Pontedassio: Art, History and Food Culture

Pontedassio can be approached through a range of themes: sacred art, Bestagno’s history, a trail through forests and olive groves, and local food culture. These focal points give you a concrete basis for deciding which aspects of the place you would like to highlight when planning your trip.

Churches and Works of Art

In the hamlet of Villa Guardia, the Chiesa di San Matteo was built between 1580 and 1606. Its most distinctive feature is the wooden Cenacolo, a rare three-dimensional replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s Cenacolo. The work may be attributed to a carver’s workshop active between the Ligurian and Maritime Alps from 1470 to 1510. This attribution remains a possibility, not a confirmed one.

In 2012, the Cenacolo was permanently installed in a small room on the right-hand side of the nave. The reopening of an arch made the group clearly visible. The Cenacolo is still used during Holy Week celebrations today. This artwork therefore draws attention both to how it is displayed in the space and to its continued use throughout the year.

Pontedassio itself also has churches with a range of historical connections. The parish church was rebuilt in 1880 and houses a triptych by Luca Baudo of Novara, dated 1503. East of the medieval town centre, the Chiesa di Santa Margherita stands beside the oldest rows of houses in the historic centre, on the Torrente Impero. The triptych and the church’s location offer two different starting points for exploring sacred art and the town centre’s historic layout.

Bestagno: Museum and Castle Ruins

The Museo etnografico del castello di Bestagno is housed in three rooms in the heart of Bestagno’s main Carruggio, the village’s central lane. It includes two former communal bakeries and a wine cellar, and opened in September 2001. The exhibits include tools once used by local farmers to grow olives and grapevines. The collection thus focuses both on past agricultural work and on communal facilities such as the village bakeries.

The ruins of the Castello medievale di Bestagno stand on an isolated hill. Their walls date from different periods between the 12th and 14th centuries; they also bear traces of destruction by the Spanish in 1611. The Castello di Bestagno was part of the defensive system of the Valle Impero. Several periods are therefore important for understanding the site: its medieval building phases, its role in the defensive system, and the later traces of destruction.

Trail through Forests and Olive Groves

The Sentiero dei Santuari leads from the Valle Impero through forests and olive groves towards the Santuario della Madonna della Neve in Villa Guardia di Pontedassio. The trail description brings together landscape features and a named sacred destination. If you are planning a hike on the Sentiero dei Santuari, check local trail conditions beforehand.

Local Food Culture and Past Customs

The Museo storico degli spaghetti was established in Pontedassio in 1958. Local food culture also includes large, disc-shaped biscotti made from a recipe dating to the late 19th century. To make them, yeast dough is partially cut, baked once, and then baked a second time. The recipe and the multi-stage baking process give this distinctive product its own connection to the town’s history.

A former custom should be distinguished from these products: Pontedassio and its hamlets once observed the Cena Domini. The meal consisted of salted cod preserved in olive oil and handmade lasagnette. Each person taking part also received a round loaf marked with a cross and topped with fennel. While the biscotti recipe dates back to the late 19th century, the Cena Domini belongs specifically to a past tradition. Together, these food-related themes show different sides of local life: a distinctive baked good, the history of a spaghetti museum, and the dishes served at a former communal meal.

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Go to the main travel overview: Imperia.