Where to see the most beautiful lavender fields? If you ended up reading this by googling, you’re probably looking for the most scenic and beautiful lavender fields to see in Italy, the ones that will almost make you imagine you’re in Provence. Well, I was in Provence last year and I must reluctantly warn you: do not look for lavender fields in Italy that can stand comparison with those of Provence because you will not find any.
The Valensole area is something unique in the world, a place where you almost feel like you’ve ended up in a parallel world where the fields are purple and not green. However, without trying to compete with Provence, even the lavender fields in Italy can give you great satisfaction in terms of beauty and scenic photos.
What do you say then, grab your best backpack with lots of pockets and let’s discover together which are the most beautiful lavender fields?
When is the flowering of lavender?
Before seeing where the most beautiful fields are, it is important to choose the right period, the one in which lavender blooms. Obviously, flowering varies from area to area, according to altitude and climate. The first lavender fields bloom towards the end of June while the last ones are in full bloom at the beginning of August. My advice is therefore to choose the area you are interested in and then contact the local tourist office, thus discovering when you will find the lavender at its peak of flowering and therefore of beauty.
Where to see the most beautiful lavender fields in Italy?
In Italy there are several areas where to see lavender, let’s see together the most famous lavender fields in Italy:
- Sale San Giovanni and Valle Stura in Piedmont
- Godiasco in Lombardy
- Porto Tolle in Veneto
- Col di Nava in Liguria
- Casola Valsenio in Emilia Romagna
- Assisi in Umbria
- Maremma and Chianti in Tuscany
- Tuscania in Latium
- Pollino Park in Calabria
Piedmont: Sale San Giovanni and Stura Valley
Sale San Giovanni is located in Piedmont, in the Langhe, and is one of the most famous and beautiful places to see lavender fields in Italy. In Sale San Giovanni the purple of the lavender seems to blend with the green of the Langhe and the place is so beautiful that it is also called the little Provence of Piedmont.
Think that here lavender is so important that there are many events to celebrate its flowering: festivals, fairs and ad hoc nature trails. Not far away is Demonte, in the Stura Valley, where there are many lavender fields since, between the mid-nineteenth and mid-twentieth century, lavender was one of the main economic resources here.
Where to go to photograph the flowering fields? On state road 21 between Borgo San Dalmazzo and Collo della Maddalena.
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Lombardy: Godiasco – Oltrepò Pavese
Lombardy, like neighboring Piedmont, has its own corner of Provence. We are talking about the hills of Godiasco, in the Oltrepò Pavese, where the fields of Godiasco Salice Terme have become in the last years a real tourist attraction during the flowering period of lavender. Among the best places to take nice pictures is the Cascina Costanza lavender field where you can enter at a cost of 5 euros.
Please note that visits are usually held on weekends, by reservation, to regulate crowding and preserve the beautiful lavender fields. Want to get in for free? Book a table at their farm, they say they eat very well and you can both enjoy the view and treat yourself to a tasty lunch. Obviously in the area there are also other lavender fields but be careful, they are almost always private and entry is not allowed.
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Veneto: Porto Tolle – Polesine
The lavender fields of Veneto were mostly unknown. How did they come to fame? Thanks to the sharing on social media of governor Luca Zaia. Thank goodness for Zaia! It would have been a shame if these wonderful fields remained a secret only to the local inhabitants. But where are these beautiful lavender fields located? At Donzella Island in Porto Tolle, in the province of Rovigo, in Polesine.
First of all, it is necessary to reach the town of Porto Tolle and then follow the directions for Ca’ Mello, near Sacca Scardovari, in the Po Delta Park. However, finding them is not very easy because the road to get there is hidden and out of the way. How to do it then? Don’t worry, you are reading an article written by Miss GPS coordinates!
The GPS coordinates to find them are 44.891970 and 12.382158. Enter them into your navigator and you will arrive at your destination without any problems.
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Col di Nava in Liguria
Col di Nava boasts a long tradition in the cultivation and distillation of lavender so much so that every year, on the first Sunday of July, the Lavender Festival is held. The event is very beautiful, with a musical band, games, and bunches of lavender that are distributed free to participants. Not far away, in Carpasio, you can also find the Lavender Museum, just like in Provence.
The one in Carpasio is the first lavender museum in Italy and tells the story of the town and the cultivation of lavender. It was founded in 1906 when a group of inhabitants created the first Italian cooperative of growers, collectors and distillers for the marketing of the fragrant lavender.
Emilia Romagna: Casola Valsenio – Ravenna
Let’s start descending a bit, moving to Emilia Romagna, more precisely to the city of Casola Valsenio, in the province of Ravenna. Inside the Herb Garden you can see more than 20 varieties of lavender to which is dedicated the event of the Notte Viola, towards the end of June, in a riot of scents and markets in the streets of the center. In Casola Valsenio it is also possible to follow a real lavender road, short but very scenic as it runs along several fields of lavender and broom.
Calabria: Campotenese – Pollino National Park
In the south, although the climate is more adverse to cultivation, it is possible to find a little lavender paradise in Calabria. This is the Lavender Park of Morano Calabro, which is home to nearly 50 species of lavender, a true colorful paradise not to be missed. Here, unlike most other areas, the flowering can continue until the beginning of August.
Tuscany: Maremma & Chianti
The places to see lavender in Tuscany are Maremma and Chianti. The Tuscan Provence, in the Maremma, is Civitella Marittima, a small village perched on the hills that offers magnificent views of lavender fields. Besides Civitella, it is also possible to find lavender on the hills of Fonterutoli, at an altitude of about 600 meters in the Chianti valley.
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Umbria: Assisi
In the countryside around Assisi, in Umbria, there are many lavender fields. I would like to point out in particular the Lavandeto di Assisi, a nursery with over 60 varieties of lavender, which can be visited from the beginning of June for the entire flowering period.
Latium: Tuscania – Viterbo
Do you know the Abbey of Senanque? One of the most famous images of Provence, the magical church with the beautiful lavender fields in front? No? Let me show it to you.
Magnificent, isn’t it? Well, if you’re looking for something a bit like that, you have to go to Tuscania, in the Viterbo area. Here you will find the Abbey of San Giusto, a marvel surrounded by fields of lavender. I have never had the chance to see it live but I googled it and it seems to be absolutely wonderful. In Tuscania, in addition to walking in the lavender fields, you can participate in themed festivals and guided tours during the flowering season.
