The best dog-friendly hikes and walks in Piacenza

Beautiful and scenic stop after the climb along the Apennine bike tour

Beautiful place. Worth a stop.

Pleasant hut immersed in nature. We had a coffee, decent although it was inside a thermos, and a slice of potato cake. Good, but the portions are "for tasting"… For €3, a potato cake cannot be a tiny slice with just two bites… Portions aside, the place is worth a stop.

The small sacred monument we encounter on Monte Carmo is perhaps the perfect place for a brief moment of reflection. A few years ago, Christiane Völkel commented on the wonderfully fitting sentence by the Italian poet Francesco Petrarch (who lived in the 14th century), "Everywhere one has heaven above oneself," as follows: "What is the use of prayer? This question moves me (...) I have found for myself the answer and the certainty that when I pray I am with the Lord, or rather, that when I pray he is often noticeably closer to me than usual. Thus, I retain the possibility of pouring out my heart to him (...) This intimacy with him makes me believe in him."

Fountain, always fresh to refill your water!

Arriving there is a surprising discovery, an open, restful, and expansive vision: the impression is of arriving in a separate territory, distinct from that in which the common human consortium takes place. There are some Prato Grande meadows scattered throughout the mountainous regions of Italy. Ours, here in the high Piacenza Apennines, extends at around 1,450 meters above sea level, on the right bank of the Nure stream, in the municipality of Ferriere; we are in the area of high-altitude prairies, within which it forms the ideal link between the expanses of Lake Moo and Prato Molle to the north, and that of Prato Bure, to the south. The northern peak of Mount Ragola (1,767 meters) dominates the southwest, imposing itself on hikers who approach it by climbing from the basin of Lake Bino, topped by characteristic rocky outcrops and graced, in July and August, by the fleshy flowers of the yellow water lily. On the eastern flank, Prato Grande is lapped by the Lardana stream, which here flows slowly, little more than a stream, before plunging into a charming waterfall where the plateau ends, near the Rocca dell'Aquila. Beyond Lardana extend the vast foothills of Mount Camulara, also known locally as Lazzarina. Soft underfoot in the summer, when dozens of cattle and Bardigiano horses graze, the meadow is covered in a steady, compact blanket of snow in the winter, which lasts until March, glowing pink on full moon nights. It is precisely on this splendid plateau that in 2006, the Pro Loco Ferriere, in an effort to enhance the area's tourism offerings, built the "Monte Ragola" mountain hut in collaboration with the Municipality. The idea stemmed from the awareness that the upper Nure Valley has always been a popular destination for hiking enthusiasts, as it is home to many of the most beautiful spots in the Piacenza Apennines. With this in mind, we built this mountain hut, which serves as a stopover and base for everyone, from experts to beginners, who wish to spend a day of sport and relaxation in our mountains. Since its inception, the refuge has hosted several groups of hikers who come to the mountain not only on foot but also by bicycle or on horseback, offering them a quiet and simple place to eat and rest before continuing their journey. Since the 2006/07 season, our tourism offering has not been limited to the summer months; our activities have never stopped in the winter either. Thanks to the management of a cross-country ski trail starting from the Zovallo Pass and the organization of various snowshoe excursions, many people have had the opportunity to experience our Apennines even in the particularly charming season of winter, all in complete safety. Source: Proloco Ferriere

Water point guaranteed even in winter!

Even in winter a trickle of water is guaranteed!