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A couple of years ago, we posted a short series of winter walks, arguing that there was a special type of walk which is particularly well-suited to the conditions and requirements of that season.

As I said in so many words at that time, a typical winter walk must meet two conditions: it must be a.) something you can squeeze in between a late dawn and an early dusk, and b.) a little melancholy in nature.

It took us much longer to find out that there is also a special and typical summer walk.

"typical summer walk in Taggia"

A typical summer walk must meet two conditions: it must be A.) something you can squeeze into the short period between dawn and the hot mid-day hours, or (in tourist speak) between a late lazy breakfast and a lunch after which you may no longer feel like walking much further than to your afternoon lie-in.

But it must also be B.) hard. A good hike needs to make you feel pleasantly tired from what you have accomplished out there on the trail.

Long hikes do that simply by being long. A short hike of less than two hours, in order to give you the same feeling of achievement, will have to pack in a lot of climbing.

And then some.

"steep typical summer walk in Liguria"

A typical summer walk in Taggia

The walk from Taggia to Castellaro into the coastal hinterland of the Italian Riviera certainly meets that requirement. It is one of those rare two-shirt walks: shirt number one will be drenched with sweat at the half-way mark.

The way up to Castellaro may be no longer than a mile: but up really means up, and early on, you will have an opportunity to size up the challenge which lies ahead of you.  

"destination of a typical summer walk in Taggia"

It may be exhausting work to get to Castellaro, but it is a lot easier to make your way to Taggia: just take the train.

You can walk from the station to the trailhead in Taggia’s town centre, but we recommend to take the bus which leaves every 20 minutes from the station’s lower entrance.

Just make sure you board the bus to Taggia not to Sanremo: they use the same stop. You can buy your tickets on the bus but they are cheaper if you purchase them in advance from a tobacconist.

This bus will take you to Taggia Coach Station right outside the medieval bridge across the Argentina torrent.

"start of the typical summer walk in Taggia"

Cross this bridge (built, mended and renovated continuously from the 13th century onwards) and at the very end where the path forks, resist the temptation of taking the picturesque way on your left (it’s a dead end)  …

… and turn right.

From here on, just follow the trail by keeping straight and eventually continuing on the small asphalted road to pass underneath the motorway. (It is part of the Sentiero Liguria network, but only haphazardly marked.)

As a rule of thumb: when in doubt, take the road that promises the steepest climb.

By now, you should be approaching mid-day, and the temperature will have reached nearly 30 degrees. Even the proverbial mad dogs are beginning to seek the shade (leaving you with only the occasional Englishman left for company).

But for you, the best part of the trail is still coming: the ancient mulattiera that takes you up the last few hundred meters to Castellaro on stony ground.

This footpath also has some shady parts, however, where you can take a breather and change that shirt.

Soon you will be reaching Castellaro.

The top of the mountain ridge was once the site of a medieval castle, which dominated the countryside for centuries.

In 1619, it was destroyed and demolished to be replaced by the huge parish church which today looks a trifle oversized for a town of 1000 inhabitants.

Castellaro may no longer have a castle, but it has the Palazzo Arnaldi, an architectural fantasy from the 19th century and well worth a look.

There is no proper bus service between Castellaro and the coast, so you have a decision to make: either to eat your lunch in Castellaro or to return to Taggia where you have a far wider choice.

If you opt for the latter, you will by now be in a bit of a hurry. Taggia may, after all, be bigger than Castellaro but it is not the sort of place where you can find an eatery ready to feed you at any time past 2:30.

We decided to return to Taggia on what we believed to be the quicker route via Strada Provinciale 51, with a right turn into Strada Castellaro Taggia and the Regione San Martino for the home stretch.

In the end, we did not save much time but enjoyed some interesting views that we did not get on the way up.

Behind you, you can see Castellaro as it slowly fades into the distance …

… while Taggia’s old town, initially still a long way away underneath your feet,  …

… comes nearer and nearer.

Before you leave Taggia, you should do yourself a favour and have a look around the historic centre. Taggia is definitely one of the more storied and interesting towns in the area.

No matter how tired you are and how much in need of a rest after a hard walk and a no less exhausting lunch: there should be time enough for that.

"visiting Taggia for a typical summer walk"

There are many typical summer walks and hikes you can do in this part of Liguria. Check some of the ones we’ve done in the past and choose the most appropriate ones for you!

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