Mangialonga del Postino

A walk in the footsteps of the postman

The Mangialonga del Postino retraces the Sentiero del Postino, the ancient municipal road that the postman from Belnome used to walk every day last century: after collecting the mail in Ottone, he delivered letters and news to the perched villages of Val Boreca, including missives from families who had emigrated to the Americas. The last postmen were the Rebolini brothers. Today, that mule track has become the common thread of a celebration that unites walking, memory, and flavors.

Where it takes place

The event is centered in the municipality of Ottone, in the province of Piacenza, at the westernmost edge of Emilia-Romagna, where the region borders Lombardia, Piemonte, and Liguria. The circular route, about 17 kilometers long with over 1000 meters of elevation gain, starts and ends at the hamlet of Artana, passing through the stone villages of Bogli, Suzzi, Pizzonero, and Belnome, some of which also overlook the nearby municipality of Zerba (Piacenza), towards the Pavese part of Val Boreca.

Trekking, gastronomy, and tradition

Val Boreca is one of the wildest and best-preserved areas of the northern Apennines: dense forests, scenic ridges, waterfalls like the one in Suzzi, and ancient stone villages form the backdrop for the day. Along the walk, participants encounter food and wine stops in the villages, where typical local products accompany the effort of the climb.

The music of the Four Provinces

A distinctive feature of the Mangialonga is the music of the Four Provinces — the cultural area between Alessandria, Pavia, Piacenza, and Genoa — performed with piffero (bagpipe) and accordion: the ancient instruments of the Apennines accompany hikers from hamlet to hamlet, transforming each village into a small open-air stage.

An event that grows year by year

Born in 2023, the event has attracted increasing numbers of participants, up to the limited number of places in the early editions. For the future, the organizers envision an even broader format, capable of promoting the entire Val Boreca and its villages that resist depopulation.