San Michele
San Michele: a charming place in the midst of nature
San Michele is a small geographical hamlet located in the municipality of Morfasso, in the province of Piacenza. This charming place is situated in the Ligurian Apennines, at an altitude of 680 meters, at the foot of Mount Cornetto and offers visitors a unique natural scenery. The hamlet is inhabited by only 66 people, but every year it attracts tourists who seek tranquility and contact with nature.
The beauty of the Monte Moria Provincial Park
Among the attractions of San Michele, stands out the Monte Moria Provincial Park, a vast area of natural conservation that extends for about 1000 hectares between the municipalities of Morfasso and Lugagnano Val d'Arda. Here, visitors can admire chestnut, beech, and white fir forests, as well as hiking trails that allow them to discover the territory of this mountainous area of Italy.
History of San Michele: between emigration and aggregation to surrounding municipalities
San Michele has an ancient history, dating back to the foundation of the Tolla Abbey, located near the Morfasso hamlet of Monastero di Morfasso. In the eighteenth century, the area began to experience the phenomenon of emigration, especially in the second half of the nineteenth century, when 163 sammichelesi emigrated abroad. By 1908, the population of the area had already declined to 612 people. San Michele was initially a hamlet of the municipality of Lugagnano and only in 1870, following a request from the majority of the resident population, was it aggregated to the municipality of Morfasso.
Tourism and local development
In recent years, San Michele has become a summer holiday destination thanks to the presence of a campsite and the local pro loco organization, which organizes events in the hamlet. For example, in the summer, festivals, parties, excursions, and nature encounters are organized, which attract more and more tourists looking for a peaceful place to spend a few days away from daily stress.
San Michele is also the birthplace of Cardinal Silvio Oddi, which makes the visit to the hamlet even more interesting. In conclusion, visiting San Michele means immersing oneself in nature, discovering the history of an ancient place, but also discovering the vitality of a community that has been able to adapt to modernity by continuing to enhance its natural and cultural resources.
