Val di Vara Biodistrict

La Val di Vara it's a paradise green, rich in woods, rivers and biodiversity in a highly diverse territory: from Mediterranean scrub to mountain forests, passing through meadows, ancient chestnut groves, lands cultivated with cutting-edge organic techniques and semi-wild rural areas.

The British newspaper The Guardian he defined it a long time ago the greenest valley in Italy and included it among the 20 places in the world that stand out for the implementation of significant projects that respect the environment and safeguard and enhance their community and cultural heritage. In the Ligurian hinterland, the Alta Val di Vara is an area of approximately 345 square kilometers on the border between the province of La Spezia, Tuscany, and Emilia Romagna, home to the municipalities of Cart, Carrodano, Maissana, Zignago, Sixth Godano, Rocchetta Vara e Varese Ligure: Approximately six thousand inhabitants in total. Crossing the valley means immersing yourself in the beauty of clear waterways, woods, and green meadows, and marveling at the charm of the ancient villages, castles, and mills that adorn the area and tell its story.

Val di Vara Biodistrict

An uncontaminated place which, at the beginning of the nineties, thanks to the intuition of the then mayor of Varese Ligure, Maurizio Caranza, who passed away in 2007, decided to combat abandonment and isolation focusing on theorganic farming, the eco-sustainable development and renewable energy. Thus, while the entire valley, day by day, continued its path of conversion to organic, in 1999, Varese Ligure has obtained the recognition of first entirely organic country in Europe. And in 2006 the Biodistrict of the Vara Valley, a unique reality that today counts for a lot 95 organic companies Based on sustainable resource management: agricultural businesses and artisan workshops, restaurants, hotels, agritourism, educational farms, and tourism initiatives that promote exploration of the region through contact with nature and local specialties. Passionate people and a growing number of young people.

Photo credit: Val di Vara Biodistrict/Facebook

The organic valley

In the Biodistrict, well 60 percent of the certified agricultural area is organicThere's the Val di Vara dairy cooperative, which collects and transforms the milk of its member producers into cheeses: products made with ancient recipes and the first to receive organic certification in Liguria. And there are the Limousine cows that graze freely at an altitude of 1,000 meters. Here, medicinal herbs grow, saffron, blueberries, and berries are cultivated, as well as a local hop, the perfect ingredient for a special cheese. organic beer. And the preparation is made fresh pasta homemade.

The Alta Val di Vara is a route crisscrossed by the trails of the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri, offering hiking and cycling opportunities. It is also crisscrossed by numerous streams that flow into the Vara River, perfect for kayaking, rafting, and canyoning. For the more adventurous, there are also ski lifts at the Val di Vara Adventure Park. Monte Gottero (1.640 m), a magnificent viewpoint, is not only a wildlife sanctuary but also home to some rare species of alpine flora. The nearby Foce dei Tre Confini (Foce of the Three Borders) reminds us that this area long marked the border between the Republic of Genoa, the Duchy of Parma, and the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.

A pact for the sustainable development of the territory signed by farmers, associations, tourist operators and all the other entities that adhere to the Biodistrict and which also leads to the ValleBio Festival, scheduled for next September 6th this year.

Photo credit: Val di Vara Biodistrict/Facebook

A precious treasure chest, the Alta Val di Vara where the word "does not exist"hurry" and where everything happens in full respect of natural times and rhythms. The jewel in the crown: Varese Ligure, One of the most beautiful villages in Italy, the first Italian municipality to obtain environmental certifications (ISO 14001 and EMAS), awarded by the European Union, in 2004, as the best rural community.

Photo credit: Fabio Caironi/Shutterstock.com

Varese Ligure

The village, which today has about 2.000 inhabitants, dates back to 1.161 and has a charming medieval atmosphere: it is, in fact, a walled city. Varese Ligure has retained its original urban layout, starting with the 1435 castle, the stone portals, and the churches, including that of San Filippo Neri and Santa Teresa d'Avila, consecrated in 1676, which houses a statue of Saint Francis Xavier by Gregorio De Ferrari, a master of 17th-century Genoese art. Frescoes and precious ornaments decorate the Oratory of Saints Anthony and Rocco.

A real jewel the Round Village, the ancient market site, where today artisanal activities are concentrated. A small square where the houses are all identical, colorful and two-story: the ground floor used as a warehouse or workshop, the upper floor as living quarters.

Photo credit: Fabio Caironi/Shutterstock.com

Small artistic treasures such as the Grecino Bridge (1515) with a single arch overlooking the Crovana stream. There is also the Peasant Museum which, inside, houses the ancient tools used by lumberjacks, carpenters, and shoemakers. Traditional costumes are also present.

Photo credit: Fabio Caironi/Shutterstock.com

A village to be admired in every corner, Varese Ligure, and from which it is impossible to leave without first having tasted the corzetti, the typical disc-shaped pasta of Ligurian cuisine.

Photo credit: Val di Vara Biodistrict/Facebook

The Alta Val di Vara landscape is a landscape to be discovered slowly, and an excellent idea for a regenerating holiday exploring the wonderful villages that dot our country from north to south: hidden gems struggling not to disappear.

Val di Vara, the greenest valley in Italy