Holiday apartment in Prela – Culture among olive groves

Prela lies in the upper Val Prino, is surrounded by nature and shaped by olive groves. This landscape provides the village with a clear setting for a trip that combines religious buildings, painting and distinctive evidence of rural life. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Prela, this mix can help you choose the focus you want for your holiday: you decide whether historical art, characterful lanes or views across the landscape should set the pace of your days.

Holiday apartment in Prela among olive groves and culture

The cultural side can be seen in specific buildings and works of art. The Oratorio di Santa Croce in Valloria was built in 1587. In Tavole stands the Chiesa della Santissima Annunziata, a Baroque building attributed to the architect Giacomo Filippo Marvaldi. The church also preserves a polyptych created by Agostino Casanova in 1575, that is, a multi-panel altarpiece depicting the Madonna del Soccorso. For days devoted to art, this building combines Baroque architecture with a clearly dated altarpiece.

In Villatalla, the Chiesa di San Michele was built in the 15th century over an older Romanesque church. It preserves a polyptych painted by Agostino Casanova around 1540. The Madonna della Neve chapel has stone architraves that suggest it was built around 1520. The “Colombera” tower also stands in Villatalla and is dated to approximately the period 150–1550. It served to warn of the arrival of Turkish-Barbary pirates.

The Church of the Visitation in Canneto is dedicated to the Madonna. Its façade is Neoclassical, its interior is Baroque in character, and its feast is celebrated on 12 September. The Castello di Pietralata above the hamlet of Prelà is considered a protected immovable cultural heritage site. The parish church of San Giovanni del Groppo dates from the 15th century and preserves a polyptych created by Agostino Casanova in 1547. The Oratorio di Santa Maria Maddalena in Molini is associated with the year 1585.

The distinctive details of these places are also part of the character of this trip. Valloria has more than 150 painted doors distributed along the village’s characteristic stone lanes. The ancient Neviera in Villatalla was used to store snow in winter, which was later cut into blocks of ice and sold. From the Santuario della Madonna del Piano, the view extends towards the coast of Imperia and the promontory of Porto Maurizio. Thus, on a journey through Prela, Valloria, Villatalla and Canneto, landscape, local history, religious art and unusual traces of everyday life come together.

When choosing your accommodation, you can incorporate these different focuses into your planning. A holiday apartment in Prela is a suitable search direction for a stay that combines the natural setting of the upper Val Prino with cultural discoveries. First decide whether you mainly want to experience painted doors and stone lanes, historic churches and polyptychs, or the view from the Santuario. The different themes help you organise your days consciously, without setting landscape and culture against each other.

More places for your regional planning

You can also note Bajardo, Cipressa, Tavole, Termini, Taggia, Prela Castello, Praelo and Diano San Pietro for further orientation.

For the overarching travel overview: Imperia.