Seborga, Hilltop commune in Province of Imperia, Italy
Seborga is a hilltop commune in the Province of Imperia, Liguria, sitting at around 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level and covering roughly 13 square kilometers (five square miles) of Mediterranean terrain near the French border. The village center preserves its medieval layout with narrow lanes and stone buildings surrounded by low terrace walls and olive groves.
Benedictine monks controlled the territory from the year 954 until 1729, when it was sold to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Integration into the Kingdom of Italy followed in the 19th century during national unification.
The streets wind through a medieval stone center where houses cluster around a church built in the early 17th century. Some residents describe their village as an independent principality and produce commemorative coins sold as souvenirs in several shops.
Access is via Provincial Road 57, with the nearest highway entrance and railway station located in Bordighera on the Ventimiglia-Genoa line. The center is walkable, though several sections cross cobbled paving and sturdy footwear is recommended.
The village mints its own currency called the Luigino, valued at six US dollars, though the euro remains the official payment method. These coins are sold mainly to visitors as keepsakes and are available at a few shops in the village.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
