Discover Favale Di Malvaro

For planning your trip to Favale di Malvaro, two main areas of interest stand out: cultural and religious history, and the mountain landscape of Monte Caucaso, with its protected-area features and routes.

Cultural and religious history

The Museo dell’Emigrante “Casa Giannini” is dedicated to the history of Ligurian emigration and to Amedeo Pietro Giannini, founder of the Bank of America. It is housed in a building dating from the 18th century, which was restored in 1983. Admission is free, and visits are possible by appointment. Confirm your appointment in advance, as arrangements may change.

The Cimitero Valdese is considered a place of great historical and spiritual significance. Its history of faith, persecution and religious resistance dates back to the mid-19th century. The Cereghino family is associated with its origins. The family bore the nickname “Scialìn” (“gli Allegri”), came from the hamlet of Castello, and were cantastorie, or traditional storytellers.

The Santuario di Nostra Signora del Rosario is the seat of the parish of San Vincenzo in the Val Fontanabuona vicariate of the Diocese of Chiavari. Its institutional role thus complements the historical and spiritual significance of the Cimitero Valdese. One recurring event is the Giornata dell’emigrante, held every year on the last Sunday in June. If you are planning for a particular year, confirm the program locally in advance.

Monte Caucaso: nature and routes

The “Monte Caucaso” SAC (Special Area of Conservation; code IT1331811) is a mountain area with little human impact, featuring beech forests, springs, streams and well-preserved rocky habitats. It extends across the municipalities of Favale di Malvaro and Moconesi. Forests, water and rocky habitats define the protected area.

The Anello del Caucaso runs around Monte Caucaso through the municipalities of Neirone, Moconesi, Favale di Malvaro and Lorsica. Associated with it is a mountain biking route called the Ciclovia dell’Ardesia. A section of the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri also runs through Passo della Scoglina and the hamlet of Barbagelata as part of the Anello del Caucaso. To help you find your way, it is worth distinguishing between these names: they refer to the circular route, the associated mountain biking route and the section of the Alta Via.

The Cappella del Monte Caucaso stands on the summit of Monte Caucaso, a few steps from the refuge of the same name. It is a distinct cultural and spiritual landmark in the mountain landscape.

Traces from different eras

The history of local routes and buildings offers further points of interest. Passo di Pozzarelli is a pass on an old mule track that linked Chiavari with Bobbio via Favale. The Mulino di Nicola survives alongside a bridge with a rising arch.

In Acereto, rural houses stand on a hillside and date back to the late 16th century. Castello also has a rural hillside house, dating to the early 17th century. The dates point to different, successive phases of construction. At Monte Ghirfo, archaeological traces of a late antique settlement have been found; in Canavissolo, there are Ligurian Iron Age tombs. Together, these sites represent different historical periods, from the Iron Age and Late Antiquity to rural architecture of the 16th and 17th centuries.

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For the main travel overview: Genoa.