Valloria Between Painted Doors and Ligurian Horizons

Discover Valloria: Art in the Caruggi

Valloria combines its old lanes with an unusual form of art integrated into the village landscape. The caruggi of Valloria form an open-air art gallery created by dozens of artists. They decorated the old doors of the village, featuring panoramas, flowers, and other motifs. As you walk through Valloria, you will therefore repeatedly encounter individually painted elements that shape the character of the village.

The route to the painted doors is clearly signposted and can be followed on foot from door to door. Dark passageways and stairways are also part of this route. The works installed there have their own lighting so that visitors can see them more easily. This creates a tour of the village in which orientation follows the course of the lanes rather than simply connecting individual points.

Churches, the Oratorio, and Forgotten Things

The new Church of Santi Gervasio e Protasio in Valloria was completed in 1713. The church houses a polyptych by Agostino Casanova bearing the year 1523 in its inscription. The two dates offer a glimpse into different historical layers within the village.

The Oratorio di Santa Croce was built in 1587. The former Oratorio di Santa Croce now houses the Museo delle Cose Dimenticate. It displays objects from domestic, craft, and agricultural life. The collection also includes tools used for olive cultivation and olive oil production. Alongside sacred art, this places work and equipment associated with everyday life in the past at the center of attention.

The museum also displays individually designed instruments created by the local artist and inventor Giacomo Pisani. Together, the painted doors, churches, and Oratorio form a cultural picture of art, craftsmanship, and local history.

Trails and Views Around Valloria

The red trail, known in Italian as Percorso rosso, leads to Valloria. There, it runs from the church square along a mule track toward San Giuseppe. From the sanctuary, the trail first leads to the rural chapel of Madonna del Piano and then on to Tavole. The hiking trail begins in Valloria’s main square.

The view is also part of the village’s distinctive appeal: From Valloria, the greenery of Liguria meets the blue of the sea, especially at sunset. This makes the day’s progression between lanes, cultural sites, and trails varied. Depending on your focus, you can give greater prominence to the painted doors and the museum or place more emphasis on the red trail and the views.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

For further orientation, you can also explore Vasia, Costarainera, Cosio Di Arroscia, Deglio Faraldi, Cervo, Lecchiore, Airole, and Santo Stefano Al Mare.

For the higher-level travel overview: Imperia.