Stone houses perched between the sea and the mountains

Tucked away in the lush green hills of the Ligurian hinterland, between the Gulf of La Spezia and the Cinque Terre, Camedone is a small stone village where time seems to have stood still. Its narrow alleyways, vaulted passageways and ancient sandstone gateways bear witness to a rural world shaped by generations of farmers, craftsmen and stonemasons.

The history of Camedone is closely linked to that of Ponzò, an ancient stronghold first mentioned as early as the beginning of the 13th century. Situated on the routes linking the coast to Lunigiana, this area was long coveted by feudal lords before coming under the authority of the Republic of Genoa. Camedone nevertheless retained its character as a modest farming village, centred around its small square and the Oratory of San Genesio. Built in the 18th century by local craftsmen, the oratory has two small windows which once allowed travellers to catch a glimpse of the altar and offer a prayer, even when its doors were closed.

Just a stone’s throw from the village, the footpaths lead to the sanctuary of San Gottardo, a place where history blends with legend. Oral tradition holds that an ancient settlement once stood on the mountain before being destroyed in the early Middle Ages. Some accounts attribute its disappearance to the conquests of the Lombard king Rothari, who did indeed seize the Ligurian coast in the 7th century. It is also said that the survivors fled towards the sea to found Vernazza and that the blood of the victims stained the waters of the nearby stream red. These tales, recorded in the 20th century by the journalist and traveller Carlo Caselli, form part of the living memory of historic Lunigiana. Still home to nearly eighty inhabitants in the early 1960s, Camedone has gradually returned to the tranquillity of small mountain hamlets. Today it offers a rare refuge, nestled amongst forests, ancient stones and forgotten paths: an invitation to discover a more intimate side of Liguria, just a few kilometres from the hustle and bustle of the Cinque Terre.