The hamlet of Chiesa, partway up the valley side above Arnasco, takes its name from its own old church, but the most dramatic feature is the ruined castle that once belonged to the Del Carretto family, the feudal clan that controlled much of this corner of Liguria through the Middle Ages.
The ruins sit on a natural promontory above the village and require a short walk up from Chiesa. There is not much structure left — crumbled walls, an outline of towers — but the position is commanding, with views down the Neva valley toward Albenga and the coast. The walk through the olive groves to reach it is as much the point as the ruins themselves.