The Giogo di Toirano (801 m) is a mountain pass in the Province of Savona (

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

). It connects Toirano with

Bardineto Bardineto ( lij, Berdënei) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. Bardineto borders the following municipalities: Boissano, Cali ...

Toponimy

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

the main meaning of ''giogo'' is ''

yoke A yoke is a wooden beam sometimes used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, u ...

'', but it also means ''gap'', ''mountain pass''; Toirano is a village on the southern side of the pass.

Geography

The pass stands between Monte Sebanco (983.9 m, West) and Bric Pagliarina (1.213 m, a

subpeak A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for a m ...

of Monte Carmo). Located on the

main chain of the Alps The main chain of the Alps, also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the drainage divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest ...

it connects the basin of the

Ligurian Sea The Ligurian Sea ( it, Mar Ligure; french: Mer Ligurienne; lij, Mâ Ligure) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea. It lies between the Italian Riviera (Liguria) and the island of Corsica. The sea is thought to have been named after the ancient ...

(South of the pass) and the

Po plain The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain ( it, Pianura Padana , or ''Val Padana'') is a major geographical feature of Northern Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of including its Venetic ex ...

. Its northern side is mainly occupied by beech woods, while the southern side is drier and warmer. Near the saddle stands a picnic place and some information panels about the peculiarities of the surrounding environment. The pass can be reached following the provincial road nr.60 ''Borghetto Santo Spirito - Bardineto''.

Cycling and hiking

The Giogo di Toirano is a popular cyclists' climb. The road from Borghetto Santo Spirito is considered an engaging climb and offers good views on the

Italian Riviera The Italian Riviera or Ligurian Riviera ( it, Riviera ligure; lij, Rivêa lìgure) is the narrow coastal strip in Italy which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinall ...

. Car traffic is very sparse but also

motorbike A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruisin ...

rs highly appreciate this stretch of road It is part of a ciclist's racetrack called ''Anello dei tre gioghi'' (''Ring of the three mountain passes'') which also encompasses Colle Scravaion and

Balestrino Balestrino ( lij, Barestin or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about southwest of Genoa and about southwest of Savona. As of 31 December 2011, it had a population of 607 and an ar ...

pass. Giogo di Toirano is the starting point of an

Alta Via dei Monti Liguri The ''Alta Via dei Monti Liguri'' (AV, literally "High Route of the Ligurian Mountains") is a long-distance waymarked hiking trail in the Italian region of Liguria. In about and 44 day hikes, it runs through the arc formed by Ligurian Alps ...

section.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Toirano, giogo Toirano Toirano

Toponimy

Geography

Cycling and hiking

See also

References