The 10 best panoramic viewpoints in Oltrepò Pavese for incredible photos

There are places you do not simply pass through, but experience through your gaze. Oltrepò Pavese is one of them. A land of gentle hills, vineyards that follow the rhythm of the seasons, hilltop villages, and panoramic roads that seem to invite you to slow down. Here, every bend opens onto a new horizon, and every rise becomes a privileged vantage point.

This article is an invitation to discover Oltrepò Pavese through some of its most evocative views, with the awareness that the area hides many other places worth photographing, often far from the beaten path. From natural viewpoints to historic villages, from giant benches to summer lavender fields, every corner tells a different story and offers new perspectives.

The selected viewpoints are not intended as a definitive list, but rather as an inspirational guide to begin a journey shaped by light, anticipation, and personal discoveries. An itinerary designed for those who love to observe, retrace their steps, and allow themselves to be surprised, bringing home images that tell far more than a simple landscape.

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1. Calvignano Big Bench — One of the most famous Big Benches in Oltrepò Pavese, nestled among the vineyards of Tenuta Travaglino. The giant bench offers a 180-degree panoramic view of the vine-covered hills and the plain below, perfect for photos featuring rows of vines and rolling hills. Photo: Tenuta Travaglino

2. The lavender fields in Oltrepò Pavese — Between late June and mid-July, Oltrepò Pavese offers an unexpected spectacle: lavender fields that paint the hills purple, creating highly evocative scenes much loved by photographers and social media users. These are not vast expanses like in Provence, but it is precisely this more intimate scale that makes the experience authentic. Photo: Federica Manenti

3. Big Bench of Montalto Pavese – “Madonna del Vento” Viewpoint — The elevated position of the yellow Big Bench on the ridge known as Costa del Vento offers a 360-degree panorama of the Scuropasso and Ghiaie valleys and the surrounding hills. An excellent spot for shots at sunrise or sunset. Photo: Alessio De Tommaso

4. View from Golferenzo over the Versa Valley — The village of Golferenzo, perched among the vineyards of the Versa Valley, is one of the most Instagrammable villages in Oltrepò. The views over the terraced vineyards and the rural landscape are perfect for photos with a strong sense of local identity.

5. Fortunago - Postcard-Worthy Land — Fortunago is a historic village ranked among the most beautiful in Italy. Its cobbled streets, panoramic terraces overlooking the vineyards, and surrounding hills offer perfect postcard-worthy photo opportunities.

6. Varzi and the Staffora Valley — From the historic center of Varzi or the trails climbing the surrounding hills, you can enjoy sweeping views of the Staffora Valley, perfect for landscape and urban shots set in a unique natural context. Photo: Antonio Di Tomaso

7. Montesegale – Castle and serenity in the Ardivestra valley — Montesegale is one of those places that reveal themselves in silence. The village, dominated by its medieval castle, overlooks the Ardivestra Valley, offering intimate and secluded views, far from the more familiar images of Oltrepò Pavese. Montesegale’s photographic strength lies in the interplay between architecture and landscape: the castle walls rising from the greenery, the stone houses, and the hills gently layering one over the other. It’s an ideal location for clean, minimal shots, where just a few elements tell a lot. The best time to photograph is late afternoon, when the side light shapes the village and casts soft shadows over the hills. Early morning also offers evocative atmospheres, often accompanied by a light mist in the valley.

8. Monte Penice – A natural balcony over Oltrepò — Climbing up to Monte Penice, you reach one of the highest and most spectacular viewpoints in Oltrepò Pavese. From here, the view opens up dramatically: your gaze sweeps over the hills of Oltrepò, the Po Valley, and the Trebbia and Staffora valleys, reaching, on the clearest days, the distant outline of the Alps. From a photographic perspective, Monte Penice is a true natural balcony. The vast panorama allows you to play with distances and landscape layers, alternating wide shots with more intimate images, where a curve in the road, a meadow, or the summit cross becomes a narrative foreground element. The light changes quickly, making each moment different from the last.

9. Zavattarello Castle — From the walls and the village surrounding Dal Verme Castle, one of the most characteristic panoramas of the surrounding hills unfolds. The rooftops, towers, and green vineyards create a dramatic backdrop for photos with a historic feel.

10. Santa Giuletta – Castello hamlet — From the Castello hamlet of Santa Giuletta, the view opens onto one of the most iconic landscapes of Oltrepò Pavese: rows of vineyards that shape the scenery like an orderly fabric, following the gentle curves of the hills. It’s an ideal spot for photos that play with repeating lines and depth, with the vineyards in the foreground and the hills layering in the background.

Shooting Oltrepò Pavese on Your Smartphone

Practical tips for authentic and engaging images

You don’t need a professional camera to capture Oltrepò Pavese. Modern smartphones, when used thoughtfully, can produce striking images—especially in a landscape where light and scenery do most of the work.

1. Follow the light, not the location
In Oltrepò, the same hill can look completely different at different times of the day.
Sunrise and sunset are the best moments: the light is softer, colors are warmer, and shadows are less harsh. Avoid shooting in the middle of the day, especially in summer, when the high sun flattens the landscape.

2. Use the wide-angle lens sparingly
Many smartphones have an ultra-wide lens. It’s perfect for capturing vast panoramas like those from Monte Penice or Montalto Pavese, but use it carefully.
Get close to a foreground element—a row of vines, a fence, a giant bench—to add depth to your photo and avoid “empty” images.

3. Tap the screen to control exposure
Before shooting, tap the most important part of your frame to adjust focus and light.
If the sky is very bright, slightly lower the exposure: the colors of the hills will appear more saturated and natural, without blowing out the highlights.

4. Turn on the grid and play with lines
Enable the grid in your camera settings.
In Oltrepò Pavese, vineyard rows, scenic roads, and hill contours form natural lines. Place the horizon on the upper or lower third of the frame to make the composition more harmonious.

5. Shoot vertically, but also think horizontally
Vertical format works best for Instagram, especially for landscapes with sky and depth.
However, when the view truly opens up—like at Monte Penice or from the Castle of Zavattarello—also shoot horizontally: perfect for travel stories, articles, or galleries.

6. Use HDR mode, but don’t overdo it
HDR is useful when there’s a strong contrast between sky and land, typical of hilly landscapes.
Activate it especially at sunrise and sunset, but check the result: if the image looks too artificial, turn it off and rely on natural light instead.

7. Tell a story, not just show a panorama
Always include a human or natural detail: a person walking through the vineyards, a glass of wine on a table, a road winding up to a village.
These elements make the photo more emotional and help viewers imagine themselves there.

8. Move slowly and retrace your steps
In Oltrepò Pavese, the light changes in just a few minutes. A hill photographed five minutes earlier can look completely different shortly after. If you feel a place has potential, wait. Often the best shot comes when you’re about to leave.

9. Light editing, faithful to the landscape
In post-production, avoid heavy filters.
Slightly increase contrast and sharpness, gently warm the color temperature, and reduce highlights. Oltrepò is beautiful because it’s real, not perfect.

One final tip
The best tool is still your attention. Look up before raising your smartphone. In Oltrepò Pavese, photography comes from observation, not haste.

Oltrepò Pavese is a land to be discovered step by step, light by light. These are just some places to start, knowing that every road can reveal new panoramas and stories to photograph. If you share your shots, tag @visitpavia on Instagram and help us show Oltrepò Pavese through your eyes.

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