ALTRAVIA

STAGE 01: Turin – Andezeno

Length: 23.6 km

Total elevation gain: ascent 600 mt, descent 517 mt

Running time: 7 h 10″

Municipalities: Turin, Baldissero T.se, Pino T.se, Chieri, Andezeno

Countries crossed: Turin, Andezeno

AltraVia starts from a flight of steps, that of the Church of the Great Mother of God, overlooking the Po that flows a few meters away.

We do not cross it, as if to emphasize that the sea ahead will not be the Adriatic but the Ligurian.

We then skirt the river for a few kilometers, and as we walk along the bank, the city takes on an unusual perspective.

When we leave the bank, after a few city blocks a path begins to climb, deep into the forest.

We are accompanied by ever-widening glimpses of the regular urban layout, crowned by the Alpine range.

Here, at a certain point, the dome of the Basilica of Superga is revealed among the vegetation. After a false-flat section, we find ourselves descending the other, less impervious and more sloping side of the Turin hillside.

The view opens to soft country undulations, which we follow along ridges or descending and re-emerging from wide valleys.

At the end of the STAGE, the town of Andezeno appears in front of us, on a rise: an ancient town of Celtic-Latin origin.

Water sources:

-45.06342563801441, 7.7000359227826385 (toret – fontanella)

-45.06881431060807, 7.717387132881511 (toret – fontanella)

-45.070132858088044, 7.723920165744598 (toret – fontanella)

-45.078455170223585, 7.732736122056911 (toret – fontanella)

-45.0785044144469, 7.737354885994651 (toret – fontanella)

-45.077877494448344, 7.738022756032919 (toret – fontanella)

-45.08117346655768, 7.767533298039705

-45.078485931913036, 7.771663899916322

-45.073884286754826, 7.78177030362867

-45.06084875453998, 7.784238682133044

Pharmacies: Turin and Andezeno

ATMs: Turin and Andezeno

Groceries: Turin and Andezeno

STAGE 02: Andezeno – Cortazzone

Length: 22.4 km

Total elevation gain: ascent 184 mt, descent 272 mt

Running time: 5 h 55″

Municipalities: Andezeno, Arignano, Mombello di Torino, Moriondo Torinese, Buttigliera d’Asti, Capriglio, Montafia, Cortazzone

Countries crossed: Buttigliera d’Asti, Bagnasco (Montafia), Cortazzone

We leave the built-up area of Andezeno and immediately plunge back into the countryside. We allow ourselves to be lulled by the delicate movements of the ground, which lead us up and down for a few kilometers, almost imperceptibly, giving us fantastic views of the Alpine range.

One lands in the town of Buttigliera d’Asti, with its characteristic square plan of medieval origin. It derives its name from the term butticularia, that is, boundary stone. We have actually entered the province of Asti; we leave behind the plains of Turin to enter the hills of Monferrato.

From here to our arrival we will walk through woods and cultivated fields, traversing terrain with reliefs that begin to become more pronounced. We will encounter ancient and modern testimonies of faith, whose most significant representatives are the Basilica of San Giovanni Bosco and the church of San Secondo, with its enigmatic iconographies.

We will finally arrive to catch a glimpse of the silhouette of Cortazzone Castle, perched atop the hill that houses the main nucleus of the village, the site of today’s arrival.

Water sources:

-45.022343508683214, 7.950703594543358

-45.015487638022876, 7.956175301043566

-44.99633007846015, 8.027865383417705

-44.98446885638365, 8.052876827985061

-44.98081867701352, 8.058369992058248

Pharmacies: Andezeno, Buttigliera d’Asti, Cortazzone

ATMs: Andezeno, Buttigliera d’Asti

Grocery stores: Andezeno, Buttigliera d’Asti, Cortazzone

STAGE 03: Cortazzone – San Damiano d’Asti

Length: 24 km

Total elevation gain: ascent 323 mt, descent 340 mt

Running time: 6 h 35″

Municipalities: Cortazzone, Camerano Casasco, Cinaglio, Monale, Castellero, Baldichieri d’Asti, Tigliole, San Damiano d’Asti

Countries crossed: Monale, Castellero, Baldichieri d’Asti, Tigliole, San Damiano d’Asti

STAGE schematically divisible into three, completely different parts. The first takes place along a quiet track, which leads us through dense forests. Far from inhabited centers, we are enveloped by magical atmospheres from which unexpected surprises arise.

Then begins the intermediate stretch. Climbing and descending between hills and valley floors, we admire castles, noble palaces, churches. We pass through villages arranged on ridges or lying at the foot of hills. On the high ground stretches, the eye is gratified by ever-changing views, passing between rows of vines and hazelnut groves.

Concluding our STAGE is the quiet approach to the town of San Damiano d’Asti, one of the most beautiful villages in Piedmont, where Alto Monferrato borders Langhe and Roero. A double arcade accompanies our arrival in the center of the town, with its square plan of oppidum defensive.

Water sources:

-44.93836777083707, 8.072919484590528

-44.92423494379309, 8.074348188704962

-44.89129851999225, 8.088471803630304

Pharmacies: Cortazzone, Monale, Baldichieri d’Asti, Tigliole, San Damiano d’Asti

ATMs: Monale, Baldichieri d’Asti, Tigliole, San Damiano d’Asti

Grocery stores: Cortazzone, Monale, Baldichieri d’Asti, Tigliole, San Damiano d’Asti

STAGE 04: San Damiano d’Asti – Alba

Length: 22.3 km

Totalelevation gain: ascent 374 mt, descent 414 mt

Running time: 6 h 13″

Municipalities: San Damiano d’Asti, Govone, Priocca, Magliano Alfieri, Castagnito, Guarene, Alba

Countries crossed: Priocca, Magliano Alfieri, Castagnito, Guarene, Alba

We enter the heart of the lands declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site: it will not be difficult to understand why. After a quiet start, descending from San Damiano d’Asti we plunge into a wide valley that, among meadows, crops and hazelnut groves, takes us through the village of Priocca, the first town in the Roero and the province of Cuneo that we encounter. We climb further and reach Magliano Alfieri and its castle, steeped in historical and literary memories, overlooking the Tanaro valley.

We descend and ascend between rows of vines, which fade away on either side of us, giving us evocative views. The route arrives at Guarene with its castle, which dominates the Tanaro valley from above. Here appears at our feet, on the bank of the river, the town of Alba, capital of the Langhe.

We descend as we approach, among ever-expanding hazelnut groves, until we enter the historic center of the city of a hundred towers, famous for its white truffles, tonda gentile hazelnuts, fine wines and its gastronomic tradition, the heart of our itinerary.

Water sources:

-44.76689931692323, 8.068089745015731

-44.76667028636601, 8.067303632136325

-44.740608979027364, 8.034017562429794

-44.737971158022965, 8.03128737455991

-44.702203923073526, 8.032837544793514

Pharmacies: San Damiano d’Asti, Priocca, Magliano Alfieri, Castagnito, Guarene, Alba

ATMs: San Damiano d’Asti, Priocca, Magliano Alfieri, Castagnito, Guarene, Alba

Grocery stores: San Damiano d’Asti, Priocca, Magliano Alfieri, Castagnito, Guarene, Alba

STAGE 05: Alba – Bossolasco

Length: 24.3 km

Totalelevation gain: ascent 633 mt, descent 82 mt

Running time: 7 h 08″

Municipalities: Alba, Diano d’Alba, Rodello, Lequio Berria, Arguello, Albaretto della Torre, Cerreto Langhe, Serravalle Langhe, Bossolasco

Countries crossed: Tre Cunei (Lequio Berria), Serravalle Langhe, Bossolasco

For a long, interminable straight stretch we move away from Alba, as if to emphasize how, for two days, we will remain far from major roads, crossing a plateau between the Tanaro and Belbo valleys, a land of wheat, corn, hay, chestnuts and grapes.

In the first half of the STAGE we will slowly climb from 200 to 700 m, and on this altitude we will remain until the finish, contemplating endless expanses of vineyards and hazel groves on our sides. This will allow us to better endure some somewhat “asphalt-like” stretches, and to finally reach, as a reward for today’s toil, the beautiful Bossolasco, the town of roses, a romantic resort town also frequented by Beppe Fenoglio.

But before we arrive we will pass by the iconic Serravalle Langhe, set on top of a hill from which four fertile valleys branch off.

Watersources:

-44.68771685516257, 8.034339051223222

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-44.52990179820988, 8.050126422141515

-44.52854127843393, 8.053030872705625

Pharmacies: Alba, Serravalle Langhe, Bossolasco

ATMs: Alba, Bossolasco

Grocery stores: Alba, Tre Cunei (Lequio Berria), Serravalle Langhe, Bossolasco

STAGE 06: Bossolasco – Ceva

Length: 23.6 km

Totalelevation gain: ascent 280 mt, descent 411 mt

Running time: 6 h 37″

Municipalities: Bossolasco, Bonvicino, Murazzano, Paroldo, Torresina, Roascio, Ceva

Countries crossed: Torresina, Ceva

We continue our route, which will remain at high altitude until we descend and find the Tanaro, crossed two days ago. We approach more and more the Belbo valley, which stretches out on our left. Vast views will accompany us throughout the STAGE, and we will enjoy them as if from a balcony.

The environment around us is changing its characteristics as we approach the Alpine range. The villages are all down below on either side of us, and so we travel the entire distance without encountering significant settlements, except for the small hamlet of Torresina, which has a crystalline surprise in store for us.

Passing through Napoleonic sites, we finally descend on Ceva, a prelude to a further paradigm shift in our journey, sighting from above, for the first time, the Turin-Savona highway.

The city, of Proto-Romanesque origins, will manage to amaze us with its monuments and quaint old town.

Watersources:

-44.51229868676245, 8.043950529978114

-44.432221069330616, 8.034512635513861

-44.38616746132131, 8.035108954942487

Pharmacies: Bossolasco, Ceva

ATMs: Bossolasco, Ceva

Groceries: Bossolasco, Ceva

STAGE 07: Ceva – Millesimo

Length: 24.4 km

Totalelevation gain: ascent 534 mt, descent 472 mt

Running time: 7 h 10″

Municipalities: Ceva, Sale delle Langhe, Priero, Castelnuovo di Ceva, Roccavignale Millesimo

Countries crossed: Costa (Piero), Castelnuovo di Ceva, Roccavignale, Millesimo

The forest is the dominant element of this STAGE, which takes us from the Tanaro valley to the Bormida hydrographic territory. But we do not only find nature in profusion. Halfway through the STAGE, we can take a break in the small town of Castelnuovo di Ceva, lost in a basin among the mountains, with its historical evidence. Shortly after, we leave the Piedmont province of Cuneo and enter the Savonese area, crossing a small rivulet. And then the castle of Roccavignale, the lakes of the Dolmen, prehistoric evidence, and finally the medieval village of Millesimo, all to be discovered.

Sources Of water:

-44.373977210219756, 8.061212526461642

-44.363836103281585, 8.086400850007244

-44.35389483932519, 8.128991435780163

-44.35933962164244, 8.182621093701117

Pharmacies: Ceva, Millesimo

ATMs: Ceva, Millesimo

Groceries: Ceva, Millesimo

STAGE 08: Millesimo – Upper Montenotte (Cairo Montenotte)

Length: route A 23.6 km – route B 24.6 km

Totalelevation gain: A ascent 827 mt, descent 507 mt – B ascent 691 mt, descent 382 mt

Running time: 7 h 30″

Municipalities: Millesimo, Cosseria, Carcare, Altare, Cairo Montenotte

First STAGE of the two entirely in Ligurian territory. We cross the Upper Bormida Valley, touching the three constituent branches of the river: the Bormida of Millesimo, Pallare and Mallare. After passing by the castle of Cosseria, we walk on a scenic ridge, parallel to the highway route, until we reach the colorful town of Carcare. Here, as is the case with the mountainous section of the highway, the route splits. Route A passes through Adelasia Park and is recommended for hikers. B passes through Altare, preferable for bikes.

A) We skim through the woods to the Ferrania area, with its important industrial history, arriving at a historic Abbey. We then leave the inhabited territories to enter the splendid Adelasia Park, climbing immersed in nature. We stop for a rest in a mountainous setting, at the highest point of AltraVia, now a stone’s throw from the sea. This will be the only time we will stop outside an urban center.

B) Traveling along the valley floor we arrive at Altare, an ancient town whose history is inextricably linked to the art of glassmaking, where we may decide to stop. Continuing on, a long but steady ascent will take us first to the Bocchetta di Altare, a point traditionally indicated as the demarcation between the Alps and the Apennines, and then to rejoin itinerary A, after passing through the high borders of the Adelasia Park.

Water sources:

-44.359413477732886, 8.28924052345716

-44.358287027443396, 8.290342035482617

-44.35585682932582, 8.29145409759495

-44.35738783291193, 8.308498833342371

-44.36829502772636, 8.322740702329993

-44.37104079001285, 8.336054709482665

Pharmacies: Millesimo, Carcare, Altare (B)

ATMs: Millesimo, Carcare, Altare (B)

Groceries: Millesimo, Carcare, Altare (B)

STAGE 09: Upper Montenotte (Cairo Montenotte) – Savona

Length: 17.4 km

Totalelevation gain: ascent 202 mt, descent 928 mt

Running time: 5h 30″

Municipalities: Cairo Montenotte, Albissola Marina, Savona

Last STAGE, easy and short: the sea awaits us. Linear the route, which takes place almost entirely on scenic ridges, progressively and steadily descending to the waters of the Ligurian Sea. Except at the finish, we will not cross any towns or footholds, but will travel along quiet roads and paths, often in the shade of the forest. We will approach the built-up area of Savona and dive into the center from above, ending our journey under the arcades of Via Paleocapa, to arrive at the city’s symbolic monument: the Torretta.

Watersources:

-44.308421855091794, 8.486200515089209

Pharmacies: Savona

ATM: Savona

Grocery: Savona