Zuccarello

This is the only main street of the village; there is no «via Roma», despite what some listings say. On both sides run low arcades with arches and pillars in a style halfway between Liguria and Piedmont, with some trompe l’oeil painting. Under the arcades were the workshops, and small windows served as shop displays. Walking it, you notice how intimate it feels, partly because traffic stays outside.

Look for the details in stone: sources also mention a slate column linked to the history of public floggings. It is something to find at your own pace, without expecting signs. Quiet prevails here: at midday the street can be almost empty.

The village is closed by two gates with towers: Porta Soprana, uphill, also called the Piedmont gate, and Porta Sottana, to the south. These are the only «towers» in Zuccarello; there is no freestanding tower. Just outside Porta Sottana is the humpback bridge over the Neva. It is often called a «Roman bridge», but it is medieval. It is the best spot to photograph the village, with water below and the bell tower behind.

Parts of the old walls survive too, and side lanes drop from the gates towards the stream. Enter by one gate and leave by the other, and you feel how the place was designed: a fortified trading post on a salt route that led towards the upper Tanaro valley and Piedmont.

The parish church is dedicated to St Bartholomew, patron of the village (feast on 24 August). It is a medieval church with a bell tower with mullioned windows in local stone. Inside is a canvas of the Madonna and Child with saints, attributed to Orazio De Ferrari, from the first half of the 17th century. Opening hours are not confirmed, so do not assume you can go in. The exterior and bell tower, however, dominate every view of the village.

In the heart of the village stands the Oratory of Santa Maria Nascente (with San Carlo), a 17th–18th century building with a 15th-century wooden crucifix. The lower floor of a deconsecrated church has become the Teatro Quinzio Delfino, which hosts concerts and shows. The small square in front of the oratory gives a good view over the village.

Above the village are the ruins of the castle, first mentioned in 1233 and tied to the Del Carretto. It is not the «Clavesana Castle»: that stands in Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena, is privately owned and open only during cultural events. In Zuccarello you climb on foot in about 20 minutes, on a cobbled path starting from via del Castello. There is no official information on access or hours: wear shoes with good soles and expect a viewpoint over the valley rather than a visitable building.

From the castle area starts the Sentiero di Ilaria (Ilaria’s Path), linking Zuccarello with Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena. Guides give about 3 km and a little over an hour. Elevation gain and difficulty are not confirmed by official sources, so treat it as a hill walk with water and suitable shoes. It crosses holm oaks, downy oaks, chestnuts and olive trees, with wild thyme in spring. If you came by car, plan the return: the road between the two villages is about 6.6 km and 13 minutes. The full story is in the feature Ilaria Del Carretto and Zuccarello.