Vigoleno Village and Castle (Vernasca)

One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy (I Borghi più Belli d'Italia), Vigoleno is a perfectly preserved medieval fortified village perched on a hill overlooking the Stirone valley. The entire village fits within its 12th-century walls: a single main street, a handful of houses, two restaurants, a Romanesque parish church (Pieve di San Giorgio) and the imposing castle with its 42-metre keep. You can walk the full patrol walkways along the top of the walls for sweeping views.

Vigoleno is also famous for its Vin Santo DOC — the smallest wine denomination in Italy — a sweet dessert wine made in tiny quantities. The miniature theatre inside the castle, said to be the smallest in Europe, was a favourite of Princess Mary Ruspoli, who hosted D'Annunzio and other literary figures here in the early 1900s. Allow 1–2 hours. Sunset visits are particularly magical.