The “Among Castles, Vineyards, and Rice Paddies of the Novara Hills” excursion is a suggestive itinerary that invites you to explore, at a slow and thorough pace, the heart of the rural landscape between the Sesia and Agogna rivers. This loop trail, with a total length of approximately 41 kilometers, is designed for those who love combining nature, history, and landscape culture, and can be covered either on foot in several stages or by mountain bike.

Along the route, you follow a complex system of cobbled mule tracks and local roads connecting villages, farmhouses, vineyards, and the reflective waters of rice paddies, offering an immersive experience in the various settings that characterize the Novara hills. The route opens with man-made landscapes, where villages and castles stand out among the crops: hillside vineyards and lowland rice paddies create a natural mosaic that tells the story of the agricultural vocation of this part of Piedmont.

During the excursion, you pass through places of great historical and cultural interest. In Cavaglio d’Agogna, you can walk along the wide mule tracks that branch out through woods and rows of vines, while in the village of Sizzano, you will find the Bergamina farmhouse, linked to the partisan struggles of the Volante Los. Fara Novarese, with its strong winemaking tradition, is a center rich in history and local curiosities, including the seasonal harvest celebration, Settembre Farese.

The route continues through a succession of castles that tell of centuries of events and transformations: the medieval castle of Briona, strategically perched on the hill; the castle of Proh, built by Francesco Sforza as a “place of delights” in the middle of the plain; and the castle of Morghengo, which preserves traces of its past as a noble residence. Alongside these stand the 15th-century tower of Agnellengo Castle, commissioned by the Caccia family, and Barengo Castle, built in the 14th century and restored in the 20th century by architect Carlo Nigra according to medieval canons.

The itinerary, which features a modest total elevation gain (with altitudes between 180 and 285 meters) and a surface that alternates between dirt tracks and short paved sections, crosses not only agricultural landscapes but also wetlands and woodlands, offering the chance to admire natural environments of particular ecological value. In addition to the cultural and historical dimension, the excursion allows you to appreciate the balance between human work and nature, a distinctive feature of the Novara hills.