Chestnuts, along with pumpkins and mushrooms, are the quintessential symbol of autumn, a season that I personally have never been enthusiastic about.
The return from summer holidays, the beginning of the rains and the shorter days have always made me a little sad.
Having always been in love with summer, I only rediscovered the pleasure of the changing of the seasons after my daughters were born, looking for ideas on how to spend quality time with them.
And so, we learnt that autumn brings with it the first cold weather but also the wonderful colour change of the leaves and the ripening of chestnuts that can be picked and roasted.
The Genoa hinterland is rich in chestnut groves and, in this article, you can find the best routes to go in search of these wonderful autumn fruits.
▶ You might also be interested in The Pumpkin Village at Puravida Farm.
Where to pick chestnuts in Genoa
Stone Castle
The Stone Castle is a stronghold built between two impressive rock towers, located in the Ligurian municipality of Vobbia.
We are located within the Antola Regional Natural Park.
There are two paths leading to the Castello della Pietra, a shorter and a longer one called Sentiero dei Castellani.
The Sentiero dei Castell ani is 8 kilometres long in total between outward and return and has an altitude difference of 400 metres.
Obviously you can only walk a part of it or, if you go during the opening period, you can combine the hike with an interesting visit to the Stone Castle.
For all the information, you can read the full article.
Lake Brugneto
Lake Brugneto is the largest artificial lake in Liguria.
Here too we are inside the Antola Park, at an altitude of 776 metres above sea level.
To get to the lake, you have to take the SS45 from Genoa and pass Torriglia, home of the Canestrelletti , which you must stop to taste.
From here, it takes another twenty minutes or so to reach Lake Brugneto.
Once there, park your car near the dam and take the path that skirts the lake along which you will find chestnut groves.
The entire loop is 14 kilometres long and is therefore suitable for trained hikers.
For all information, you can read the full article.
Where to pick chestnuts in Genoa: The Fairy Wood in Fontanigorda
The Bosco delle Fate is located in Fontanigorda, in the Trebbia Valley, at an altitude of 819 metres above sea level.
It is an ancient wooded area consisting mainly of beech and chestnut trees, so it is the perfect place to go in search of chestnuts in the autumn period.
There is a beautiful children’s playground, picnic areas, and trails of varying degrees of difficulty.
We really enjoyed the hike to Monte Gifarco and the Sword in the Stone, but the last section is quite steep and only suitable for slightly older, trained children.
For all information, you can read the full article.
Pentema Ring
Best known for its Nativity scene with life-size mannequins that animate the village streets at Christmas time, Pentema is a little gem set in the Ligurian hinterland.
Besides admiring the Crib, the village is also worth a visit for the beautiful walks that can be taken in its surroundings.
One of these is the Pentema Ring: an itinerary that begins just above the village of Pentema, follows a stretch of the RigAntoCa, and descends to the Buoni di Pentema in an estimated time of 3 hours and 8.8 kilometres.
It is here along the route that you will find several chestnut groves.
For all the information, you can read the full article.
Where to pick chestnuts in Genoa: Monte Reale Ring
Monte Reale is located in the Alta Valle Scrivia, at an altitude of 902 metres.
Here, too, we are inside the Antola Regional Natural Park and there are several chestnut groves along the way.
To get to Monte Reale, you can start from Ronco Scrivia, more precisely from the village of Cascine, along a path with a significant difference in altitude – 530 metres.
Alternatively, you can start from Minceto, a small farming village, and reach the mountain in about 1 hour, with a difference in altitude of 295 metres. Go to the article
Other chestnut woods near Genoa
Viganego
Even in the woods of Viganego, a small hamlet of the municipality of Bargagli famous for its Presepe nel Bosco, you can find several chestnut woods.
Viganego is located in the hinterland of the Alta Val Bisagno, very close to the centre of Genoa.
To get to the chestnut woods, you have to take the SS45, turn right at the junction for Viganego, arriving at the top of the hamlet.
Park your car in the small square and take Via Tripoli , which leads to the paths in the woods.
Here you will not struggle to find chestnuts, at the right time of year.
Conclusions
The nature trails I have described are within the Antola Park where you can freely gather chestnuts, hazelnuts and fruits of the undergrowth.
If you go to other places, make sure that you do not enter private land and that it is not obligatory to purchase a pass (as, for example, in the Aveto Park).
Continue reading:
2. The Historical Aqueduct of Genoa
3. The Blooming of the Daffodils
