Where it is
Small centre in the low part of the Trebbia Valley, it lays on the left shore of the homonymous river. It is part of a large area called “Appennino delle 4 province (The Apennine of the 4 Provinces)”, where the mountains of the provinces of Piacenza, Genoa, Alessandria and Pavia meet.
Why visit it
History and tradition bind indissolubly the fate of Piacenza’s patron Sant’Antonino with this small village, where, it is supposed, he was martyrized in 303 a.C.
Nowadays it is a charming walk for those who want to go hiking, climbing or simply walking.
When to go and what to see
Summertime is the best time to visit Travo because the village is enlivened by many tourists.
It is possible to walk along the Path of the Gods, so called because a legend said it led to the old Minerva Temple.
Don’t miss
It is believed that St. Antonino, patron saint of Piacenza, was martyred in Travo in 303.
Sant’Antonino’s Church is more than a thousand years old and is engraved as a precious stone in the heart of the village, with a unique balcony-church square and a beautiful view over the river, especially at sunset.
The Anguissola Castle, nowadays a property of the municipality, was the historic residence of the important and prominent old family that governed Travo for over five centuries.
Since 1997 part of the castle has been used as the home of the Civic Archeological Museum: inside you can retrace the history of the population of the whole area in the time lapse from the Palaeolithic to the Early Middle Ages.
On the table
In town and nearby you can taste typical local food with PDO, DOC and PGI brands on the Route of wines and tastes of Piacenza hills.
Keeping fit
The area around Travo is characterised by trekking paths, the most important and must-visit ones are two peaks, which dominate the valley: Pietra Perduca (659 m) and Pietra Parcellara (836 m), with ophiolites also called the Devil’s rocks. In Cernusca (4,6 km from Travo) there is a riding school that offers riding lessons and horse riding for adults and kids.
Significant appointments
In addition to the patron’s fair on 4th July, that is closely connected to Piacenza’s one, Travo is well known for the Book Festival Giana Anguissola and for the fair called Travo Vintage- local market of reuse, which takes place during the summer.
In the surroundings
The small district of S. Andrew is a recommended stop. It overlooks the west shore of the Trebbia River, a few hundred meters from the town. Here stands the small St. Mary’s Church, with its important remains of the Romanesque past, and the Archaeological Park, with remains of houses of the Neolithic age.
Not far from Travo, following the sign for Bobbiano, you can climb the valley through a path that leads to Perduca peak, where the fifteenth century oratory stands out embedded in the serpentine rock. It is worth a visit especially on Saint Anna’s day and on Saint Mary of the Assumption’s Day, when it is open to the public.
