Prati: Church, Historic Centre and Hazelnut Tradition

Prati is one of the districts of Mezzanego and has a well-preserved historic centre. The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is located in the centre of the lower village. Its landscaped churchyard, a painting by Perin del Vaga and the neighbouring Oratory of San Rocco provide tangible points of reference for the local cultural landscape. The hazelnut tradition and named routes to Monte Ramaceto and through the Ligurian Apennines add to this. For planning your trip, this means that Prati brings together local history, a seasonal festival date and a variety of route connections.

Church and historic centre

A short flight of steps leads from the road to the churchyard of the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Its design features the traditional Risseu technique, and a wisteria pergola partially covers the area. The church houses a painting by Perin del Vaga, while the Oratory of San Rocco stands right next door. Several features come together to define the local cultural heritage: the design of the churchyard, a painting inside the church and the neighbouring oratory. Together with its location in the centre of the lower village, these make the church a clear landmark in the historic centre.

Hazelnut tradition and seasonal dates

The old Opificio of the Cogozzo family is associated with the traditional cultivation of hazelnuts, from the forest through to processing the nuts. This gives the history of hazelnuts a tangible sequence: cultivation and processing are connected parts of the same tradition. The programme for Nocciola in Festa 2026 includes a visit to the old hazelnut mill. Nocciola Trekking 2026 combines a visit to the mill with lunch featuring hazelnut-based products. Both programme details are for 2026; the trekking also explicitly adds the culinary element to the mill visit. Check the dates for each programme before your trip.

Another seasonal event is the Fiera degli Angeli – Castagnata, a traditional autumn festival in Prati di Mezzanego that typically takes place in mid-October. If you want to plan your stay around the festival, check the exact dates for the relevant year. This places the festival in the autumn season, while the hazelnut programmes are tied to the 2026 programme year.

Walking and cycling routes

The Prati di Mezzanego–Monte Ramaceto hiking trail starts near the church in Vignolo; check conditions before setting out, particularly on the lower section. The ridge walk from Prati di Mezzanego to Monte Ramaceto passes through the Ligurian Apennines and offers 360-degree views from the Alps to Corsica. The routes therefore differ in their practical focus: for the first, the starting point near Vignolo and conditions on the lower section are useful points of reference; the second focuses on the ridge walk and its panoramas. The Pezze (Monte delle) cycling loop from Vignolo descends to the church square in Prati di Mezzanego. This gives you another clearly identified destination: the church square marks the end of this loop, while the hiking routes connect with Monte Ramaceto.

Road orientation

Provincial Road 37 di Semovigo begins in Prati di Mezzanego at the S.P. 586 and runs to San Siro Foce. For orientation, it is useful to distinguish between the different starting points and destinations: San Siro Foce is the destination of this road, Vignolo is the starting point for a hike, and the church square in Prati is the endpoint of the cycling loop. When planning, take note of the point specified for each route so you do not confuse the road, hiking trail and cycling loop.

Discover more destinations: Bogliasco, Rezzoaglio, Santa Margherita Ligure, Campomorone, Rossiglione, Ronco Scrivia, San Lorenzo della Costa, Sella

For the main travel overview: Genoa.