Val Tidone, or Tidone Valley is in the westernmost part of Piacenza province and offers suggestive views. Along Po river plain, on the rolling hills covered with vineyards, to the top of the Apennines, Tidone Valley offers a landscape to take a walk, ride your mountain bike or a horse, ride a car or motorbike to reach ancient boroughs, castles, windmills, churches and museums.
Tidone Valley hinges on Val Luretta eastward, and Valle Staffora – Oltrepò pavese westward, beginning at the foot of Monte Penice (1460 m. above sea level) and extends on a hilly area toward the plain where the Tidone stream joins Po river.
Close by Molato di Nibbiano, there is a massive dam (completed in 1928) forming Lago di Trebecco lake, which water is used for irrigation. The valley has been inhabited since the Neolithic, as witnessed by the finds gathered in the Archaeological Museum of Val Tidone in the Rocca Comunale in Pianello Val Tidone. The first historical testimonies date back to the Roman period, together with the numerous remains found in many areas such as Piana di San Martino.The strategic importance of Tidone Valley through the centuries is testimonied by its numerous castles such as Rocca d’Olgisio, Castello di Sarmato and Castello di Borgonovo V.T.
Along Tidone stream it is still possible today to see several ancient windmills, silent witnesses of the important role that millers had in this area. These windmills were built around the 15th century, but some documents attest the presence of even older mills in 1000 AD. There are about 50 windmills, but only few of them still preserve on the inside the machinery used to grind. Some of the owners of these windmills grouped together to form Strada dei Mulini association, thus promoting the importance of this historical heritage by restoring the windmills scattered on the territory. Their aim is to encourage a cultural and didactic discovery of these places, how they were used, and possibly welcome guests in newly built rooms to spend a relaxing weekend in a unique venue. Tidone Valley is also known for its vineyards and the excellent quality of its wines. The intense wine production is testimonied by the immense area covered in vines, a breathtaking view for the outside tourist and for locals as well.
