In addition to its major high-altitude hiking destinations, the Ossola Valley also offers a gentler landscape closer to the valley floor: that of terraced vineyards, often supported by dry-stone walls built over the centuries to gain cultivable land on the slopes.
A landscape built by hand
The vineyards of the Ossola Valley tell a story of hard work and adaptation: viticulture in this area is often described as “heroic” precisely because of the steep slopes and conditions in which it is practised, as explained in the article dedicated to heroic viticulture. Walking among these vine rows, even just for a short stroll, allows you to appreciate up close a landscape that changes with the seasons: from spring buds to the deep green of summer, through to the golden colours of autumn during the harvest.
What to expect from a walk among the vineyards
These are not proper mountain trails, but small dirt roads and mule tracks that cross the vineyard areas, often offering glimpses of the surrounding villages and valleys. They are generally short routes suitable for everyone, including those who are not regular hikers.
For up-to-date information on trails and walks in the Ossola Valley, the reference point is the Tourist District of the Lakes, Mountains and Valleys of Ossola.
An experience to combine with a tasting
The most complete way to discover this landscape is to combine your walk with a stop at a winery: during our tastings, you can get to know the vineyards that give rise to the wines of our winery, gaining a better understanding of the direct connection between the land explored on foot and what you then find in the glass.
An experience for all the senses
Walking among the vine rows does not only mean admiring the landscape: throughout the seasons, you can sense the fragrance of leaves in spring, the warmth of the earth in summer and the sweet aroma of ripe grapes in autumn, in a sensory experience that completes the understanding of the work behind every bottle of Ossola wine.
Routes to discover with a local guide
For those who do not know the area well, relying on a local guide or winery staff during a walk among the vineyards makes it possible to notice details that would otherwise remain unseen: from the pruning techniques used to the marks left on the ground by different vintages, through to the stories of the families who have worked that land for generations.
An experience to share
Many visitors choose to share on social media the photographs taken during their walk among the vineyards, unintentionally helping to introduce this lesser-known corner of the Ossola Valley to a wider audience: a positive side effect that helps promote the area without the need for major advertising investments.
One final idea: bringing a camera with you, even just the one on your smartphone, allows you to capture the changing colours of the vineyards in every season of the year.
One step after another, among the vine rows that tell the story of Ossola.
One step at a time, among the vine rows that tell the story of Ossola.
One final note: suggesting this walk also to those who are not wine enthusiasts makes it possible to discover an agricultural landscape that is often overlooked by occasional visitors.
One step at a time, among the vine rows that tell the story of Ossola.
One step at a time, among vineyards that tell the story of Ossola.
Exploring the paths among Ossola’s vineyards offers a different perspective on heroic mountain viticulture: walking among the terraced vine rows, you gain a better understanding of the daily hard work of those who work these slopes, often accessible only on foot. It is an experience that can be combined with a stop at a winery, completing the walk with a tasting of wines produced from those very terraces.
Each season gives the paths among the vineyards a different appearance, from the deep green of spring to the warm colours of the autumn harvest.
