Aquila d'Arroscia

The castle of Aquila once controlled the divide between the Arroscia and Pennavaira Valleys: probably built towards the end of the eleventh century, it was an object of contention down the centuries between the Clavesana family, the municipality of Albenga and the Del Carretto family of Zuccarello.

The small inhabited centres that now form the municipality grew up along the road leading to the castle, of which a few ruins still remain. The road rises rapidly through the olive trees and chestnut woods.

As you stroll or ride your mountain bike along the paths that lead off the main road, you will smell the perfume of lavender, which grows here naturally. You can also see olive presses and mills that now form part of the Territorial Museum, which, in many locations, has faithfully reconstructed the environments where olive-pressing, wheat-grinding and hide-tanning were carried out.

The basilica of Santa Reparata, the parish church, dates back to the seventeenth century, although the façade dates from 1725; the altar has some precious polychrome tile work. The chapels in the smaller districts are of interest: Sant'Antonio in Montà, the church of the Immacolata in Mugno and San Sebastiano in Saino.

If you leave from Aquila, you can reach Colle San Giacomo, one of the points controlled by the castle: going on from here, you can pass through the Ferraia area to the province of Cuneo and the Pennavaira Valley. Some of the local grottoes are open to visitors. Elastic ball is a popular sport in Aquila. Among the sports facilities available are football pitches, tennis courts and bowling greens.