Short trip to Montescano, in the Oltrepo Pavese

Montescano is a municipality in the Oltrepò Pavese which is located on the left bank of the Versa stream. The hills around the town are covered with vineyards, as this is an area with a strong wine-growing vocation. The local wines are very good and a tasting is always recommended for tourists. The history of Montescano officially begins in 1164, the date from which a document drawn up by Frederick the Barbarossa dates back, in which the emperor gave the jurisdiction of the Broni area to the Sannazzaro counts of Pavia. Montescano later became famous for its gypsum quarries, which were formed during the so-called Messinian period. The valley of the Rile Monzone, also known as the valley of the fossils, has a great naturalistic interest and can be reached by walking comfortably starting from the town hall square. In the valley you can even admire a dolmen, while the fossils are exhibited in the local museum. A famous monument of Montescano and the Missaga fountain, whose waters were said to have healing properties. Here, in the Villafiorita area, there is a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center, the Salvatore Maugeri foundation.