The best raspberries in Italy: where to pick them

From Passo del Cerreto to the Valli Cuneensi: we give you some useful advice for understanding dove pick the best raspberries in Italy.
Late spring and early summer also mark the beginning of the ideal season for roaming the woods, getting in touch with nature and picking fruit. We have already talked about cherries and strawberries, which are more difficult to find (often you have to turn to private orchards and farmers), and blueberries, berries that grow wild and are subject to fewer harvesting restrictions.
Now our journey continues with red raspberries, whose harvest works more or less like that of blueberries. These red fruits, however, they ripen a little later compared to the purplish berries, approximately from the end of June onwards. To understand if they are no longer unripe is simple: they must not have green parts and they must be detached easily from the stalk. Raspberries are very fragile, so you have to try to touch them as little as possible: pinch the stalk from which they hang (they will fall into your hand in no time) instead of detaching them by pressing the fruit with your fingertips.

The best raspberries in Italy: where to pick them

Each region has its own rules for picking raspberries, and there are even individual parks or woods where certain restrictions are in force or not. Basically raspberry picking is free: the important thing is not to go home with excessive quantities.In any case, always check the territorial regulations so as not to make a mistake: just do it a phone call to the local tourist boards. Having said this, let’s now understand which are the most suitable areas for picking the best raspberries in Italy.

1. The raspberries of Passo del Cerreto
2. The Lombard raspberries
3. Avasnis raspberries
4. The raspberries of the Romagna side of the Apennines
5. Raspberries from the Pistoia Apennines
6. Raspberries from the Cuneensi Valleys

The raspberries of Passo del Cerreto

Passo del Cerreto, the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine pass that separates Tuscany from Emilia, is full of shady spots where wild raspberries grow in large quantities. Any advice for lovers of this fruit? A trek (perfectly signposted) in the direction of Bivouac Rosario: at some point you will find yourself immersed in huge fields full of big, sweet and juicy raspberries.
Raspberries can be harvested easily at the edge of the mule tracks and the paths of the entire Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park.

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The Lombard raspberries

As for blueberries, the Alps and the Lombard Pre-Alps they are excellent for picking red raspberries. In Lombardy, especially in the Bergamo area and in the province of Lecco, there are several farms that they organize the “pick your own” (the do-it-yourself collection) for a fee. The list of participating companies is published on Coldiretti site.
As for wild raspberries, it’s enough to make one walk in the mountains to find the buffers at the edges of the paths. Livigno, Tirano, Grosio, Isolaccia, Bormio: they are all areas of the Valtellina that are perfect for harvesting.

Avasnis raspberries

Avasnis is a small fraction of the municipality of Trasaghis, in the province of Udine in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is a definite center “The country of raspberries”, given that raspberries grow galore on the mountains above the town. From May to July, many families from the region travel to this area specifically to fill their baskets with red fruits.
In August, the “Raspberry and Blueberry Festival” is often organised, much loved by young and old. But not only Avasnis is full of raspberries of excellent quality: on almost every walk south mount Brancot you can come across this fruit.

The raspberries of the Romagna side of the Apennines

Who said that in Marradi you can only pick chestnuts? The municipality of the metropolitan city of Florence is known for its large, sour raspberries at the right point.
The “Raspberry Festival” is usually held here on the first Sunday in July. Furthermore, raspberries can be picked all over the Romagna side of the Apennines: the hills of Faenza and Brisighella, to give two examples, offer excellent varieties of these fruits.

Raspberries from the Pistoia Apennines

In the woods of the Pistoia Apennines you will not only find delicious blueberries, but also truly irresistible fields of raspberries. The ideal areas are those of Abetone: for a trek dedicated to picking berries, we recommend the path to Lake Scaffaiolo, a beautiful mountain lake that looks like a pearl in the middle of the greenery. The path starts from the Doganaccia and it is within everyone’s reach.

Raspberries from the Cuneensi Valleys

From early June to October, raspberries grow from 250 meters asl to 1800 m asl
For the so-called “Piccoli Frutti delle Valli Cuneesi” a request for recognition of the IGP certification was presented by the Organization of Fruit and Vegetable Producers ASPROFRUT, and this gives an idea of ​​the quality of these products. You will find them easily in all municipalities in province of Cuneo.
[Photo by: jag2020 / Pixabay]

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