Roverazza: Paper History, Watercourses and Trails

Roverazza combines a clear connection to watercourses with the industrial archaeology of paper production. The Andar per Cartiere route leads as far as Roverazza. Those interested in regional history, former working worlds and trails through the Ligurian landscape will find various starting points here for planning their trip.

Andar per Cartiere and the Paper Mills

Andar per Cartiere is an excursion route dedicated to industrial archaeology and industrial heritage. The route visits the Ferriera, with its collection of eight old paper mills. The complete route begins in the hamlet of Fondocrosa and follows the Gorsexio stream upstream to its source. It is currently not walkable because of major landslides. For your planning, it is therefore important to distinguish the route’s historical and landscape significance from its current accessibility.

One section of the Gorsexio stream begins at its confluence with the Rio Ruea in the village of Roverazza. Here, water is not only a landscape feature but is also connected with former paper production. This is particularly evident on the Ciasoa trail, which leads to Mele. At the entrance to the trail, you can see the presa del beo, a water-management structure. The old beo is an artificial canal that was used by the paper mills.

Mele: Paper Craftsmanship in the Museum

The Museo Carta Mele is located in the former Piccardo paper mill in the municipality of Mele; it was built in 1756. At the museum, visitors can follow the process by which plant fibers from rags and waste paper are transformed into new paper.

The exhibition rooms of the Museo Carta Mele are accessible to everyone thanks to the removal of architectural barriers. The visit can be thematically linked to the old beo and the history of paper mills along the Ciasoa trail, although these places are not at the same location.

Historic Sites and Trails through Liguria

The Oratorio di Sant’Antonio Abate is also located in the municipality of Mele. The 18th-century complex comprises a church, a sacristy, oratory buildings and a chapel. It also houses one of the oldest processional chests in Liguria, dating from the late 16th century. For travelers interested in culture, this site complements the history of paper production with religious architecture and regional traditions.

The Terme di Acquasanta complex is also located in the municipality of Mele, on the left bank of the Acquasanta stream, near the sanctuary of the same name. Together with the hiking trails that connect the sea with the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri within the municipality of Mele, this creates a broad range of cultural and landscape experiences.

More Destinations for Trip Planning

For further orientation, you will find Castiglione Chiavarese, Genoa, Montebruno, Santa Margherita Ligure, Bracco, Montoggio, Moneglia and Recco.

To the overarching travel overview: Genoa.