Torriglia
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
Torriglia can be reached from Genoa by taking the Val Trebbia state road towards Piacenza until the turn-off for the town centre, located approximately 25 km from the Molassana district of Genoa. The link to the main road network is provided by the Franco Rolandi provincial road, which runs through the town centre, joining the towards Davagna to the west and towards Montebruno to the east. To reach the hamlets in the inland area and Lake Brugneto, take the provincial roads (Brugneto) and (Valle Scrivia), which branch off from the at the Laccio junction.
The nearest railway station is Genova Brignole, served by Trenitalia (TI) on the main line along the Ligurian coast; there is no direct rail link to Torriglia. Public road transport provides daily services from Genoa to the municipal centre and neighbouring hamlets, with extensions to Montebruno, Davagna, Propata and Rondanina. The nearest airport is Genoa Cristoforo Colombo, approximately 40 km away.
Introduction
Torriglia is a mountain municipality in the Genoa hinterland, situated north-east of the Ligurian regional capital on the Apennine watershed that divides the catchment areas of the Trebbia and Scrivia rivers. The area extends across a plateau at an altitude of approximately 769 metres and includes the Brugneto Lake basin, the main water reserve for the city of Genoa. The landscape is typical of the Ligurian Apennines: rounded peaks, wooded slopes with chestnut and beech forests, high-altitude pastures, and narrow valleys traversed by streams. Mount Prelà (1,406 m), visible from the main town, marks the northern boundary of the area.
The origins of the village probably date back to theRoman era, whilst its medieval history is marked by the transfer of feudal rights between the Malaspina, the Fieschi and finally the Doria families, who ruled the imperial principality of Torriglia from 1547 until Napoleon’s arrival in 1797. The historic nativity scene in the hamlet of Pentema and the ‘canestrelletto’ from Torriglia — a registered trademark biscuit and a traditional Italian agri-food product — are the most recognisable elements of the local identity.
Description
The municipal area covers approximately 60 km² between the foothills of the Ligurian-Piedmontese Apennines and the hilly hinterland of Genoa. The town is situated on a hilltop overlooking the confluence of several valleys that feed into the Trebbia, a location which, over the centuries, has made it a key transport hub and the administrative centre of the area. The highest point is Mount Duso (1,451 m); the Scoffera Pass (674 m), on the southern border of the municipality, links the Bisagno and Scrivia valleys and forms an ancient junction of trans-Apennine routes.
The first documented references to the village date back to 947, with the donation of the Abbey of Santa Maria di Patrania by King Lothair II; the abbey was already recognised as a centre of evangelisation for the upper Trebbia Valley. The existence of the castle is confirmed by a papal bull issued in 1153 by Pope Anastasius IV. The fiefdom passed to the Malaspina family in 1227, then to the Counts Fieschi of Lavagna in the 13th century, who expanded and reinforced the castle. Following the failed Fieschi conspiracy of 1547 against the Doria family, Emperor Charles V granted the fief to Andrea Doria with the title of marquisate; in 1760, the marquisate was elevated to a principality of the Empire. In 1797, with the arrival of Napoleon’s troops and the abolition of imperial fiefdoms, the inhabitants demolished the castle. The building was partially restored and reopened to the public in 2009. During the Second World War, Torriglia was the scene of a significant partisan resistance movement, recognised as the first partisan republic in Liguria.
The settlement is spread across more than thirty hamlets and rural villages, including Pentema, Donetta, Marzano, Bavastri, Laccio and Casaleggio. The area’s traditional economy has been based on mountain agriculture, livestock farming and forest products. Among the local specialities are the white Torriglia potato and the white Genoese ‘quarantina’ potato; the ‘canestrelletto di Torriglia’ — a crumbly biscuit made from flour, eggs, butter and sugar — has been recognised as a traditional Italian agri-food product and is protected by a promotional consortium. Lake Brugneto, an artificial reservoir built in 1959, is the main water supply for the city of Genoa.
The municipal area is entirely within the Antola Regional Nature ParkAntola, established in 1995, which protects an area of approximately 48 km² spanning twelve municipalities in the Genoa hinterland. The park’s scientific centre and visitor centre are housed in the Torriglietta building in the main town, which also accommodates the equestrian tourism centre and a service point for the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri.
From a hiking perspective, Torriglia is the main gateway to the Apennines within the Antola Park. From the main town, routes lead to the area’s main peaks — Mount Spigo (1,128 m), Mount Lavagnola (1,113 m) and Mount Duso — and to the isolated villages of Pentema and Donetta. The area’s iconic peak is Mount Antola (1,597 m), which can be reached from Torriglia in about two hours’ walk. The Torriglia Loop, a circular route of around 22 km, follows the Apennine ridge between the main town and the Scoffera Pass and is also suitable for walking in sections. The Antola Mountain Hut, an eco-sustainable facility built in 2007 by the Antola Park and managed by the Ligurian CAI (Italian Alpine Club) in Genoa, offers 32 beds near the summit. Torriglia is crossed by the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri, the long-distance trail linking Ventimiglia to eastern Liguria.
Information
General information
Area: 60.02 km²
Altitude of the main town: 769 m
Highest point: 1,451 m – Monte Duso
Population: 2,239 (as at 28 February 2026)
Name in the local dialect: Torriggia
Name of the inhabitants: torrigliesi
Patron saint: Our Lady of Divine Providence
Neighbouring municipalities: Davagna – Lorsica – Lumarzo – Moconesi – Montebruno – Montoggio – Neirone – Propata – Rondanina – Valbrevenna
Province: Metropolitan City of Genoa
Region: Liguria
Country: Italy
Official website: https://www.comune.torriglia.ge.it