Day 49 - June 27th: One of The Best

Finale Ligure to Sassetto: 31.4 miles / 1,319 total

Christina, Jax and I stayed in The Hotel Rio, an old hotel perfectly situated on the river in the old town of Finale Ligure. The owners were kind enough to accommodate a 6:30 AM breakfast for me so we could get an early start on a day that promised to be challenging.

We were supposed to travel along the seaside until Genova, where we would begin to go north on the Via della Costa. But because this is high season and pet-friendly hotels aren’t the norm, Christina called a dozen looking for lodging tonight with no luck. The next option was to go there and hope for cancellations. Having done a small piece of the trail, I also knew this route would be extremely taxing—requiring shorter daily mileage and carrying the risk of being stranded or lost in the wilderness. Finally, Genova is a large city, and we haven’t had great success navigating big cities with parking, lodging, and overall vibe. So we made a course correction and instead of heading to Genova, we’ll now aim northeast and meet up with the Via della Costa in Piacenza in four days.

Jax and I set out on a 50+ kilometer day that would also include two mountain climbs, the first along the Via della Costa trail. I felt energy with the course change, knowing we’d leave the relentless sun and heat of the beaches behind and head back into the mountains. We walked out of our hotel in Finale Ligure and made a left, away from the beach along the river before the sun had cleared the mountains and the temperature was still pleasant. The river we followed inland had carved a deep valley, and further up, two rivers merged—creating three ridges ahead. A few kilometers in, I saw a sign for the Antica Via Julia Augusta, a famous Roman road built in 13 BCE by Emperor Augustus to connect the Ligurian coast with Gaul (modern-day France). It was going to be a great day!

We made a right-hand turn off the valley floor onto the trail, which immediately kicked up to a punishing 27% grade. It led us to Verzi, a hilltop village with the same narrow, defensive alleyways I’d seen in Cervo a few days ago—built not for comfort, but to repel invaders.

Leaving Verzi, the trail climbed steeply again, now on an ancient stone path worn smooth by centuries of use. As I gained elevation, I could look back and see Finale Ligure far below, the two rivers converging in the valley and the mountain ridges they had carved through stretching out ahead. My path veered to the right, and after another grueling kilometer, the tight singletrack finally opened onto a fire road. Hallelujah.

About 4 kilometers in, I reached the first of three ancient Roman bridges: Ponte delle Fate, or "Bridge of the Fairies." This delicate single-arch bridge is still standing and once served as a vital crossing for Roman messengers and traders. Despite its whimsical name—likely inspired by local folklore—it is a feat of Roman engineering, still perfectly poised over the dry riverbed.

Further on, I encountered Ponte Sordo, or "Deaf Bridge," likely named for the muffled sound of water that once ran beneath it. This structure was more ambitious, originally featuring multiple arches, though much of it has since collapsed. Large stone blocks from the original Roman opus quadratum construction remain, offering a glimpse of its former grandeur.

Finally, I came to Ponte Muto, or "Mute Bridge," the best preserved of the three. Fully intact, it retains its Roman paving stones and low guard walls. The names—Mute, Deaf, Fairies—add layers of local storytelling, but each served the same function: moving legions, goods, and messages through the Ligurian hinterlands with remarkable speed and durability. Throughout the trail, remnants of Roman hydraulic infrastructure were visible—walled river channels, carefully placed retaining walls, and stone roadways that wound expertly through the landscape.

The trail passed through dense woods, and we were alone in a remote section between the mountains. Markers for the Via della Costa were sparse, and with no cell coverage, I loaded the route in advance and dared not close it—one wrong turn could have been catastrophic. I was on high alert, double-checking each fork.

In the forest, we came upon long bamboo poles and ladders—an odd sight until we reached an opening in the rocks that dropped into darkness.

Eventually, we emerged into the village of Vose—namesake of one of the Roman bridges. We ran through the tiny village and descended a mountain road onto a trail that landed us in the middle of Spotorno.

Jax and I popped into a café where I realized the 11km trail was one of the greatest I’ve ever done. The historical depth, remoteness, and beauty rival the Grand Canyon and other greats.

Back on the coastal bike paths under the hot sun, Jax began to fade. Christina once again saved the day, arriving at 21km in Zinola to extract him. Once again, he seemed thrilled to be relieved of duty.

In Vado Ligure, I saw the first major shipping port, stretching for what seemed like forever. Despite the looming container ships, locals were still lounging on the beaches right in front. I stopped at another Pizza & Kabobs shop—this one run by Ahmed from Egypt, who made a great falafel and told me he was “living the dream!”

After Savona, I reached Albissola Marina and crossed a bridge over a river that emptied into the Mediterranean. I made a left turn inland, saying goodbye to the Med and heading toward the Maritime Alps.

The SP334 road paralleled a river climbing steadily between the mountains. I looked back every kilometer and appreciated how quickly the view opened up. After 8km of climbing, I found a lively café in San Giovanni, grabbed an espresso, refilled my bottle, and pushed toward the final town of Sassello.

Each small village I passed—Segurella, Santa Giustina, Giovo Ligure—I hoped would be the summit. But with each, another ridge opened up. I thought of the Haitian proverb: “Behind every mountain, another mountain.”

With 5km left, I crested the top, and the road turned downhill into Sassello where Christina and Jax were waiting. The small village looked more Swiss Alpine than Italian. I ran up to the hotel and saw a pool, which I jumped into immediately. With one hotel and one restaurant, our choices tonight are simple—just the way I like it.

As always, thank you for the support.

Cheers,

David.

P.S. If anyone is interested in checking out the GPX run files on Garmin, send me a connection request through Connect @ironmandag

And if anyone knows how to load a GPX file into a mapping app to show progress, please let me know. Google Maps only allows 10 segments.