Riserva di Valleandona

A Paleontological Wilderness

A protected natural reserve of remarkable beauty just north of Asti, the Valle Andona contains one of the most important fossil deposits in northern Italy. Marine fossils dating back five to ten million years emerge from the soft hillside clay — evidence of a shallow sea that once covered this part of the Apennine foothills before the land rose and the hills took shape. The trail system winds through forested gullies and seasonal streams, passing fossil outcrops that require no specialist knowledge to appreciate: sea shells, molluscs and occasional bone fragments half-buried in the path.

There is no entry fee and the reserve is always open, which means you can arrive early and have the trails to yourself. The reserve is also home to significant bird life — raptors circle the upper ridgelines in the morning, and the valley bottom holds woodpeckers and seasonal migrants. A morning here followed by lunch in Asti makes an excellent half-day, and the 2–3 hour loop trail is gentle enough for most visitors without specialist equipment.