A COUNTRY, A CASTLE, A "PATH OF THE POPE" (didactic for school groups)

The day has as its destination the town of Maranzana, 20 km from Alessandria, reachable in about 20 minutes.

AIMS:

• The course aims to sensitize students about the need and importance of knowing, enhancing and respecting the local naturalistic-environmental and historical-cultural heritage as well as food and wine through the excellence of our territory.

EXPECTED LEARNING IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC AND TRANSVERSAL SKILLS:

• Recognize the geographical, ecological, territorial aspects of the natural and anthropic environment, the connections with demographic, economic, social, cultural structures and the transformations that have taken place over time; knowing how to describe carefully, the historical-artistic-cultural heritage of the reference area. Knowing how to describe its peculiarities by highlighting the meeting points and interdisciplinarity.

SKILLS':

• Identify the social, cultural and environmental evolution of the territory by connecting it to the context.

PROGRAM:

• HOURS 9:00 Walk of about 7 km

• 11:30 am Visit to the Giacomo Bove museum, explorer

• HOURS 13.00 Packed lunch provided by the Agriturismo "Ma che bel castello" (Report any allergies)

• HOURS 15.00 Educational visit to the Brenta Distilleries with tasting of amaretti, visit to the museum and cellars or educational visit with tasting at the Amarettificio Cav.Vicenzi di Mombaruzzo since 1955 (transfer by bus to the nearby town for the second option)

Upon arrival, the school children will be guided on a path called "Pope's path" which through the Bosco delle Sorti, called La Communa, with public-community management of forest resources; the evidence of this use dates back to the 13th century. The safeguard area, which houses several mainly oak woods is a SIR, that is a site of regional importance.

The reason for the protection is due to the fact that it constitutes one of the northernmost areas of the Mediterranean oceanic area of Erica arborea, a plant used to make brooms and pipes.

The museum is located in the birthplace of the Italian explorer and navigator, now the seat of the municipality. A short visit to get to know its many famous companies around the world.

Packed lunch in the garden with picnic area of the company or in the park by the pool of the Castle, a fine building dating back to the XII / XIII century. It consists of 3 square towers and a circular "turret", connected by imposing walls, where the signs of the ancient merlons and the slits and sight glass for oil sightings and spouts of oil and boiling pitch are still denoted, surrounded by the classic moat.

In the afternoon, a didactic visit to the cellars and museum of the Brenta Distillery with amaretti tasting or to the laboratory of the Cav amaretto factory. Vicenzi di Mombaruzzo since 1955 where the amaretto is produced, born in 1700: a pastry made of sugar, sweet and bitter almonds and egg white. Tradition has it that the local bakers prepared this dessert for the Lords of the area who on important occasions gave guests, friends and relatives the "duss en poc meiret" (from these Piedmontese words the name "Amaretto").

RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING:

• Water-resistant hiking shoes, hat, backpack with water and basic personal necessities, kway or windproof-rainproof, layered clothing according to the season, spare shirt, a comfortable mid-morning break for mid-morning route, telephone number for communications to the family.

PERIOD: from March to June.

COST:

• 150 euros naturalistic guide fee per class for the whole day.

• 1 euro per student offered to the Bove Museum Cultural Association for a guided tour

• 10 euro packed lunch per pupil provided by the Agriturismo “Ma che bel Castello”

• Shipping excluded.

In case of bad weather the excursion will be postponed to a date to be agreed with the teachers.