Discovering Castellaro of Mt. S. Elena
- Trail Conditions: On foot
- Interest: Panorama, Archeology
- Duration: 2 hour/s 30 minutes
- Difficulty Level: easy
Nature and archaeology are the features on which the walk having as destination the ancient settlement of our ancestors will focus on.
The itinerary, very shady, leaves from Piazza XX Settembre - near the elementary schools - and leads to the summit of Mt. S. Elena (347m), touching the localities Scorzabò and Castagna della Megna, characterized by a thick wood rich in chestnut trees, oaks, and maritime pines.
The Castellaro, already chosen by the pre-Roman Ligurian tribes as strategic site to control the coastal movements between Vado and Noli, dominating the passage of Gola S. Elena, boasts extraordinary panoramas. The excavation campaigns carried out from 1982 to 1985 and again from 1998 until today by the University of Genova and the Department of the Archaeological Heritage of Liguria have led to the discovery of finds witnessing the human presence in the site from the 5th century BC to the 1st century AD and then in the Middle Ages (13th-14th centuries).
For the return journey, from Mt. S. Elena you can go down to Gola di S.Elena. From here, taking the botanic trail, you reach Piazza Torre d'Ere, where you will shortly end the ring-route.
