Description of the attraction
The Nervia Valley stretches 4 km from the resort town of Bordighera on the Ligurian Riviera of Italy. The road along the Nervia River leads to the very base of the Torajo and Pietravecchia mountains. A variety of landscapes that change from coastal to mountainous for just a few kilometers, cozy medieval villages with numerous monuments of architecture and culture, retaining the atmosphere of the past and colorful old holidays and festivals, as well as the opportunity to see breathtaking landscapes with your own eyes - all this makes the Nervia Valley a must-see destination for those who go on vacation to Western Liguria.
At an altitude of only 25 meters above sea level, there is a small village of Camporosso with a population of about 5 thousand people. Its main attraction is the Church of St. Peter, built in the 11th century and partially retaining its original appearance - the right side of the building, a square bell tower and an apse. The frescoes that adorn the church date back to the 15-17th centuries. In January, Camporosso celebrates the patron saint of the city, St. Sebastian, and in September, the festival "barbajuay", a variety of ravioli stuffed with pumpkin.
A little further, at the very bottom of the Nervia Valley, is another village - Dolceacqua, in which about 2 thousand people live. It was once a fiefdom of the Counts of Ventimiglia, but in the 12th century it became the property of Oberto Doria, the future conqueror of the Naval Battle of Meloria. In 1524, Dolceacqua was captured by the Savoy dynasty, and three hundred years later it became part of the Sardinian kingdom. The Nervia River flows in the very center of the village, the banks of which are connected here by a 33-meter elegant convex bridge, built in the Middle Ages. This bridge, as well as the castle and the residential area that grew up around the rock and was called "Earth", are symbols of medieval Liguria and the life that continues today outside the ancient city walls. The castle was built from the 12th to the 15th century, but in 1745 it was almost completely destroyed, with the exception of two side square towers and one round one. Today theatrical performances and concerts are held here.
Another noteworthy village in the Nervia Valley is Rocchetta Nervina, which is home to only 300 people. It is notable for its defensive system and two medieval convex bridges. Also worth seeing is the Baroque Church of St. Stephen.
At the confluence of the Nervia River and the Merdanzo Creek there is a small fortified village of Izolabona. It is entered through the South Gate, and the main street divides the town into two parts and crosses two squares, where you can see the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena and the Baroque chapel. In the center of Isolabona there is an octahedral stone fountain, made in 1486, and nearby, in the cemetery, the Romanesque church of Santa Maria attracts attention. The ruins of a castle from the end of the 13th century have also been preserved here.
Finally, it is worth stopping by the medieval village of Pigna, consisting of an ancient center lying on the slopes of a mountain and located in a valley in the more modern part of the city. It attracts attention with its well-preserved medieval streets with old houses and thermal springs of Lake Pigo.
