7. Pometo to Bobbio

610

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With the increasing altitude, the vine has given way to mountain vegetation with an alternation of meadows for breeding and shaded forests. The small winding mountain roads offer complete freedom to enjoy these last landscapes of a beautiful adventure.

Difficult route with many climbs and descents to cross higher peaks and necessarily deeper valleys. The crossing of a last mountain suddenly reveals the goal so long awaited by pilgrims: here, it is the tomb of Saint Colomban in Bobbio at the bottom of the valley since the year 615.

5 points of interest

Santuario NS di Montelungo
Cultural
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Montelungo
This Marian shrine is one of the oldest in Italy, built on the site of a miracle of healing of a deaf and dumb by the Virgin Mary. The old chapel, which had become dangerous, was replaced by a new church built between 1929 and 1942. On the site of the old church, a small chapel was built in 1963.
Chiesetta degli Alpini
Cultural
Church to the Dead of San Lorenzo
Small chapel dedicated to the Italian mountain troops who meet there on the last Sunday of July.
Castello Malaspina Dal Verme
Historical
Castle Malaspina dal Verme
Built in 1304 by Corradino Malaspina, next to the Basilica of St. Peter, this castle was designed to be a military fortress. In 1341, it became the property of the Visconti family. In 1436, it was transferred to the Dal Verme family, who transformed the castle into a prestigious residence. In the 17th century, the castle was bought by the Della Cella family who kept it until 1956, when it was sold to the state.
St Columban
Testimonium
The Testimonium is a certificate issued to every pilgrim who has completed at least the last 143 kilometres between the Basilica of Sant'Eustagio in Milan and the tomb of Saint Columban. To obtain it, the pilgrim presents his credential or passport with stamps and dates of the stages completed on his journey.

Address where to obtain the Testimonium:
Casa del Pellegrino Sant'Antonio Maria Gianelli
piazza San Colombano, 3
29022 Bobbio

Please inform us in advance:
+39 (0) 523 076 062

chirackal.rosa@gmail.com
Abbazia San Colombano
St Columban
Abbey of Sant Colomban
The abbey was founded by Saint Colomban in 614. Throughout the Middle Ages, it was one of the most important monastic centres in Europe, a kind of Montecassino in northern Italy between the 7th and 12th centuries: in fact, its famous Scriptorium had in its catalogue in 982 more than 700 codices which, after dispersion in other libraries, holds 25 of the 150 oldest Latin literature manuscripts in the world. The crypt of the abbey preserves the tomb of Saint Colomban.

Description

From the church esplanade, reach the village centre via via della Chiesa and continue on SP201 until you leave the hamlet Casa dei Gatti:

At the crossroads with the SP198, continue on the SP201 (direction Zavattarello) which climbs and progresses along a ridge line facing South and crosses the hamlets of Casone and Bivio Carmine. After this village, the road winds down to the bottom of the valley at Casa Marchese.
At the crossroads with the SP412R, turn right, cross the bridge and continue on this road at the bottom of the Tidone valley under Zavattarello which can be reached by the SP207 if necessary (visit or refuelling).
Continue on this main road on a hillside in the woods above the Tidone. It crosses Casa Mercanti and Paniga successively.
In this hamlet, continue to the right on the same road still at the bottom of the valley until Romagnese.
In Romagnese after the Torrente Rivarolo, turn left into the first road (direction Cascina and Grazzi) which goes down and crosses the Torrente Tidone (570m). Turn right and continue in the direction of La Cascina and Grazzi until you cross these hamlets at altitude. After Grazzi Inferiore, continue to climb with the road, cross a stream and turn right at the next crossroads to reach the first houses of Grazzi Superiore.
Do not go to this village but continue towards Praticchia by turning left. At the next crossroads, turn right on the ridge line but, at the next junction, turn left towards Praticchia, cross the village and continue in the forest until you reach the junction with SP34 then the Passo della Crocetta pass (871m). After the pass, follow the SP34 flat that leads through the forest and the hamlet Casa Malosso to another pass.
From this pass (870m), the winding road descends to Bobbio and the Trebbia Valley mainly in a meadow landscape. Cross Cadelmonte, reach the SP461 and go down this road to the hamlet of Campore where it heads east.
Continue towards Bobbio, enter the city until you see the square tower of the castle on the right. At this level, turn right on via Maiolo until the second street on the left (via dei Mulini) which leads to the abbey, the final destination point with the tomb of Saint Colomban.

Departure : Church of Our Lady of Fatima, via della Chiesa, 27040 Pometo
Arrival : Abbey of San Colombano, Piazza San Colombano, 29022 Bobbio
Towns crossed : Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna