Places that you may visit

 

Main Museums


Museo dell'Olivo, Imperia - Olive Tree & Oil Museum

Inside a nice Liberty style bulding you'll find this interesting museum that has obtained the "Museum of the Year " prize in 1993. Subdivided in 12 sections, this museum shows you the olive tree's history and explains the various uses of the oil (for illumination, heating, as food, as cosmetic, in medecine).


Museo Civico Archeologico, Diano Marina - Local archeological museum

The Museo Civico Archeologico of Diano Marina, open from 5th september 2004, has been created by the Istituto Internazionale di Studi Liguri together with the Amministrazione Comunale and Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Liguria. Inside the museum, subdivided in nine main rooms and one multimedia room, you can check what has been found in our area, from Capo Berta to Capo Cervo, from prehistoric fossils to romanic coins.
Inside the same building you'll always find new art galleries and meetings plus an info point.


Museo Etnografico del Ponente Ligure, Cervo - Ethnographic museum of Ponente Ligure

You'll find this museum inside an important castle, in Cervo: the Castello dei marchesi di Clavesana, XIII century. The ordinary (now more extraordinary) life of our fathers with all the ancient objects and traditions. House, agriculture, crafting, navigation: every aspect of the ancient Cervo can be found in this timeless collection.


Museo Navale, Imperia - Naval museum

Born in 1980 and hosted inside the ancient Mayor's House (built in 1840), this museum quickly became an important point of reference for every naval history enthusiast. You'll find stunning models, cartography, original documents, navigation instruments...


Museo Preistorico and Grotte dei Balzi Rossi, Ventimiglia - Prehistoric museum and Balzi Rossi's caves

This museum hosts various finds from Balzi Rossi's caves, from 240,000 years ago to mesolithic. Usual objects, instruments and primitive sculptures can be seen and understood.
The museum is by the sea, near the caves and a wonderful small beach with rounded stones, also called "eggs' beach".


Museo Etnografico e della Stregonieria, Triora - Ethnographic and Witchcraft museum

Open from 1987, this evocative museum is hosted inside the ancient jails and subdivided in six parts: country life, chestnut history, ancient kitchen & food, milk and cheese, wine and, finally, the main witchcraft area. The legend and true story behind witches and inquisition in Triora. Various original documents will guide you trough the years of witch hunting, from 1587 to 1589, with fights and tortures.


Museo Navale Romano, Albenga - Naval Roman museum

The Palazzo Peloso Cepolla has been donated to Albenga in 1946. Inside this palace, in the middle of this ancient town, you can visit a museum devoted to the biggest Roman ship found in the local sea, sunk between 100 and 90 b.C.
Nature!


Grotte di Toirano - Toirano's caves

Inside the Varatella valley, just over Toirano, you'll be facing wonderful dolomitic mountains with more than 150 natural caves, always being studied and explored. Toirano's caves, open to the public from 1953, are one of the main attractions around, with more than 110.000 visitors every year.


Giardino botanico Villa Hambury - Botanic garden Hambury

The history of these gardens begins in 1867, thanks to the english traveler Sir Thomas Hanbury: he bought the Marchesi Orengo di Ventimiglia's palace and the surrounding areas to make a gorgeous garden filled with plants from all around the world, this being possible thanks to the great climate.
You'll find thousands (around 6000 in 1912) species, subdivided by botanic groups.


Acquario di Genova - Genua's acquarium

The biggest acquarium in Europe.
Visiting this acquarium is an experience impossible to forget.
Seals, dolphins, penguins, sharks, animals from the deep...a true travel to another world


Various galleries and interesting places can be found following these links:
Museums near Imperia
Art galleries
We suggest you to ask at an information point or directly at the Hotel's reception where you'll find various documents, maps and suggestions.
Beautiful villages, panoramic views & ancient towns
Valleys over Diano, hills covered by olive trees, between terraces and sea
Diano San Pietro with the fortified church, true defense against pirates.
Diano Castello, a medieval village with an underground filled by mystery.
Villa Faraldi and San Lorenzo's church, home of the great painter Fritz Roed.
Riva Faraldi, with his ancient mills.
Deglio, home of the shepherds, just under the Prato dei Coppetti, a big grass in the middle of our steep hills.
Cervo, one of the most beautiful ancient villages in italy.
 
Valle Impero, between castles and towers, defending the territory

Bestagno and the ruins of his ancient castle.
Candeasco and the tasty "bugie", original biscuits with an ancient receipt.
Pontedassio and his symple biscuit, defended by Slow Food.
Maro Castello, with the ruins of the ancient fortress, ruling the whole valley until 1625, when the Wellness Centernish, allied with Genua's army, destroyed the building.
Borgomaro with his ancient water mills and country life. One of the most interesting buildings it the S. Nazario e Celso's church, with parts from XII sec.
Lucinasco, the small lake and the beautiful churches S. Stefano and Maddalena's, XV century, surrounded by the woods.
Conio, the Conti di Ventimiglia ed the famous Conio's beans, defended by Slow Food.
 
Valle Arroscia, almost in Piemonte, filled with religious art crafts, main sea-to-mountains road for ages, civilizations...and marmots!
S. Pantaleo's church, with frescoes made by Pietro Guido da Ranzo.
The Madonna delle Vigne di Ranzo's oratory, with a polyptych made by Filippo da Ranzo, Pietro's son.
Gavenola, S. Colombano di Gavenola's church and the Milizie Celesti's parade.
Pieve di Teco, valley's heart with S. Giovanni Battista's colleggiata, the long historical portico. Madonna della Ripa's church with the "Maschere di Ubaga" gallery.
Rezzo, the woods, the Sepolcro's or Natività di Maria Santissima di Rezzo's sanctuary with the beautiful frescoes, like Passione di Cristo, made by Pietro Guido da Ranzo.
Villa and the S. Dalmazzo's church, form XV century.
Mendatica and S.ta Margherita's church.
Val Prino, the ancient Via del Sale and the beautiful churches
Montegrazie, SS. Annunziata's church with Carlo Braccesco's frescoes, the Santuario di Nostra Signora delle Grazie, built around a defense tower and enriched by Tommaso and Matteo Biazaci da Busca's frescoes. Pietro Guido da Ranzo has made other wonderful frescoes inside the same church.
Moltedo, with S. Bernardo's church, hosting the Sacra Famiglia painting by Antonio Van Dyck.
Vasia, the romanic church S. Anna and the small, nice S. Martino's church.
Prelà and Lascaris' castle, from XIV century.
Pantasina and Trasfigurazione's church.
Molini di Prelà and S. Giovanni Battista del Groppo's church.
Dolcedo, his mills, Cavalieri di Malta's bridge, S. Tommaso's church, the Banco della Ragione, an ancient place with standard measurements for oil and wine, from 1613.
Monte Faudo, the panoramic view and S. Brigida's chapel.
Lecchiore, Madonna dell'Acqua Santa's sanctuary and the beautiful natural tiny lakes hidden in the woods.