Santa Margherita: History and Hiking Trails

Santa Margherita brings together local history and a range of themes for your trip: churches and castle ruins, museums and trails. The town lies on the right bank of the Torrente Staffora, 800 metres above sea level. It sits almost sheer above the Valle Staffora and offers beautiful views across the valley. Paved lanes and stone houses shape the townscape. Historic buildings include the ruins of the castle of the Marquises of Malaspina.

Buildings and Townscape

The Chiesa di S. Margherita has a single-nave layout and two side chapels on each side. “Single-nave” describes the layout of the nave: it is not divided into several longitudinal aisles. The side chapels form a separate arrangement along the sides. Together, these features give a clear impression of the church’s architecture without requiring a lengthy art-historical explanation. The medieval castle ruins and the clearly described church building therefore represent different aspects of Santa Margherita’s history in the townscape.

Nativity Scene in Massinigo

A permanent nativity scene has been set up in a renovated old stable. Its figures are made of marble dust; the stable also contains a stone arch dating from the 18th century. In Massinigo, the nativity scene is directly accessible from the road leading to the historic centre. The combination of the converted stable, the figures and the historic arch makes this a distinctive feature of the local cultural offerings.

Museums and Regional Culture

The Museo del Salumiere was established to preserve and pass on knowledge of how Salame di Varzi is made. This is complemented by a display of a delicatessen laid out as it would have looked in the 1930s. It shows not only the product but also a historic shop scene. The Ecomuseo Il grano in erba offers a different thematic perspective: it covers the municipalities of Santa Margherita Staffora, Brallo di Pregola, Menconico and Romagnese in the Province of Pavia. Historic routes such as the Via del Sale can be walked there.

Massinigo is also home to a Roman kiln complex. It is one of the best-preserved Roman kiln complexes in Lombardy and is, to date, the only one documented in the Oltrepò Pavese. Alongside the medieval castle and church buildings, it is an archaeological testament to the area’s history. The cultural themes described here are distinctly varied: from architectural history and the production of Salame di Varzi to Roman production and historic trails.

Hiking Trails and Seasonal Events

The Sentiero dei Brignati is about five kilometres long and connects Brallo and Fego. It passes through the small settlement before descending along a mule track to the Bosco dei Giganti, a forest of centuries-old chestnut trees. The route thus combines an approximate distance and two endpoints with a specifically described stretch of nature. By contrast, the Giro ad anello lungo la Via del Sale circular route starts and ends in Santa Margherita di Staffora; it is designated as a spring and summer route. When choosing a hike, you can therefore distinguish between a trail connecting two places and a circular route that starts and ends in the same place.

The historic Carnival of Cegni is another recurring tradition: it is celebrated twice a year, although the exact dates may vary from one edition to the next. If you would like to combine your trip with the carnival, check the dates for the relevant edition in advance. These seasonal event dates complement the information about buildings and trails described as available year-round.

Discover more destinations: Rivanazzano, Bereguardo, Zenevredo, Salice Terme, Castelletto Di Branduzzo, Montebello Della Battaglia, Zinasco Vecchio, Stradella.

For the main travel overview: Pavia.