Sesta Godano: History, Villages and Landscapes

Sesta Godano brings together visible traces of its history and a variety of village and landscape settings. A combined cycling and walking route leads from the town hall square to the medieval bridge and on to the Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The route thus connects the village, the bridge and an important religious landmark.

Bridge and Religious Heritage

The bridge is built entirely of stone, has a Romanesque-medieval character and features three arches. It connects the church with the village of Sesta Godano. Santa Maria Assunta stands on the site of the former Pieve di Robiano and preserves 18th-century canvas paintings dedicated to San Rocco and the Madonna della Guardia. The bridge and church therefore represent not only different types of buildings, but also the historic connection between the village and its religious history.

Village Settings in Groppo, Mangia and Chiusola

Groppo retains the elliptical layout of a fortified village. Tower houses and tall, narrow buildings stand in an unbroken row along the lanes. In Mangia, covered passageways and vaulted rooms shape the village setting; they were built from rounded stones from the nearby watercourse. The two villages thus display different architectural forms: here, a continuous row of houses along the lanes; there, stone passageways and vaulted rooms.

Chiusola is a mountain village with narrow lanes, arches and steps, developed around the Church of San Michele. The church’s perimeter walls contain two sculptures of notable historical and anthropological interest, as well as a portal with Lombard features. In Orneto, the Santuario della Madonna della Penna was probably originally a chapel that offered travellers refuge and protection. In Casà, there is a sanctuary dedicated to Nostra Signora della Neve; its feast is celebrated on 5 August.

The ruins of the former castle of Rio are also among the village’s defining features. More precisely, they are the remains of a fortified residential palace. At the Sito Archeologico Castello di Godano, the remains of the Rocca offer panoramic views. Each of these places has its own character: preserved village structures, religious buildings and the visible remains of fortified sites.

River Routes and Monte Gottero

Between Sesta Godano and Brugnato, a section of the Vara River is designated by the park as particularly interesting for river sports. At Monte Gottero, the focus is instead on altitude and protected nature: the mountain reaches 1,639 m above sea level and is included in the Natura 2000 network as a SIC site. A section of the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri also runs along its slopes. River sports on the Vara and the route across Monte Gottero thus offer different options for planning a trip.

The Parco di Montemarcello-Magra-Vara maintains trails and riverside cycling and walking routes in Sesta Godano, subject to the availability of annual funding. They form part of a network of around 130 km in Val di Magra and Val di Vara. This figure therefore refers to a regional trail network, not only to routes within Sesta Godano.

Festivals and Event Dates

The Palio d’Arco has been held in Sesta Godano for many years. Its events include a historical-medieval costume parade, an archery competition and flag-throwers. Since 2007, an organ concert has been held every year on 29 August, the feast of the Madonna della Guardia, in the Church of San Lorenzo in Antessio. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, check the current programme and dates before making arrangements.

Discover more destinations: Montemarcello, Varese Ligure, Beverino, Deiva Marina, San Terenzo, Bovecchio, Mattarana, Pitelli

For the broader travel overview: La Spezia.