There's a way to understand a region that no tasting can replace: walking it. Or cycling it. The Valpantena boasts a structured trail network, born from a precise and documented public project, which offers hikers and cyclists over 197 kilometers of routes through hills, forests, vineyards, and landscapes of outstanding natural beauty.
This isn't an improvised offering. It's the result of work begun in 2018 and formalized in 2019, when the Municipality of Grezzana commissioned the specialized company Itineraria to study the municipal trail network and design pedestrian and cycling routes. The stated goal: to make existing trails safe and accessible, enhance the valley's points of historical, artistic, and naturalistic interest, and build a network of over 200 kilometers that can be safely traveled. (Source: "Study of the Valpantena Trails," Itineraria.eu, October 2018)
The resulting project is called FEET, an acronym for Easy Eco-Tourist Excursions. It features approximately 20 circular trails, both pedestrian and bicycle-friendly, of varying lengths, elevation gains, and difficulty levels. Each itinerary is designed to be self-guided, with on-site signage and information accessible via smartphone. (Source: valpantena.org, "Following the FEET Project"; feetgrezzana.it)
The FEET project classifies the trails by type and difficulty. On the hiking side, there are outings suitable for beginners and trails that require training and attention.
Among the accessible ones, the route from Azzago to Monte Santa Viola stands out. It starts from the small church in the hamlet, follows the paved road to the hamlet of Vallene, and from there continues towards Cerzuni. A 5.5-kilometer trail with an elevation gain of approximately 200 meters, classified as easy, suitable even for those not regularly hiking. A nighttime hike along the same trails, offered on the occasion of a full moon, has become a regular feature of the Municipality's summer program. (Source: feetgrezzana.it, 2023 hiking program)
For those seeking something more challenging, trail B2, known as "The Valpantena Canyon," offers a different experience. The trail ascends the valley floor following the Progno, the stream that flows through the valley, through wooded areas of hornbeam and chestnut trees. It includes two stream crossings and reaches the more open areas of Corso, the northernmost district of Grezzana, with its characteristic local stone buildings, a small oratory, and a spring-fed washhouse. From Corso, the trail continues toward the large red panoramic chair, a landmark known to local hikers. (Source: feetgrezzana.it, route B2)
The Torre del Falasco is the protagonist of a longer route: 9 kilometers with a 400-meter elevation gain, classified as medium and suitable for trained hikers. The route leads through the woods of the western Valpantena, one of the least frequented and most pristine natural environments in the valley.
On the cycling side, the FEET project includes mountain bike routes along some of the main ridges: the Monte Comun tour, the route towards Corrubio, Orsara, and Lughezzano, the Rosaro and Praole ridge, and the tour of Monte Castello and Santa Viola. These mountain bike routes, with varying levels of difficulty, allow you to explore the upper part of the valley from a different perspective. (Source: valpantena.org, "Following the FEET Project"; "Valpantena Mountain Bike Itinerary", valpantena.org)
The FEET routes can be viewed and downloaded at feetgrezzana.it, where GPS tracks are available for each itinerary. The annual program of free guided excursions, funded by the Municipality of Grezzana, offers guided outings throughout the seasons, with a focus on local festivals and fairs. This is a useful option for first-time visitors to the valley who want to do so with a guide who knows the area.
For those combining outdoor activities with visits to the wineries and producers of the Valpantena Network, the logistics are simple: many of the member companies are located along or in the immediate vicinity of the main routes. The possibility of creating a day that begins in the vineyard, continues on a trail, and concludes with a tasting is real, not theoretical.
Valpantena is not a destination that requires specialized equipment or days of preparation. It requires a desire to walk, curiosity about what you're passing through, and a willingness to slow down. The terrain does the rest.