Circular trail Velva - Santuario di Velva - Cima Stronzi - Pietra di Vasca

*The ridge trail leading to Pietra di Vasca is rugged and not without critical points (for this reason it is classified as EE).
You are guided by a red trail marker (not official), which is not always clear. The passage is not recommended for inexperienced hikers and especially in adverse weather conditions (even just a bit of moisture on the ground is enough to make many sections very dangerous).
If you continue along the scenic trail on the hillside, the difficulty of the route becomes low (E) and walking time is significantly reduced.

An itinerary that unfolds along the border between the Val Petronio and Val di Vara, rewarding from both a scenic and cultural point of view.

The starting point is Velva, a hamlet of Castiglione Chiavarese, which can be reached by bus or car from Sestri Levante following the SS523.
There is no real parking lot, but you can find space along the road.

There are no water sources along the entire route, so it is recommended to start with an adequate supply

Take the old road that crosses the upper part of the village and comes out on Via Velatura near an information panel.
Cross the road to continue on the path where a sign with directions is clearly visible; continue straight towards the Sanctuary of Velva following the trail marker .

Climb up until you reach a house with a gate, then continue left into the woods, now following the trail marker .

After a short section through the woods, descend onto Via Veleura and follow it to the right for about 200 meters, then take a shortcut on the right that passes by a house and climbs up to meet the provincial road.

On the other side of the road, you’ll find the path again that climbs through meadows, then continues more gently among chestnut trees until reaching the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Guard.
Continue on the paved road to the right, then leave it and turn right again when you reach a wooden bench and table and a signboard with directions.

The trail marker is now , but sometimes you can also see the CAI marker , both guiding you through a beautiful chestnut forest to reach the locality of Lavaggini on the provincial road. Follow it to the left for a short distance, then re-enter the woods (where there is also a wooden table with benches).

Leave the dirt road immediately to follow the path to the left toward San Nicolao and begin the ascent along a limestone trail that climbs through the woods to a first panoramic viewpoint with a bench to enjoy the view, followed by another lookout point offering an incredible view of the Gulf of Tigullio.

Continuing the climb, you reach Sella Stronzi, a small saddle where several trails converge. Continue your route by taking the uphill path on the right, following the trail marker to reach in a short time Cima Stronzi (851 m), a summit surrounded by a wonderful landscape, ideal for a refreshing break.

Following the main track in the direction of the antennas of Monte Nicolao, you’ll reach in ten minutes the point where signs invite you to turn right to visit the archaeological area of San Nicolao di Pietra Colice.

At the site, you can see the remains of a church dating back to the 12th–13th centuries and a pilgrims’ hospitale from the following century, discovered and unearthed in the 1950s.
The area is clean, well maintained, and equipped with interesting descriptive panels.

Returning to the main path, continue along the paved road that leads to the summit of Monte Nicolao, dominated by television antennas.

From here, follow a narrow trail that descends on the southern side through the woods, passing by imposing rock formations, then continuing through more open sections offering views of Deiva Marina and the sea.

In about twenty minutes you’ll reach a junction with several signs: here we left the main path to climb to the right toward Pietra di Vasca, but due to the absence of a real path, the presence of rough terrain, and exposed sections, we advise against following our track and recommend continuing straight toward Baracchino.

This is a simple and scenic trail that bypasses the rocky ridge to reach the locality of Baracchino, which takes its name from the former hotel (now closed) visible on the Strada del Bracco below.

From here, continue to the right following the trail marker which leads toward Velva, crossing a beautiful chestnut forest.
Along the way, you’ll reach several junctions where panels indicate the correct direction. At the last intersection, the path descends to the left, becoming a narrow and rocky trail that crosses a small stream, then continues on the other side with a series of gentle ups and downs until it reaches a dirt road.

Continue along the road until, near a curve, a sign marked "Velva" indicates a path that, with another very pleasant and almost flat stretch, leads to Zuccarella, a small cluster of houses.
After a few meters on the paved road, continue to the left on a grassy path that runs alongside a house and continues on dry, rocky ground toward the lower village.

Continuing downhill, you’ll reach the junction encountered on the way out; then, retracing the same road, continue descending to return to the center of Velva, where we recommend spending some time visiting the historic center and its open-air museum.

Our GPS path

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