Varzi: One of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages

Varzi, recognized as one of Italy’s most beautiful villages, is the gateway to the upper Oltrepò region and the most unspoiled areas of this unique Apennine territory nestled between four provinces. Just a few steps beyond the Voghera–Varzi Greenway’s final stop, the ancient village rises—its medieval architecture almost unchanged for centuries. It reflects the legacy of the Malaspina Marquises, once rulers of a vast territory that stretched as far as Tuscany.

Here, the old Obertenghi tradition—embodied in Malaspina rule—blended with the Visconti duchy, the influence of nearby Savoy, the Oltregiogo Genovese, and the Farnese domains, shaping a uniquely layered cultural landscape. The local dialect itself belongs to the Emilian-Romagnol language group, attesting to the region’s diverse heritage.

As you enter the village, you immediately feel this rich blend of history and cultural frontier. Highlights include:

• The Malaspina Castle and Witches’ Tower (13th century)
• Palazzo Tamburelli (18th century, now the town hall)
• The Parish Church of San Germano (16th century, built on earlier foundations)
• The Oratories of the Bianchi and the Rossi (17th century), distinct in style—one late-Renaissance, the other fully Baroque

Remnants of the medieval walls can be seen in the towers of Porta Soprana and Porta Sottana, the latter attached to Villa Mangini, a 1700s villa later transformed into an Art Nouveau residence with a park offering a glimpse into the 20th century.

Just outside the town lies the Church of the Capuchins, a Romanesque parish church from the 12th century, built atop a 5th-century structure—an important spiritual center for the remote Apennine communities.

Varzi is also the starting point of the mountain section of the Lombard Salt Road, the ancient route connecting Milan to the Ligurian Sea—an ideal continuation of your journey on the Greenway, into unspoiled nature along a thousand-year-old trail.

And no visit to Varzi is complete without tasting the famed Salame di Varzi DOP, a precious cured meat made from noble pork cuts. Cured with the breezes from the Ligurian Sea, it has origins dating back to the Lombards and was once served at Malaspina banquets—perhaps even to Dante himself.