What to see and do around Il Molino di Carpenosa

• Triora, a few minutes from the mill. The “witches’ village”, perched 780 m above the valley, with its medieval lanes and its ethnographic and witchcraft museum, devoted to the famous 16th-century witch trials.
• The hilltop villages of the valley, Andagna, Corte, Loreto, Realdo, Verdeggia. Tiny, authentic villages, far from mass tourism. As you drive up the valley, the road becomes spectacular.
• Badalucco, in the Argentina valley. A pretty village with its old Santa Lucia bridge over the Argentina.
• Montalto Ligure, in the Argentina valley. A superb hilltop village, with a view over the whole valley. It is home to one of our favourite bars for watching the sunset over the mountains: the Bar Trattoria Ligure.
• Taggia, towards the sea. A beautiful historic centre and a very long medieval bridge over the Argentina.
• Bussana Vecchia, near Sanremo. A village abandoned after an earthquake in 1887, taken over by artists: workshops, galleries and timeless lanes.
• Dolceacqua, Nervia valley. Its humpback bridge and its castle, painted by Claude Monet. It is also the home of Rossese, the local red wine.
• Apricale, Nervia valley. One of the most beautiful villages in the region, clinging to the hillside, with its Lucertola castle.
• Sanremo, on the coast. The old town of La Pigna, the casino, the Russian Orthodox church, Villa Nobel and the gardens of Villa Ormond.
• The Hanbury Botanical Gardens, La Mortola, near Ventimiglia. 18 hectares of plants from all over the world, on terraces above the sea, open all year round.
• The Balzi Rossi caves, on the border, near Ventimiglia. A major prehistoric site at the foot of the red cliffs.
• The Colle di Nava forts and the Castello di Pornassio, towards Pieve di Teco. Late 19th-century forts (Forte Centrale and Forte Bellarasco can be visited) and a 13th-century castle.
• Menton and Monaco, in France, less than an hour away. If you miss France!

• Ristorante Santo Spirito, Molini di Triora. A family restaurant serving Ligurian cuisine, an institution in the valley. Remember to book.
• Agriturismo La Fontana dell’Olmo, Molini di Triora. A very popular farm restaurant, which also offers vegetarian and vegan menus.
• L’Oste e la Strega, Argentina valley. A short menu and a beautiful view: book ahead, tables are rare!
• Pizzeria Diva, Molini di Triora. Take-away pizzas, including gluten-free. Handy for an evening at the mill.
• Bar Capriolo, Molini di Triora. For a coffee or a snack, on a terrace by the river.
• L’Erba Gatta, Triora, via Roma 6. Traditional Ligurian cooking with a modern twist, using local produce (taggiasca olive oil, Triora bread, beans, saffron, mushrooms). Pizzas in the evening and take-away dishes.
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• Bar Trattoria Ligure, Montalto Ligure. One of our favourite bars, for an aperitif facing the sunset over the mountains.
• Lido Blu, Arma di Taggia. For lunch with your feet in the sand, by the sea.
• Specialities to try. Taggiasca olive oil and olives, pesto, Triora bread, game, mountain cheeses and, for wine, Rossese di Dolceacqua.

The Argentina valley and the hinterland of Sanremo are an exceptional playground for cyclists: little traffic, big climbs and the sea at the end of the descent. The famous Milan–San Remo race finishes very close by.

• The Riviera dei Fiori cycle path, from San Lorenzo al Mare to Ospedaletti. 24 km of path along the old railway line by the sea, through Riva Ligure, Arma di Taggia and Sanremo: tunnels, bridges and superb views. Ideal for families. Many bike hire shops along the coast.
  About the cycle path (in French)
• The Passo di Teglia, starting from Molini di Triora. The big climb from the mill: 11.6 km at an average of 8.1% (948 m of ascent) up to 1,389 m. Very little traffic and a magnificent view, but the road surface is sometimes damaged.
  Climb profile
• From the sea to the head of the valley, from Arma di Taggia to Verdeggia. 41 km and about 1,400 m of ascent, riding up the whole Argentina valley through Taggia, Molini di Triora, Triora and Creppo.
  The route
• The other passes in the valley. The Colle di Oggia (1,167 m) via the Carpasio valley, the Colla Langan (1,125 m) towards the Nervia valley, and the panoramic Oxentina road between Badalucco and Baiardo.
• Monte Ceppo, north of the valley. A 1,627 m summit, very popular with cyclists and hikers, with a magnificent view of the mountains and the sea.
• Mountain biking, upper valley. Beyond Verdeggia, partly unpaved roads lead to the Col de Sanson (1,694 m) on the French border: great terrain for mountain biking and gravel riding.

• Swimming in the Argentina, right below the mill. The crystal-clear water of the mountain stream, with its pools and rocks: little ones play in the shallows, older ones dive from the rocks.
• Monte Saccarello, starting from Monesi (Triora). The highest point in Liguria (2,200 m), with its statue of the Redeemer. About 2 h 15 of climbing and 800 m of ascent, from June to October.
• The Colle di Nava forts, Pornassio. A hiking loop of about 2 hours between the forts, with beautiful viewpoints, possible all year round except in snow.
• The Alta Via dei Monti Liguri, along the ridges. The long-distance trail that crosses all of Liguria passes above the valley: lovely day walks.
• Climbing at Loreto, Triora. A climbing site on the Loreto rocks, near the spectacular bridge that spans the gorge.
• Canyoning, around Triora. The valley’s gorges are perfect for canyoning, to be done with a guide.
• Garlenda golf course, towards Albenga. A course in a beautiful setting of hills.

• Arma di Taggia, the closest to the mill. A huge sandy beach, partly free and partly equipped with sunloungers and umbrellas, at the start of the cycle path.
• Lido Blu, Arma di Taggia. An equipped beach with its own restaurant, perfect for a family day out.
• Riva Ligure and San Lorenzo al Mare, east of Arma di Taggia. Small fishing villages with colourful houses and quieter beaches, linked by the cycle path.
• Sanremo. Equipped beaches in town, to combine swimming, strolling and shopping.
• Bordighera, west of Sanremo. An elegant seaside resort, with its palm trees, its seafront promenade and superb sunsets over the sea.
• The Côte d’Azur, Menton and Nice. Menton is less than an hour away: enough for a day trip across the border.