Discover the strategic importance of Oltrepò Pavese, a historical crossroads between ancient communication routes and a current tourist destination. With its privileged location near Milan, Genoa and other major cities, Oltrepò offers a unique mix of natural beauty, food and wine traditions and accessibility, perfect for an escape from the city.
Oltrepò Pavese, located in the south of the province of Pavia, has always been a strategic region rich in culture. This territory represents, both historically and currently, a crucial junction for communications and transport in northern Italy, establishing itself today as a privileged tourist destination thanks to its location and ease of connection with the major cities of the north.
Crossroads between ancient communication routes
Between the provinces of Pavia, Alessandria and Piacenza, Oltrepò Pavese has always represented a natural route between the Po Valley and the Apennines. During antiquity, a network of strategic routes crossed the Oltrepò, connecting key cities for trade and control of the territory. The presence of these connections not only guaranteed safe passage for goods and people, but also favoured military transit, thus contributing to the economic and social development of the region.
One of the most significant historical routes that crossed the Oltrepò is the Via del Sale. This ancient route connected the Po Valley with the Ligurian Sea, facilitating trade in salt - an essential resource for food preservation - and representing a route of great cultural value. Settlements and stopping points for merchants and travellers sprang up along the Salt Road, facilitating encounters and exchanges between peoples. Confirming the historical importance of these routes, remains of paved roads and Roman milestones can still be found today, bearing witness to how these routes shaped the organisation of the territory.
The Oltrepò Pavese Today: Strategic and Accessible Tourist Destination
Today, Oltrepò Pavese is a popular tourist destination, thanks to its strategic location and easy access from the main cities of northern Italy. Voghera, the territory‘s capital, is in fact only 30 km from Pavia, 40 km from Alessandria, 64 km from both Milan and Piacenza, 100 km from Genoa and 120 km from Turin. This proximity to urban centres such as Milan and Genoa makes Oltrepò Pavese easy to reach and perfect for a stay, while offering the possibility of discovering an area rich in wine and food traditions and unique hilly landscapes.
Thanks to its accessibility, Oltrepò Pavese is now a point of attraction not only for Italian tourists, but also for international visitors wishing to explore the region‘s history, wine and cuisine.The proximity to the large centres also facilitates logistics for the wine and food sector, which can make local excellence known to an increasingly vast public. This constant flow of tourists also favours the area‘s economy, enhancing local products and traditions.
A Future of Opportunities thanks to the Privileged Position of Oltrepò Pavese
Oltrepò Pavese, with its historical heritage and strategic position, is today an ideal tourist destination, easily accessible and perfect for those seeking an escape from the city. Its ancient roots, symbolised by the Via del Sale and other historical routes, are today enriched by modern infrastructure and a wide range of tourist experiences.
Today, as in the past, Oltrepò Pavese confirms itself as a crossroads of culture and tourism, enhancing not only its ancient traditions but also the new opportunities linked to its accessibility. Thanks to its proximity to large cities and its natural and cultural beauty, Oltrepò Pavese continues to look to the future, offering a complete and authentic tourist experience that celebrates the past and looks to the challenges of tomorrow.
