A visit to the pretty and quiet historic village in the Staffora Valley allows you to immerse yourself in its ancient history, learn about local traditions and taste the famous and tasty ‘salami‘.
Since November 2021, Varzi has rightfully been included among the ‘Most Beautiful Villages in Italy‘, a well-deserved recognition given to a town that is able to fascinate for its historical itinerary and for the many surprises it can offer in terms of history, culture, landscape and food and wine.
It rises in the heart of the Staffora Valley and visiting its historical centre represents a real journey into the past where its eight centuries of history can be seen in its buildings, churches and castle towers. Its historical centre, among the oldest in Italy, is characterised by a typical medieval urban layout and the two ancient gates to the town with their respective towers.
One thing is certain: there is no tourist who arrives in Varzi without tasting and purchasing the famous Varzi salami. This product, characterised by its PDO certification, is one of the most prized cured meats in the region. Its characteristics include its long maturation and unmistakable taste. Given Varzi‘s location in an area famous for its wines, this delicacy can only be accompanied by a glass of local wine from the hills surrounding the village. In doing so, one will feel completely immersed in the surrounding nature and the ancient history of this territory.
Varzi is not only an ancient village but also an important gathering place for the surrounding valley and is an excellent starting point for walks and hikes in the adjacent valleys along paths that wind through hills and mountains. Among the most suggestive trails is undoubtedly the path leading to the Partisan House, which offers breathtaking views and is also suitable for those who are not particularly fit. More famous and popular is the Via del Sale, whose route crosses the Ligurian Apennines and reaches the sea.
The Oltrepò Pavese in general, and the Staffora Valley in particular, is an area rich not only in landscapes and beautiful natural scenery, but also in typical products and traditional peasant dishes that have been handed down from generation to generation to this day.
The jewel in the crown is the famous Varzi salami, for the preparation and maturing of which there is concrete historical evidence dating back to the time of the Lombards and which was later perfected by the work of the monks.
It is by no means an industrial product but a niche product that has earned PDO certification and whose raw materials come exclusively from pigs reared in Lombardy, Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna and fed on cereals and acorns.
The specification guaranteeing PDO certification requires that the proportion of fat and lean meat must be 40 grams for every 100 grams. The mixture must rest for two days in a cool place and then be coarsely minced and mixed with the curing mixture. Stuffed into natural pork casings and tied with string, the salami is stewed for 4 days at 26°, pre-seasoned for a further 8 days at 20° and then left to mature for at least 100 days in the cellar, where it acquires its unique flavour.
Varzi is a tourist and gastronomic attraction and offers a rich programme of events throughout the year, animating the streets and squares of the centre. The town‘s associations do their best with commendable commitment and success, organising festivals, exhibitions, shows and concerts of all kinds, inspiring their activities between the glorious past, the concrete present and with an eye to a future that will take this pretty town ever higher.
Among the many events is the ‘Carnival‘. A very heartfelt festival because in tradition it represented the day of role reversal, fun and, of course, disguises, worn mainly by women.
No less important is the annual ‘Festa Medievale‘, a historical re-enactment that fills the village at the end of July with period music, food, parades, costume parades and equestrian performances, closed by the ‘Palio delle Contrade‘.
Food and wine and antique markets, evening and daily, wind through the streets of the centre at all times of the year
For twenty-five years, Varzi in Fiera has been held in the month of May, a riot of events showcasing the best of the town‘s traditions, including food, crafts, exhibitions, dances and music.
In short, this nationally renowned village is a real feather in the cap for the Oltrepò pavese, both from a gastronomic and cultural point of view, and is capable of making its visitors experience timeless emotions.
