It’s a small hillside village located among the olive trees in the valley of the Rio Ponte, which developed around the castle. It was completely abandoned around 1960 due to landslide hazards.
The population of Balestrino settled in the highest villages and built a new Church of S.Andrea in a modern style (the ruins of the old Chiesta di S. Andrea remain in the old abandoned village).
Inside there are two ancient altars in polychrome marble and a pulpit with marble crests of the Del Carretto family from Balestrino.
Near the cemetery is the Church of S.Giorgio with a medieval structure and frescoes from the 1400s.
Of particular relevance is the Del Carretto Castle, which remains perched in a dominating position in the valley. It represents a beautiful example of medieval fortress.
Built on mighty ramparts, in 1795 it was semi-destroyed by the French. Restored in the last century, it assumed the appearance of a fortified palace.
The entrances, the guards and a large central watch tower of the Castle are still well preserved, but its interior cannot be visited. It’s beautifully observable from the outside.
The old abandoned village of Balestrino was a very important set for film shoots.
Most of the filming of the famous film “Inkheart”, based on the same named novel by Cornelia Funke, was filmed here.
The film, produced by the "New Line Cinema", which already had achieved great success with the trilogy of "The Lord of the Rings", was released in Italy in February 2009.
The film was shot almost entirely in our province of Savona, between Balestrino, Laigueglia, Albenga and Alassio.
A spectacular visit that cannot be missed.
