Garessio
Member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia
Salt carried over the Ligurian Alps from the sea was once repacked at Garessio and sent north, and later its San Bernardo spring water made it a summer spa. The town spreads along the upper Tanaro in four districts. In Borgo Maggiore, the oldest, a path climbs from the old market square past medieval house fronts to the ruins of a castle the Savoys pulled down around 1635.
Highlights
- Castle ruins and the Torre dell'impiccato, with views over the valley
- Porta Reso, the old main gate of Borgo Maggiore
- Town hall with a geo-speleological museum and civic art gallery
- San Giovanni, home to the Mortorio, a costumed Passion re-enactment
- Acqua San Bernardo, the mineral water that made Garessio's name
Text adapted from Wikipedia (Garessio (IT), Garessio (EN)), Wikivoyage (Garessio). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Population: 2,841
Things to see
- Reggia di Valcasotto (IT)
- Santuario di Valsorda (IT)
- Torre di Barchi (IT)
- Val Neva (IT)
Events through the year
- MortorioPassion play from about 1750, with Good Friday and Holy Saturday processions
- Garessio chestnut festivalShowcase for the local chestnut
Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.
Adapted from Wikipedia (Garessio), Wikivoyage (Garessio). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Local food & wine
- GaressiniSweetSoft, crumbly hazelnut and cocoa sweets, like meringues
Adapted from Wikipedia (Garessio). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to sleep
4 places to stay within 3 km
- B&Bs and guest houses 2
- Campsites 2
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Thermal baths nearby
- Thermal spa: Terme di Lurisia · ~1 h 08 by car
Data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Nearby member villages
- Colletta · 11 km
- Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena · 11 km
- Zuccarello · 13 km
- Pieve di Teco · 19 km
- Millesimo · 24 km