Italy - Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena

Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena is a quiet village located in the green hills north-west of Albenga in the western part of Liguria. The small village has a very well preserved medieval centre with a maze of narrow alleys and steep dark stairs. Stone houses and their ancient architectural features give the village an unspoiled character.

Castello dei Clavesana - dating back to the 9th and 10th century - is a castle overlooking the village from the hill behind. The castle was damaged during a siege by an army from Genoa in 1672, since that time it has been in its current ruined condition. Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena developed from the 11th century onwards around the outside of the castle walls.

The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is a very simple small church that was originally built in the 15th century, and then substantially altered in the 17th century to incoporate baroque style elements.

Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena is one of the borghi pui bella d'Italia (one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

We visited Castelvecchhio di Rocca Barbena on a Sunday morning. During our vist we didn’t see a single inhabitant and that made the village look like a ghost town.