Discover Bellissimi: Art, Traditions and Olive Groves

Bellissimi combines a landscape shaped by olive groves with art, religious customs and stories from village life. If you want not only to see a place but also understand it through its surroundings and cultural traces, you will find several ways to do so here: from terraced slopes and historic mule tracks to murals, cultural venues, festivals and personal encounters. The character of the village can thus be discovered both on a walk and through the events that shape it throughout the year.

Olive Groves and Terraced Landscapes

Bellissimi is surrounded by olive groves. In the hilly landscape around the village, many olive trees are cultivated on terraces. This type of landscape shapes the view of Bellissimi and makes the connection between the village and the surrounding hinterland immediately apparent. If you value rural impressions during your stay, you can consider the terraced surroundings an important part of experiencing the village. The olive groves stand alongside the cultural offerings rather than apart from them: traditions, art and historic paths are also part of the picture of Bellissimi.

Art, Hay and a View across the Valley

The Museo del Fieno in Bellissimi di Dolcedo is a single-theme museum dedicated to hay and its crucial importance for life in the Ligurian hinterland. Telephone reservations are required for visits. The building L'Asilo offers a different focus, distinguished by a high loggia overlooking the valley. Both places draw attention to specific aspects of the village: the former importance of an agricultural foundation and the architectural setting of a building with expansive views.

Artistic activities are also part of Bellissimi's cultural identity. In 2026, I Sentieri dell’Arte included the village in a two-day programme featuring open studios as well as meetings and exchanges with artists and creatives at various locations around the village. If you would like to experience art not only in exhibition spaces but also in connection with the place itself, this programme provides a special focus tied to that period.

Traditions at Set Times of the Year

Lively rural and religious traditions remain active in Bellissimi. The Feast of Madonna della Misericordia takes place on the first Sunday in September; in connection with this feast, Quando la Natura diventa Arte is organised every year. The works were displayed between 4 and 6 September 2026 in a terraced garden in the village. Paper balloons are also launched in Bellissimi on the occasion of the feast, mainly on the first Sunday in September.

For summer 2026, the Amici di Bellissimi association approved an events calendar, which was presented to its members, friends and visitors. The same year sees the XVII edition of the Ligurian dialect poetry competition BELLISSIMI VERSI; the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in the piazzetta of the church in Bellissimi. These dates give your visit a clear cultural framework if you would like to combine your trip with these events.

Discover Bellissimi on Foot

For centuries, the historic network of paths in Bellissimi has also included mule tracks connecting the village with the surrounding landscape. This historic connection can be explored thematically through walks today, without implying anything about the current condition or usability of individual paths. On a walk among Bellissimi's murals, you can hear curious stories, discover fascinating personalities and learn about the history of the paper-balloon tradition. You can also discover Bellissimi accompanied by a local resident, who enriches the tour with stories. In this way, the focus is not only on the landscape but also on local memory, expressed through images, stories and inherited customs.

Discover more places: Serreta, Torre Papone, Poggialto, Berzi, Costarainera, San Bartolomeo Al Mare, Colle San Bartolomeo and Borganzo.

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