Discover Rocca De' Giorgi: Wine, Circular Trail and Historical Traces

Winegrowing and rural character in the Oltrepò Pavese

Rocca De' Giorgi is one of the winegrowing villages of the Oltrepò Pavese. The village combines winegrowing with rural parish churches, castles and a landscape in which a long agricultural history is visible. For travellers who want to get to know Italy through more than just its major cities, this offers a quieter approach to regional culture, historic buildings and culinary traditions.

Villa Fornace: Wine and the municipality's circular trail

Conte Vistarino offers cellar tours and guided wine tastings at Villa Fornace. Villa Fornace is also the starting and finishing point of the “camminandoinoltrepo” circular trail, which runs through the municipality of Rocca De' Giorgi. Wine enthusiasts and walkers therefore find two different ways to experience the same regional setting here: a professionally guided tasting and a designated route through the landscape. The two offerings differ in form: the cellar tour and wine tasting remain tied to Villa Fornace, while the circular trail leads from there through the municipality.

The circular trail and the Church of San Michele Arcangelo

The “camminandoinoltrepo” circular trail is ten kilometres long and takes about two and a half hours. After about one kilometre, the trail reaches the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, which has been documented since the 12th century. The feast of Saint Michael takes place on the third Sunday in October. At ten kilometres and about two and a half hours, the route has a clear time frame. For individual day planning, the stated duration can be used as a separate block of time. The church's kilometre point marks an early section of the route within this time frame, not its conclusion. For those interested in culture, this section connects the circular trail with a church documented since the 12th century. The stated duration refers to the complete loop and not just to the section leading to San Michele Arcangelo.

Ecclesiastical and aristocratic traces in the wider area

Rocca De' Giorgi was the seat of an old parish in the Diocese of Piacenza. The Rocca di Montalino fortress is located in the surrounding area. The wider regional area also includes Dattili Palace, Castello Visconteo and Palazzo Gounela.

Mountains in the wider regional area

Monte Penice lies south of Rocca De' Giorgi in the wider regional area. To the southeast are the mountains Pietra Parcellara, Pietra Perduca and Monte Armelio, also in the wider regional area of Rocca De' Giorgi.

November pastries and commemorative culture

The local character also includes “Dead man's bones” biscuits. They are typical November sweets and are associated with the remembrance of the dead. The third Sunday in October marks a fixed point in the annual calendar for this.

For further travel planning in Italy, you can also discover Siziano, Montesegale, Zinasco Vecchio, Codevilla, San Giorgio di Lomellina, Montalto Pavese, Palestro and Santa Cristina.

For the overarching travel overview: Pavia.