Tovo San Giacomo

The parish church, dedicated to the village’s patron saint, dates from the early 16th century, although the present structure is 18th-century. In the central nave there are two frescoes by the Genoese painter Gerolamo Graffigna, active in the late 19th century: the Madonna delle Grazie and Saint James. The tower-shaped bell tower is the result of restoration after the earthquake of 23 February 1887, which partly brought down the old one. Between 1984 and 1987 the church was reinforced and restored.

Bardino Vecchio is the upper hamlet, along the provincial road that climbs towards the Colle del Melogno. The church of San Giovanni Battista has very old origins and a medieval Romanesque bell tower, which the municipality dates to the 13th century; it has been a parish since about 1550. Not far away is the Oratory of the Disciplinati, from 1771, built in place of one from 1426 that was demolished in the late 19th century to make way for the road between Bardino and Magliolo, today’s SP 4. The oratory of San Carlo Borromeo also faces the square.

Along the provincial road, where the old oratory used to stand, there is the monument to the «Cristezzante». According to the municipality it is the first and only one in the world dedicated to the cristezzanti: the men who carry the wooden crucifix and the large artistic processional floats in religious processions, a tradition typical of Liguria and southern Piedmont. It is always open and step-free. If you want to see the crucifixes on the move you need to come for a procession; the dates change every year, so ask the municipality.

On the same road, at Bardino Vecchio, is the sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, linked to an event in 1722: according to tradition the Virgin appeared to a mute girl, who regained her speech. The building is 18th-century, with three naves; in the right-hand nave there is a wooden group of statues from the school of Antonio Brilla, placed there in 1822 for the centenary. The sanctuary is open only during religious festivals, so on other days you can only see it from outside.

Bardino Nuovo is the hamlet that faces the sea. The parish church of San Sebastiano was built between 1681 and 1708 and became a parish on 19 November 1797, splitting from Bardino Vecchio. It was renovated in 1924 and has frescoes inside. The bell tower is over 30 metres high and is the tallest in the valley. From the square in front of the church the view takes in the Val Maremola and the sea.

The museum is in the former town hall of Bardino Nuovo, in Piazza Canonico Folco, and is the most curious stop in the village. The collection grew out of the wish of the last family clockmaker, Giovanni Bergallo, to donate the family collection to the village. The Bergallo family built tower clocks between 1861 and 1980 in their home-workshop, and their machines ended up on bell towers in Liguria, Piedmont, Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, as far as Patagonia. The clocks on display are authentic pieces, the oldest from the 16th century; there are also dials, hands, pulleys and «oddities» recovered from bell towers.

The museum is open all year, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday: from October to May 3 pm–6 pm, from June to August 5 pm–9 pm, in September 4 pm–8 pm. A ticket costs €5, €4 for groups and €3 for schools; entry is free for residents of Tovo San Giacomo. The guided visit lasts about 45 minutes, but you can also go round on your own and read the captions. The ground floor is step-free and there is a lift to the first floor. For groups and workshops it opens by reservation; up-to-date information is on the Tower Clock Museum website.