Discover Vasia: Olive Culture, Churches and Trails

Vasia: Olive Culture and Established Village Landscapes

Vasia is surrounded by terraces planted with olive trees and dry-stone walls. The terraces connect the visible landscape with the culture of the Taggiasca olive, with which Vasia is closely associated. The production of extra virgin olive oil in Vasia is also considered a cultural heritage passed down through generations. For visitors, this creates a village landscape in which agricultural tradition and stonework come together directly. The production of the oil adds another tangible point of reference to the visible cultivation on the terraces.

In Vasia, this olive culture can be experienced in different places. The Frantoio Ranoisio olive mill is associated with visits to olive groves and olive oil tastings. An agricultural business in Vasia offers tastings of its products on a terrace surrounded by olive trees. The two offerings differ in their settings: at the olive mill, olive groves and oil tastings go hand in hand, while at the farm, the focus is on its own products and the terrace surrounded by olive trees.

Churches and Medieval Traces

Vasia has medieval origins that have remained visible in its architecture. The parish church of Sant'Antonio Abate particularly shapes the historic character of the village: it is regarded as a 15th-century sanctuary and has a 19th-century stone bell tower, considered the highest in the valley. At the same time, the parish church was rebuilt in 1640.

The ruins of Vasia's old feudal castle were once a fortified residence of the Lascaris family. Near the cemetery of Vasia, the church of San Martino di Tours was built on the ruins of an old Benedictine monastery.

In the hamlet of Pantasina in the municipality of Vasia, the Madonna della Guardia Sanctuary was built in the 1930s as a neo-medieval structure.

Walks, Excursion Trails and Cycling Routes

Vasia has paths surrounded by greenery for walking. A walk through Vasia's olive groves can lead to the small church of Sant'Anna. The area around Monte Acquarone near Vasia has several excursion trails, including the Via del Sale ridge path. This means that both paths through the olive landscape and the Via del Sale ridge path serve as distinct settings for planning an individual route.

Mountain-bike routes run from Vasia towards Prelà Castello. In Prelà Castello, the medieval church of Saints Giacomo and Nicola was an important mother church during the time of the Doria family. The place names thus indicate a connection between a cycling direction and a historically shaped destination area, without presupposing a specific route.

A Recurring Annual Festival

The Festa della Castagna takes place every year in Vasia. Alongside the culture of the Taggiasca olive and regional tastings, the chestnut is therefore also part of the village's recurring festival calendar. In this way, Vasia brings together landscape, agricultural products, churches and trails to create a varied destination for anyone wishing to get to know an Italian village through its history and everyday life.

Other Places for Orientation

Torrazza, Berzi, San Bartolomeo Di Caravonica, Ciapin, Pietrabruna, Dolcedo, Tavole, Badalucco

For the higher-level travel overview: Imperia.