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In the heart of the village of Prati di Mezzanego, right near the town hall, stands a magnificent centuries-old wisteria, listed in the Ligurian Regional Register of Monumental Trees. The plant has entwined itself around an old metal structure, now completely engulfed in branches, creating a natural display reminiscent of an art installation. The most evocative time to admire it is early spring, when the blossoms offer a truly unique display of colors and scents.

Situated at 717 meters above sea level, Santa Maria del Taro is a hamlet in the municipality of Tornolo (province of Parma), nestled in the heart of the Northern Apennines, near the border between Emilia and Liguria. Since the early Middle Ages, its strategic position along the ancient ridge road connecting the sea to the Po Valley has made it a transit and trade center, as well as a military and commercial control point. The name itself recalls the religious devotion that has permeated the town for centuries: the church-sanctuary dedicated to the Nativity of Mary, rebuilt in neoclassical style between 1807 and 1834, stands on an older structure and has been the spiritual center of the upper Taro Valley for centuries. The building, with its broad façade and stone bell tower, preserves a deep devotional tradition that is still alive. A short walk from the center is the Ponte dei Priori, a medieval humpbacked stone structure that once served as the only permanent access to the valley and symbolically marked the passage between the lands of the Malaspina and Fieschi families, two powerful feudal families of the Apennines. Over the centuries, Santa Maria del Taro has maintained an identity suspended between Emilian and Ligurian culture, evident in the features of its rural architecture, local dialects, and popular customs.

Situated at 956 meters between the Vara and Aveto Valleys, the Bocco Pass is one of the historic passes of the Ligurian Apennines, used since ancient times as a connection between the Tyrrhenian coast and the Po Valley hinterland. Already in Roman times, it was part of a secondary transit network, but it was especially in the Middle Ages and modern times that the pass assumed a central role in local traffic: a route for merchants, shepherds, and pilgrims, it connected Chiavari and the Riviera with Varese Ligure and the Emilian plains. Traces of the ancient paving are still visible today in the surrounding woods. During the Second World War, the area served as a refuge for partisan groups, thanks to its secluded location and dense forest cover. Today, the pass is a destination for cyclists and hikers, immersed in an unspoiled mountain landscape of beech and fir forests and highland meadows, at the gateway to the Aveto Regional Natural Park.

This long stretch of the dirt road that goes from Perlezzi up towards the Aiona–Pratomollo Refuge offers wide panoramic views: from the Aveto Mountains to the sea, with Lake Giacopiane appearing between the mountains like one of those bodies of water in the nativity scene, reflected on silver paper. The surface is generally hard and compact, but in some short stretches the loose gravel can reduce grip, both uphill and downhill. The descent is pleasant and never too steep, while the climb requires a certain amount of effort: the difference in altitude is felt and the ascent is constant, with no flat stretches to recover. However, the effort is well rewarded by the increasingly spectacular views that open up as you climb higher.

This stretch of the dirt road that climbs from Perlezzi towards the Aiona–Pratomollo Refuge runs entirely through a splendid beech forest. Many of the trees are large, a sign of the age and majesty of the forest. In summer, you cycle in the shade of a cool green tunnel; in autumn, the landscape is tinged with warm shades, from yellow to brown. Even in winter, the forest retains a special charm, with the branching of the beech trees clearly visible in its elegant geometry. The surface is compact and smooth, making cycling easy. The difference in height is minimal, making this stretch particularly pleasant to ride.

This intersection marks the point where the dirt road coming from Crosi joins the one that goes up from Perlezzi. There are in fact two dirt roads that, going up the valley, lead towards the Aiona-Pratomollo Refuge. The first, more direct, starts from the locality of Crosi and initially develops in the woods, to then cross the large pastures that cover the side of the mountain. It is a physically demanding climb, especially from a muscular point of view, but without significant technical difficulties, at least in dry conditions. The second, longer route, starts in the hamlet of Perlezzi. Although it has a lower average gradient - thanks to the greater length that allows for a better distribution of the difference in altitude - it is, in my opinion, more challenging due to the less compact ground in several central sections. This characteristic reduces grip, especially for those who do not have adequately knobby tires. On the descent, both dirt roads do not pose any particular technical problems, but it is advisable to pay attention along the Perlezzi route, precisely because of the poor compactness of the surface in some places.

In the locality of Ferre, along a dirt bike path, there is an ancient medieval bridge, marked by special signs on site. Although it is in a state of abandonment and is almost completely covered by vegetation, its structure is still clearly visible. It is a single-arch bridge, with a central height of about 15 meters, still perfectly passable.

The historic center of Varese Ligure is truly surprising in its urban structure, to the point of deserving the nickname Borgo Rotondo. The medieval building plan, which is due to the Fieschi, had a defensive purpose. In the center is the castle, with its high and sturdy walls. Around it, the houses are arranged in rows following the round curvature of the square, with porticos on the ground floor that allowed access to the shops and warehouses (some of which have now been transformed into public places). Also very interesting are the recently restored eighteenth-nineteenth century buildings with polychrome facades, which recall the pictorial decorations of the past. Furthermore, Varese Ligure is at the center of the Val di Vara biodistrict.