Percorso Ex-Guidovia del Santuario della Madonna della Guardia

There was once a cable railway that carried pilgrims up to the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia, suspended between sky and forest. Today that same route has become a trail that tells two stories at once: the story of popular devotion and the quiet story of woodland slowly reclaiming everything it once gave way to. The path winds through beech and chestnut trees in the Capanne di Marcarolo Park, a corner of the Ligurian-Piedmontese Apennines that remains beautifully intact and surprisingly wild. Early risers may spot roe deer moving through the undergrowth or catch the drumming of a woodpecker echoing between ancient trunks. The ruins of the old infrastructure surface here and there like industrial relics, lending the walk a poignant, atmospheric quality. The sanctuary at the top rewards hikers with sweeping views stretching to the sea on clear days. Spring fills the woodland floor with wildflowers and the scent of resin; autumn wraps the hillsides in copper and gold. Rated E by the Italian Alpine Club and taking roughly four and a half hours to complete, this is a wonderful choice for families with older children and for dog owners looking for a meaningful day out in nature.