There are several trails in this nature preserve, including a 500-meter wellness trail (with 16 stations of exercise equipment) and a two-hour hike that will take you high out of the area of the ciciu (pronounced “chee-choo”, which loosely translated means “puppet”). The itineraries we propose here so that you can witness these bizarre geological formations are accessible to all and are marked “Ciciuvagando” (lit. “wandering among the ciciu”). 

But what is a ciciu exactly? The word is piedmontese dialect for the Italian “cicio”, meaning “puppet”. Legend has it that Saint Constantius cursed the roman soldiers who had been pursuing him and turned them to stone. Science, however, tells us that these strange formations are actually erosion columns, large stones atop compact earth, and that they formed some 12,000 years ago, and there are nearly 500 of them!

From the ample parking area just north of Villar San Costanzo, follow the dirt road that crosses a playground and a picnic area (fountain and restrooms). To the right, there is the first station of information panels providing information about the architectural beauty of the area, such as the Villa San Costanzo abbey (with origins dating back to 700 AD, although the current structure is from the 1400s) and the 13th century Church of San Costanzo al Monte. In the back, across from the slides, another panel tells a fun tale of what the ciciu are. To the left of the dirt road, there is the visitors center, where you can get more information and see four models that show how the ciciu formed geologically.

When you leave the picnic area, follow the signs to the left that take you through a field in the direction of another information station describing the local geology. Behind this structure, you will find the first grouping of erosion columns. Just past these, you will come to a crossroads where you will need to decide whether to take the long loop or the shorter one.

You will need to go to the right for the short itinerary, but first we recommend going briefly to the left in the direction of the vista point (“punto fotografico”) to see the most spectacular of these rock formations. After that, come back here to take the trail to the right, which soon meets up with the end of the longer itinerary.

For the longer loop, continue past the vista point along the track that continues upward, then take a well-marked trail that takes you through some evocative settings to discover the more isolated ciciu hidden in the foliage. You will reach another vista point (“punto fotografico”) with an information panel about the surrounding villages. From here, the trail begins to head downhill in a wide loop back to the intersection with the shorter itinerary. 

Turn left here to reach a final station with panels describing the local fauna. A brief descent will then take you to the first crossroads and the picnic area and playground!