{"id":62284,"date":"2026-10-15T18:52:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/liguria\/lingueglietta\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T18:55:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:55:05","slug":"lingueglietta","status":"publish","type":"localita","link":"https:\/\/italian-riviera.com\/en\/riviera-di-ponente\/lingueglietta\/","title":{"rendered":"Lingueglietta"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lingueglietta is a medieval village on a ridge of the San Lorenzo Valley, inland from Imperia, at about 320 metres above sea level. Many travel sites skip one detail: it is not a municipality but a hamlet (frazione) of Cipressa. Until 1928 it was an independent comune, then it was merged into Cipressa. That is why maps and searches usually show the two names together.<\/p>\n

The village is small: a handful of stone houses, lanes on different levels linked by ramps, vaults and arches, and a little square with a view over the valley and the sea. The sources disagree on the number of residents, so we do not give one. Lingueglietta belongs to the “Borghi pi\u00f9 belli d’Italia” association, and its landmark is the fortified church of San Pietro, a 13th-century church fortified in the 16th century against pirate raids.<\/p>\n

Plan on two or three hours, or half a day if you add lunch, the sculpture park “Tra i Mondi” or a walk. There is no beach in the village: the coast is about 6 km away by road, around San Lorenzo al Mare. Getting here without a car is awkward, and the bus section below explains why.<\/p>\n

What to see in Lingueglietta<\/h2>\n
\"Lingueglietta<\/figure>\n

You can walk the village in a few hours. The houses on the edge of the cliff act as a wall: there is no real city wall, the rock did the defending. Lanes climb and have steps, so wear sturdy shoes. There is no set route; the order below goes from the fortified church towards the upper part, where the parish church and the ruins are.<\/p>\n

The fortified church of San Pietro<\/h3>\n
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This is the village’s main monument, in Piazza San Pietro. The church dates from the mid-13th century and has a semicircular apse in late Romanesque forms. In the 16th century it was turned into a fortress to protect the inhabitants from Saracen pirates: high walls with loopholes, a patrol terrace, corner lookouts and openings for pouring boiling oil. According to the Chamber of Commerce of the Riviere di Liguria it is the only surviving example in Liguria of a church altered for war; other sources simply say it is one of very few.<\/p>\n

You can see it from outside at any time. To go in, ask the Comune di Cipressa (+39 0183 98005): there are no confirmed opening hours. Details and practical questions are in our guide to the fortified church of San Pietro<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Parish church of the Nativity of Mary<\/h3>\n
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It stands at the top of the village. The core is 13th-century; the facade and portal were reworked later and the interior is Baroque, with paintings and stucco. A side altar holds the relics of Saint Clement, placed here in 1762. Do not confuse it with Cipressa’s parish church, which is the Visitation.<\/p>\n

Check with the Comune before climbing up. On 27 March 2024 part of a wall behind the nearby oratory collapsed, services were suspended and the lane was closed; we found no official news of a reopening, so we cannot promise you will get in. The facade and the square can be seen anyway.<\/p>\n

The square and the bell tower<\/h3>\n
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In front of the parish church is the panoramic little square, with benches and a view over the San Lorenzo Valley and the sea. It is a good place for a ten-minute stop, especially late in the day. From here you also see the castle ruins on the spur behind.<\/p>\n

Ruins of the Lengueglia castle<\/h3>\n
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The village is named after the feudal Lengueglia family, who built their castle here in the 13th century. Only a few remains survive on a spur above the parish church: do not expect towers or whole walls. Still, this is where Lingueglietta began, and it is mentioned with certainty in 1153.<\/p>\n

The loggia and the stone measures<\/h3>\n

Under the arch of the town loggia are three stone measures, used for oil, wine and grain, and the rod for measuring cloth. It is a small detail that shows how a medieval village market worked. It costs you no time: you walk past it.<\/p>\n

The oratories of San Rocco and the Annunciation<\/h3>\n

The oratory of the Santissima Annunziata, next to the parish church, is 17th-century with 18th-century stucco and marble. The oratory of San Rocco stands outside the built-up area and dates from the late 16th or early 17th century. Both are visited by appointment through the Comune. Saint Roch’s feast is on 16 August.<\/p>\n

Tra i Mondi, the sculpture park<\/h3>\n

“Tra i Mondi” is a sculpture park by the German artist Carin Grudda, started in 2001 with her husband G\u00fcnter Gerberding. Large bronzes stand among olive trees and terraces, with a studio and a pond. Visits are by appointment on +39 0183 91242. The opening hours found on blogs are old and contradictory, so call first. We have no confirmation of an entrance fee.<\/p>\n

Things to do in Lingueglietta<\/h2>\n

You come here to walk, look, take photos and eat slowly. There are no beaches, no nightlife and no shops: bring the essentials and shop on the coast.<\/p>\n

Walks<\/h3>\n

The San Lorenzo Valley tourism pages list three walking routes touching the village: Civezza\u2013Lingueglietta, Lingueglietta\u2013San Lorenzo al Mare and Torre Paponi\u2013Lingueglietta. Official lengths and times are not published, so ask before you set out.<\/p>\n