Bormida Valley

Bormida Valley

Welcome to Cairo Montenotte, the only real town in the Ligurian hinterland. You’ll discover an old town centre brimming with attractions to admire, such as Porta Soprana and Via dei Portici. You’ll find three castles in the area: Cairo castle, now a ruin but full of charm nevertheless, and Rocchetta castle, in whose ruins a papal bulla of Paul IV was unearthed. Other must-sees are the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, built on the ruins of or immediately next to a pagan temple, and the Abbey of Ferrania in the village of San Pietro.

Dialect name: Càiro

IAT: Corso Italia, 45 Cairo Montenotte

Phone: +39 019 50707307

E-mail: iat@comunecairo.it

Legend has it that St. Francis of Assisi passed through Cairo, greeted by a cheering crowd full of admiration for the seraphic poor man. Ottone del Carretto's daughter, who was deaf-mute, lived in the castle: St Francis performed a miracle and the young girl regained the power of speech.

Specialities

For some time now, Cairo has been hosting the Cairo Medieval event in the summer, with medieval flag bearers and traditional products. But you can find two famous local dishes in the town centre’s bars all year round: tira, a kind of mini bread loaf with sausage inside, and fazzini, also known as lisotti, traditional Bormida Valley flatbreads made from boiled potatoes, flour and butter.

The area is home to the Osiglia artificial lake, built between 1937 and 1939 to supply the Cairo Montenotte power plant. A rural village had to be sacrificed to build the lake and can be seen at each draining of the lake every ten years or so.

The Ferrania Film Museum

If you’re passing through these parts, don't forget to visit the Ferrania Film Museum, located in Palazzo Scarampi and dedicated to the Ferrania 3M company, once a world leader in the production of film. The exhibitions include ‘The Sensitive Factory’, ‘The Film Factory’, and ‘Filmmakers’! ‘The Social Factory’.

Every year, a living nativity scene takes place on 22, 23 and 24 December in the medieval hamlet of Strada, in Roccavignale, a town in the Bormida Valley. Windproof torches light up the hamlet for the occasion, making the setting even more enthralling.

The Adelasia Nature Reserve

Enjoy nature in Cairo at this reserve stretching over 500 hectares and characterised by majestic beech forests. There are three circular paths enabling you to take in the Reserve’s most significant naturalistic aspects.

During the Altare Glass Fest, the ancient and noble tradition of Altare blown glass meets the styles and techniques of masters from Murano, Tuscany and France. An annual exhibition dedicated to the magical world of glass, organized by the Altare Art Glass Museum.

Altare and glass

Just a few kilometres from Cairo you’ll find Altare, famous for its centuries old glassmaking tradition dating back to the year 1000. This tradition still lives on today and can be admired in the Glass Museum, displaying hundreds of objects made from 1889 to the present day, including many masterpieces in the Art Nouveau style.

Lives Bormida Valley e dintorni

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