Alta Val di Vara: the organic 
valley
We suggest some ideas for those 
wishing to visit the 
Alta Val di Vara in case you are
staying in Monterosso al Mare 
and have the pleasure to go in one
of the most suggestive corners 
of the province of La Spezia.
Starting from Monterosso with your
own car and driving inland for an
hour you arrive in the
Alta Val di Vara. There are many 
reasons for a trip to the 
Alta Val di Vara, the green heart 
of the Cinque Terre. Over time this
area has obtained the organic 
valley mark. The title was assigned 
following a policy of attention 
towards eco-sustainability and the 
typical product. Examples are the 
public lighting of the streets of 
Varese Ligure powered by wind energy, 
meat and dairy products certified 
with organic label, and vegetables 
and fruit at zero km.
To visit the Borgo Rotondo of 
Varese Ligure, conceived in the
 Middle Ages as a defense system. 
The building plan is due to the 
Fieschi family who had their fiefdom 
in Varese. From the historic center 
of Varese Ligure you can proceed to 
the Cento Croci pass the so-called
 Napoleonic route, one of the many 
itineraries in the area. From here 
you can walk along the Altavia of 
the Ligurian Mountains (AV) up to 
the peak of Mount Gottero (1639 m). 
It is four and a half hours of 
walking to go and return to the 
pass of the Cappelletta where 
you can park your car.
For the gourmets, the area is a 
paradise: lasagne with leeks sauce,
 tagliatelle with beans and zimino, 
cuculletti (potato croquettes) etc. 
Chestnut flour is very used to cook 
castagnaccio and tagliatelle.