Cerignale is located in the high Trebbia Valley, on the slopes of Monte delle Tane (m. 1198), which creates a natural watershed between the Trebbia and the Aveto Valleys.
The State Road 45 Piacenza-Genoa or the Provincial Road 586 Marsaglia-Chiavari get you there.
In addition to Cerignale, other villages nestled on terraces in the surrounding mountains are part of the municipality.
All these settlements are part of a large area called “The Four Apennine Provinces”, where the mountains of the provinces of Piacenza, Genoa, Alessandria and Pavia meet and create culturally common areas.
The wealth of the surrounding nature, the sense of peace and freedom, the history and the work of enhancement undertaken in recent years make Cerignale a significant stop for a trip to Val Trebbia for one or more days.
Cerignale was not always the main center; in the medieval period and immediately after, Cariseto had an important defensive role with its Castle.
In the XII century, Frederick Barbarossa himself took refuge there, escorted by some members of the Malaspina family, then appointed feudal lords of the area.
Later Cerignale passed to the Fieschi family and then to the Doria family.
All seasons are good to visit the mountains; however the summer is the best time for a trip because close to the mountain there is easy access to two rivers with fresh and clear waters, the Trebbia and Aveto.
In summer Cerignale is very populated by tourists and, during the year, some hamlets are frequented assiduously on the weekend by the families native to the area.
Cerignale is the first and only "carbon free" municipality in the Trebbia Valley.
In the stone paved alleys of the ancient village, canals have been built, in which the water of the aqueduct flows to produce clean energy through a small hydroelectric power station that can be visited. In the evening the spotlights inside the canals light the streets and create a suggestive atmosphere.
Around the village there are many fountains, even a fountain dedicated to Saint Francis and to his poem “Laudato sii", and there is a still working double wheel mill.
You can walk in "Good bread square", so called because of the presence of the municipal oven, and through the entire city on the route from the "Rights and Tolerance Square", and the "Peace Fountain", a great manifesto on emigration, until you reach the "Barbetti stable", which is now a space for exhibitions and other cultural activities.
With a short walk it is possible to reach Saint Lawrence Church, built in the XVI century and restructured in a later period.
In the upper Trebbia Valley, Ligurian influences are beginning to be felt in the typical cuisine.
Restaurants offer ‘gnocchi’ (potato dumplings), pasta with pesto, tripe with local beans, the "cori pin" (stuffed cabbages), the “cima” (beef stuffed with vegetables), roast or stewed wild boar, chestnut cake, “croccante” (local dessert with almonds and honey) and "u bunetto"( ‘bonet’, a chocolate pudding).
This type of mountain is an outdoor gym, where you can practice many outdoor sports.
There are many trails for hiking and several trails being built, such as the project to connect the towns here via the old mule trails so they can be used for mountain biking.
In winter, snowshoe outings are organized and in the summer you can also go canoeing or swimming in the Trebbia and Aveto river.
Many events take place here in August.
There are exhibitions in the "Barbetti stable" and conferences in the "Rights and Tolerance Square". There are also recurring festivals such as “Festa delle Aie” on 13th August and the “Transumanza Letteraria” organised by two brave booksellers from Piacenza.
Another traditional festival, enlivened by music and dancing, is held on the last Sunday of October.
Going up the village of Cerignale, the walk on the watershed ridge of the two valleys is really suggestive; in fact you can see on one side the Aveto and on the other the river Trebbia framed by spectacular natural rock sculptures.
The village of Ponte Organasco is worth a visit, as it derives its name from the characteristic Roman bridge that collapsed in 1923 and was replaced with one in reinforced concrete. The village is medieval and is located at the crossroads between Piacenza, Pavia and Genoa.
