Discover Tiglieto: Badia, hiking trail and nature

Tiglieto brings together several themes: the history of the Badia di Tiglieto, the Anello Badia Di Tiglieto circular trail and the landscape of the Pian della Badia protected area. A Romanesque bridge, the parish church and local forest culture round out the picture. Depending on your interests, you can focus on architectural history, hiking or nature.

Badia di Tiglieto: history and architecture

The Badia di Tiglieto was founded in 1120 and was the first Cistercian abbey built outside French territory. The Romanesque complex arranges the church, monastery and refectory along three sides of a cloister. The fourth side is bordered by areas used for agriculture. Thus, alongside the religious buildings, the agricultural land is also part of the described complex; the cloister is the shared focal point of the other three sides.

On guided tours organized by the Beigua Park Authority, you can visit the cloister, the armarium, the chapter house and the church. This lets you explore the architecture beyond its exterior: different parts of the monastery complex are also among the possible stops on a tour. If you are interested in Romanesque architecture, these four rooms and areas provide a specific focus for your visit.

Hiking from the Badia

The Anello Badia Di Tiglieto circular trail starts at the Badia, is 6.5 kilometers long and takes about two hours and 30 minutes. It is rated E – Hiking. The route passes through forests and along the banks of the Orba stream. Its length and approximate duration give you a framework for planning your day; the stated difficulty is an additional guide and does not place the hike in a different category.

To reach the starting point, travel through Casavecchia after the town center and cross the bridge over the Orba. ATP bus services can be used to travel to Tiglieto for the circular trail; check the timetable before setting out. Two roads also lead to the Badia: one from Genoa via Masone and Campoligure, the other from Savona via Sassello and Urbe. If you choose one of these routes, you can use the places mentioned for orientation and check current road conditions before departure.

Protected area and landscape at Pian della Badia

The Pian della Badia (Tiglieto) SAC protected area covers about 250 hectares in the municipality of Tiglieto. Its landscape includes a valley with a meandering stream, a floodplain with valuable pools and slopes with scattered coniferous woodland. Some of the pools are anthropogenic in origin. The valley, bodies of water and wooded slopes give the area a varied landscape.

Cerastium utriense, a carnation-family species endemic exclusively to the western Ligurian Apennines, occurs in the SAC. Thus, in addition to its landscape features, the area offers a specific botanical point of interest. Another natural setting can be found near Acquabuona, a hamlet in Tiglieto (SV): there, the Orba flows through a series of spectacular gorges.

Bridge, parish church and forest culture

The Ponte romanico is made entirely of serpentinite and has five arches. The central arch is about 20 meters high. Its material, number of arches and the height of the central arch give you specific details to look out for when exploring the structure. The Chiesa Parrocchiale N.S. Assunta offers a different architectural accent: its facade is made of exposed local stone, while frescoes by Dalle Ceste define the church’s interior.

Forest culture is also part of Tiglieto’s character. The town is associated with traditional woodcutters, who are regarded as guardians of forest culture. This adds a cultural perspective to the nature themes and distinguishes them from the architectural highlights at the Badia, the Ponte romanico and the parish church.

Discover more destinations: Cogoleto, Masone, Pegli, Borzonasca, Campomorone, Gaiazza, Carasco, Lorsica.

For the main travel overview: Genoa.