Pavia, the ancient capital of the Val Padana, is situated in the north of Oltrepò Pavese, a territory shaped just like a bunch of the grapes which are produced here. An important university city, Pavia was one of the main stopping points on the Via Francigena, the medieval pilgrim route which led from Canterbury all the way to Rome. The historic center is home to impressive works of Longobard architecture such as the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro and the Cathedral, in which the relics of San Siro, the patron saint of Pavia, are conserved.
The Charterhouse of Pavia is situated just a few kilometers beyond the city walls, and offers one of the finest examples of Italian Gothic architecture. This magnificent Carthusian monastery was commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Visconti, in 1396 as the family mausoleum, and contains the tombs of Ludovico il Moro and his wife, Beatrice d'Este.
After visiting the charterhouse, we head to Voghera, the principal town of Oltrepò Pavese (also known as Old Piedmont). Here the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna meet. Voghera is situated on the Via del Sale, the route once used for the transportation of goods, such as wool (but also of weapons), from Piedmont to Genoa, where they were exchanged for cart-loads of salt. The Oltrepò, its hills carpeted with over 16000 hectares of vineyards, stretches south as far as the mountainous area between the provinces of Alessandria and Piacenza. The area is a favorite holiday destination and there is no lack of pretty little hotels and farm stays in which to take a relaxing vacation, enjoying the countryside and the gastronomic delights produced here.
Oltrepò Pavese's Salice Thermal Baths are a well-established favorite with spa lovers, and an obligatory port of call for all those wishing to rejuvenate. Within easy driving distance from Alessandra, Voghera, Pavia and Tortona, the town of Salice Terme occupies a particularly strategic position, in the vicinity of all of northern Italy's principal roadways. By foot, walking through dense woodland, visitors come to the district of Nazzano and its 9th century Castle. From here there is a stunningly panoramic view of the Staffora Valley.
The area is home to a great number of castles. From a hilltop position Oramala Castle, in the Val di Nizza, dominates the medieval village of Oramala, and much of the surrounding landscape. For centuries, this one time residence of the Malaspina, granted to the influential noble family by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, has been the subject of local legend and superstitions, all of which have increased its tourist appeal. On the opposite side of the valley, Varzi is the best known of the towns in the mountainous part of Oltrepò. This small town, with its picturesque, medieval center, symbolized by the Malaspina tower, has become famous for its Salame di Varzi, a traditional, course grained sausage the origins of which date back to the time of the Longobards.
Just a few kilometers from Varzi, in the district of Cella, the Tempio della Fraternità dei Popoli (Temple of the Brotherhood of Man) is well worth a visit. This unusual church was built using war relics retrieved from battlefields throughout the world. The Christening font was made using the breechblock of a 305 cannon, the pulpit with parts of two British ships which participated in the Normandy landing, and the main altar with ruins from the bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Bobbio is a delightful little medieval village which developed around the S. Colombano Monastery. Bobbio is best known for its Ponte Vecchio, the bridge spanning the River Trebbia and fondly referred to locally as the hunchback due to the irregular form of its eleven arches. The historic center is characterized by a maze of little lanes, which open out to reveal glimpses of the Malaspina castle above the town. The square keep, two minor service towers, and perimeter walls complete with two drawbridges of the castle can still be seen.
