Casa Rocchino: Mountain Landscape, Trails and History in Zeri
Accommodation in Casa Rocchino
Casa Rocchino and the settlement landscape of Adelano
Casa Rocchino is one of the small settlement groups near Adelano. The districts of Adelano are generally arranged around a single farmstead and scattered houses oriented along the slope. The settlement landscape follows the valley, the nearby mountain ridge and the ascent to Monte Gottero. Several small settlement areas adapted to the slopes thus shape the landscape.
Trails between the valley, pass and mountain
The high-altitude settlements of Adelano developed near a route that connects the upper Lunigiana with the Val di Vara and facilitates the connection with Liguria. A winding road connects some districts and climbs via steep side routes towards Monte Gottero. Long gravel roads cross Pian del Merlo. One of these is a circular route that leads via a steep ascent with hairpin bends to Pian di Berceto; the routes then reconnect at an almost constant elevation of around 1,250 metres with the main road.
The nearby Alta Via dei Monti Liguri leads over the Bocca del Lupo, Monte Gottero, the Foce dei Tre Confini, Pian del Merlo, Casa Biagi, the bridge over the Torrente Adelano and the Passo Calzavitello. A variant of the Alta Via for equestrian tourism passes through Chiusola. The medieval rural settlement is characterised by 16th-century houses and castle ruins.
Natural environment and historic places
The nearby Stretti di Giaredo and the Valle del Torrente Gordana are part of the Natura 2000 network and are designated as a Special Protection Area under the name “Valle del Torrente Gordana”. The Stretti di Giaredo are a gorge on the Torrente Gordana between Pontremoli and Zeri; its most easily accessible section is about 1 kilometre long. Nearby Formentara is an old mountain pasture village at an altitude of 1,120 metres. The stone huts are roofed with “piagne”, flat roofing elements made of local stone.
Church, pilgrimage route and regional character
The church of Santa Maria Maddalena stands at the centre of scattered Adelano. Construction of its bell tower began in 1886 and was not completed until towards the end of the 19th century. The Franciscan hermitage of Santa Maria Maddalena is also located near the borders of Tuscany with Emilia and Liguria. It lies along the Chemin d’Assise and also welcomes people walking this pilgrimage route. The Foce dei Tre Confini is an old mountain pass and was a border point between the states of Parma, Tuscany and Genoa that existed before Italian unification.
Local character also includes historic work and regional cuisine. Nearby Adelano had a weaving tradition in which the indigo-blue work fabric “büdana” was produced. Agnello di Zeri is raised in semi-wild conditions on local hay; the lambs must suckle from their mother and graze until slaughter. A traditional recipe from Zeri uses “testi”.
Cycling meeting point and planned events
Zeri Bike & Trail is a non-competitive sporting event in Lunigiana for cycling and trail enthusiasts. The meeting point, Parco Fiera di Adelano, is located in Località Casa Rocchino, 54029 Zeri (MS), Italy. From Parma, the route includes the Pontremoli exit of the A15 motorway, the SP37 Pontremoli–Zeri and onward travel towards Adelano. The event “Zeribike 2026 – BIKE KIDS” was scheduled to take place there on 14 June 2026; the 40th Mostra del Cavallo Bardigiano e Rassegna Equina was also scheduled to take place in nearby Adelano di Zeri from 28 August to 30 August 2026.
For the overarching travel overview: Zeri.
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