Val di Vara

The Val di Vara is the largest valley of the Ligurian region and resides in the province of La Spezia. It begins behind the Gulf of Poets and extends to the hills and mountains not far from the border of the Lunigiana.

The valley is made up of many small villages whose history dates back to the Middle Ages. These hamlets are surrounded by green forests and hills, of which the later were important places for defense in ancient times.

In the valley flows the river of the same name, the Vara, whereby visitors are able to experience a range of water activities such as rafting, river trekking and canyoning along the river that flows for approximately 60Km before joining the river Magra. Visitors can enjoy canoeing in gentle waters or more rapid rafting in torrent waters. A national meet for keen sportspersons occurs annually during winter in the municipality of Sesta Godano.

The valley is well known today for its preservation of the environment and its focus on high quality organic produce. There are numerous producers of meat, milk, and cheese, all working in compliance with “organic” standards. For this reason, the Val di Vara is also referred to as Valle del Biologico (“organic valley”).

The valley is dense in forest and has many bush tracks that head towards the Cinque Terre and l’Alta Via dei Monti Liguri, enabling fans of hiking and trekking to experience bush walking, horseback riding and mountain bike riding.

Val di Vara is entirely within the province of La Spezia. At the local level it is divided into the mountain communities of 'Alta Val di Vara and the Middle and Lower Val di Vara. The municipalities that are part of Val di Vara are: Carro, Carrodano, Maissana, Rocchetta di Vara, Sesta Godano, Varese Ligure, and Zignago. The municipalities that are part of the Middle and Lower Val di Vara are: Beverino, Bolano, Borghetto di Vara, Brugnato, Calice al Cornoviglio, Follo, Pignone, and Riccò del Golfo.

I comuni che fanno parte della Media e Bassa Val di Vara sono i seguenti:
Beverino, Bolano, Borghetto di Vara, Brugnato, Calice al Cornoviglio, Follo, Pignone, Riccò del Golfo