Outings and relaxation in the green between a bike ride and a tasty dinner: a weekend in Gavi - Part I.

On the sign indicating the road we must take, it says Gavi Ligure. It is not a mistake, even though we are in Lower Piedmont, but a place name that encloses within itself the particularity of this territory on the border between Liguria and Piedmont. Gavi is famous for its white wine, the Cortese di Gavi docg, grown on the surrounding hills that characterise a clearly Monferrato landscape. But in its architecture and in its dialect the Ligurian imprint left on this city by a good six centuries of belonging to the Genoese Republic is equally evident. Crossed by the Lemme stream, Gavi surprises with its vivid colours, very Ligurian, and fascinates with its flowered terraces, with its walls frescoed in pastel tones that stand out against the dark green background of the hills that embrace the town.

We begin our walk along a little road that skirts the historic centre and admire the old little houses that overlook the hills and the vineyards. Here the rural atmospheres mix with history and art, present at every corner. As a first surprise, we come across a charming little tower through whose arches a breathtaking view opens over the surrounding vegetation: it is the Portino, a thirteenth-century construction, the only survivor of the four entrance gates to the village that were once integral parts of a system of walls that descended from the Fort, surrounding the entire town of Gavi. The Fort is the most imposing monument of Gavi: it is a military fortress of considerable size that dominates the city. Clearly visible from every little road, it reminds the people of Gavi of their history, dotted also with numerous battles in which the city had to defend itself from the enemy.

No wonder that such a particular construction is also capable of stimulating the imagination of the inhabitants, giving rise to legends. If every self-respecting castle boasts the presence of at least one ghost, a fortress certainly cannot settle for less than an entire army of ghosts: that is exactly what is said to be happening at Gavi. Some swear they have seen in recent times an army of fierce Roman militias marching towards the Fort, while the hymns to the god Mars sung at the top of their voices by the soldiers could be heard. Today Gavi is a destination for food and wine tourism and is chosen by travellers who love hilly landscapes and good wine; centuries ago it was instead a stop for pilgrims travelling towards the sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela.

We discover in fact that the beautiful church of San Giacomo Maggiore, whose facade in the purest Romanesque style we have just admired, was built on the remains of a hospice for pilgrims. Our tourist "pilgrimage" continues in the direction of the sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia, near which we will reach our home for this weekend, the Tenuta della Guardia. To visit the sanctuary we just have to drive for a very few minutes, without using the navigator, along a comfortable tarmac road that after a few bends takes us to the Turchini hill where the Marian place of worship stands, wrapped in an atmosphere of peace full of history and steeped in legends.

The first chapel with the statue in honour of the Virgin of the Guard was in fact built in 1746, following the vow of a certain Giacomo Bertelli who, during the siege of the Austro-Sardinian army, promised that if his house were saved, he would build a place of worship dedicated to the Virgin. Subsequently, in 1817, an event considered miraculous, an abundant rain invoked with a procession after a harsh period of drought, convinced the priest Tommaso Bertelli to erect a real sanctuary, whose works were completed in 1861. After admiring this splendid monument and the breathtaking panorama that opens from its churchyard over the surrounding landscape and the Fort of Gavi, we move to the very nearby Tenuta della Guardia, immersed in the green of the hills.

Arriving from the centre of Gavi, before even the sanctuary, a clearly visible sign indicates the exact point where to turn left to reach the Tenuta. We leave the car in the very spacious car park and as soon as we get out, a very pleasant sense of peace pervades us, due to the beauty of nature and the good air one breathes. This pleasant sensation is consolidated thanks to the warm welcome we receive at the reception from Carlotta who, together with Alberto, provides us with all the information about our stay, from meal times to the comforts available, up to the numerous opportunities for outings and excursions. It is again Carlotta who accompanies us to our rooms: our group splits between an elegant, spacious and bright suite located on the second floor and a double room furnished with taste and freshness on the ground floor.

Every accommodation of the structure is equipped with either a private balcony or a patio, as well as numerous comforts including wifi and television, but also a courtesy service to prepare coffee or tea in the room. Even our big dog was welcomed with sympathy; here in fact, as regards four-legged friends, a meritocratic criterion applies: all dogs of any size are welcome as long as they are well behaved.