Balestrino in Italy | Province of Savona, Liguria
Enjoy peace and quiet holiday in the town of Balestrino in Liguria, Italy.
Balestrino
A small village with a marvelous view of the sea
One can enjoy the tranquil environment and the coastal panorama while taking a stroll along the many hiking paths around the village
Travel tips
The Romanesque church San Giorgio (12th century), the gothic church Sant´ Andrea (16th century), as well as the ancient oil mill Frantoio Lotus (13th century) are worth seeing. The mill is still active and each year the period suitable for olive pressing runs from October to February.
Thanks to its wonderful landscape, Balestrino was chosen as a setting for the filming of the movie version from the book “Tintenherz”, written by the German writer Cornelia Funke, in 2008.
The hinterland of Balestrino invites all the nature lovers to take excursions, bike trips and romantic walks through the woods and the olive groves. On the nearby coast, sport enthusiasts will find many water sports possibilities.
In the surroundings, there is the pilgrimage church Monte Croce, which attracts many pilgrims from whole Europe every year. On this mountain, each year between 1949 and 1986, the Virgin Mary appeared to a young girl.
In Balestrino, you can find many restaurants where you can taste original Ligurian culinary specialties, such as Ravioli con il Faraballa, filled with vegetables and served with rabbit sauce dressing. If you wish to take a specialty from Liguria home after your holiday, then you should definitely buy a bottle of the delicious oil produced by the Lotus oil mill (Via Panizzi 10, open from Monday to Saturday from 14:00 to 19:00).
History
Balestrino is a quiet and romantic village in the hinterland of Loano, located between the mountains and the sea. Thanks to its location, you can easily reach wonderful beaches (ca. 10km) as well as bigger cities like Savona (ca. 43 km) in a short time.
During the 19th century, the inhabitants had to leave the village because of seismic activities in the area. Today, 600 inhabitants still live on the outskirts of the original village, which is also called ghost town, due to its desolate ruins. In the centre of the village, there is the ancient castle founded in the 16th century.
Having at one time been property of the Benedictine Abbey San Pietro dei Monti, the locality of Balestrino came into the hands of Bonifacio Del Vasto in 1901, and in the next (century) it changed over to Del Carretto (12th century), who maintained his enfeoffment deep into the 17th century.
The castle above the inhabited settlement is a wonderful example of medieval fortresses. Balestrino still radiates its medieval charm in the old town centre, which unfortunately can only be admired from the outside at the moment.
How to reach
Balestrino is one of the villages in the province of Savona which lies in the Liguria region. There are several other small villages near Balestrino, and they include: Carpe (11.3 km), Vecersio (8.1 km) and Bergalla (2.1 km). When you reach Borghetto Santo Spirito, turn off from the E80 highway and take the SP1 on the right towards Toirano and thereafter follow the SP34 towards Balestrino.
