Pigna

Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club

Pigna, in the upper Nervia valley, has a picturesque historic centre with narrow streets winding down the hill from Piazza Castello, which is the highest point in the village and stands opposite a line of beautiful stately buildings. The 15th-century Loggia della Piazza Vecchia joins the castle district to the parish church of St Michael, with its magnificent rose window and monumental polyptych of the saint, a masterpiece painted by Giovanni Canavesio.

Other sights to see include the Ethnographic Museum, the frescoes by Canavesio in the small church of St Bernard, and the ruins of the Church of St Thomas further down the valley. The unspoilt rural hamlet of Buggio is also worth a visit, especially to see the central square, which has the only church in the world dedicated to St Syagrius.

When it comes to food, you must try the Pigna white bean, which has been grown here for centuries. It's often served with goat meat, fish or simply with a drizzle of the local Taggiasca extra-virgin olive oil.