Spending time in green spaces can be extremely beneficial for our health. More and more studies are showing this. And for those of you who are a little lazy, like me, the good news is that you don’t necessarily have to do any physical activity to enjoy the benefits nature can give us.
The benefits of nature
Forest bathing, that’s to say spending time in nature, for at least 2 hours a week reduces stress levels, lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety and aggression, and improves our mood.
Researchers also found out that forest bathing increases the levels of Natural Killer cells in our immune system. These cells help our system fight tumors and virally infected cells.
Moreover, nature improves our memory. People who took a walk surrounded by nature before taking a memory test scored better than those who didn’t take a walk in the nature.
There are many areas where you can spend some time surrounded by nature in Italy but today I’d like to talk about Oasi Zegna.
Oasi Zegna
Oasi Zegna is a natural area in Piedmont, in the province of Biella. It was created by the entrepreneur Ermenegildo Zegna, who decided to revive a desolate mountainside by planting a huge number of trees.
Oasi Zegna offers many trails from the simplest to the more advanced ones.
You can take a 6km walk that will bring you from Bocchetto Sessera to Rifugio Piana del Ponte and the Argentera Archeo-mineralogical site.
The path is easy and not too long. When you get to Rifugio Piande del Ponte you can enjoy the company of other people, the view and homemade cakes and ice lollies.
Or you can choose to follow Il sentiero del capriolo – the roe’s path. It’s a 2 hours walk that will bring you from Bocchetto Sessera to Alpe Moncerchio. There’s an agriturismo there where you can taste traditional Italian food while enjoying a great view.
If you feel like doing something a little bit more challenging you can go to Cima del Bonom. It’s a 13km walk. In alternative, you can go to Cima dell’Asnas, a 4 hour walk.
Whichever path you choose, Oasi Zegna is much more than a beautiful and relaxing green space. In fact, there you can find also a swimming pool, ski slopes, ice skating rings, horse riding services and climbing areas.
Do you like spending time surrounded by nature? Have you ever been to Oasi Zegna?
Credits
Original image by kordi_vahle
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