Hotel in Zuccarello

Zuccarello, dominated by the ruins of the castle of the Del Carretto marquises, is one of the rare cases of a medieval village that has remained practically intact since its foundation; it has been recognized to be one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy. Founded in 1248 by the valley dwellers and the marquises of Clavesana, it was several times fought over because of its strategic position in the valley of the Neva stream. It was ceded to the Del Carretto marquises, subsequently sold to the Savoys, confiscated by the emperor Ferdinand II of Hapsburg, and auctioned and purchased by Genoa. Precisely because of its strategic position it continued to be one of the most active places in the valley; during the Italian campaign the village was one of the key places for the Napoleonic troops. The village stands at a point where the valley narrows, at the foot of the hill on which the castle stood. A must is a walk along the “carruggi” but above all through the beautiful porticos that with arcades and pillars with various shapes almost constitute the emblem of Zuccarello. The San Bartolomeo parish church is as old as the village itself, but underwent changes in the 15th century that partially made it smaller. A noteworthy feature is the Romanesque bell tower, which is probably all that is left of old Coedano; inside it there is a fine 15th-century reed organ.