Tovo San Giacomo is a small agricultural village in the Maremola valley, just inland from the Ligurian coast on the Riviera delle Palme. The name derives from “tufum,” after the tufa rock formations in the Bronati district. The area has been settled for centuries — first under the bishops of Albenga, then the Del Carretto marquises, then Spain from 1598, and finally the Republic of Genoa from 1713.
The ruins of a feudal castle stand on the hill of Folchi, and the village retains some atmospheric medieval corners. The parish church of San Giovanni Battista at Bardino Vecchio has an imposing Gothic bell tower with two rows of double-arched windows. At Bardino Nuovo, the baroque church of San Sebastiano sits near a small collection of antique clocks and watches worth a quick visit. The parish church of San Giacomo in Tovo itself dates from the 16th century and contains canvases by Brilla and Graffigna.
The surrounding hills are known for their peach orchards — the area's most celebrated crop.