beaches were full with people. There was a musical orchestra marching on the streets and a market for vintage goods. I bought a small porcelain box for my mother.

We had a drink and snacks (a mix of sea food and meat) on the beach. I so much enjoy the excitement of the crowd during holidays. There was a feeling of allegro in the air. You are tempted to look behind the doors of a church or a little shop, to have a real Italian espresso in one of those cosy cafes in a colorful square or a really narrow street decorated with flowers.

When the sun began to go down we got back in Savona to prepare a delicious supper. You see, this is an inevitable ending for a wonderful Easter.

So where do you like to be on Easter: in the mountain, in the city, or on the beach? I think that being with your favorite ones is the best choice of all.