Cairo Montenotte
©
Cairo Montenotte

Cairo Montenotte

Inland Ligurian town on the Bormida plain, known for Napoleon's first Italian campaign victory.

Cairo Montenotte sits on the left bank of the Bormida di Spigno, on a plain ringed by hills that climb toward the Apennines in the direction of Monferrato. The town has been a crossroads since Roman times — it was a station on the Via Julia Augusta from Vado to Tortona — and was fought over by Lombards, Saracens, the Del Carretto marchesi, and the House of Savoy. Napoleon defeated the Austrians here in 1796, his first major victory of the Italian campaign; the Battle of Montenotte Memorial marks the site on the hills above town.

The old town retains traces of its fourteenth-century walls, including a tower and the Porta Soprana, a gate with a pointed arch. The ruins of the Del Carretto castle crown the hill above the gate, and the parish church of San Lorenzo, with its tall campanile, was built in the 1630s. The surrounding hills, part of the Parco dell’Adelasia, are good hunting ground for prized boletus mushrooms and black truffles.

Guide

Getting There

Cairo Montenotte sits on the A6 motorway between Savona and Turin — from Savona on the coast the drive takes about 30 minutes, and from Turin around an hour and a half. The town is also served by the Savona–Turin rail line, with regional trains running roughly every two hours. The station is a short walk from the town centre.

From Genoa, you'll need to change at Savona. The drive via the A10 and then the A6 takes about an hour. There is no direct public transport from the Ligurian Riviera towns; the easiest connection is via Savona or Carcare.

Guide

Things to Do

Cairo Montenotte packs a surprising amount of history into a compact old town. The highlights are essentially a walking circuit: the medieval gate, the castle ruins on the hill, the baroque parish church, and the Napoleon battlefield monument a short drive away. The surrounding Parco dell'Adelasia is the main draw for outdoor visitors.

Guide

When to Go

Spring (April–May) and early autumn (September–October) are the best times to visit. Temperatures are mild, the hills are green, and the town is quiet. Autumn is particularly good if you are interested in foraging — the Parco dell'Adelasia is at its most productive for porcini and truffles from late September through November.

Summer can be warm in the valley, though cooler than the coast. The town is not a major tourist destination so you won't encounter the resort crowds that pack the Riviera in July and August. Winter is cold and quiet, with some snow on the higher Apennine slopes, but the town functions normally year-round.

The Battle of Montenotte anniversary (mid-April) occasionally draws historical re-enactment groups and Napoleon enthusiasts to the area.

rivieradellepalme