Airole

Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club

Airole is a delightful little town. The well-preserved medieval is built in concentric circles of old houses squeezed tightly together in the picturesque "carruggi", narrow alleys leading up to the main square, dominated by the baroque parish church of Saints Philip and James. 

Around the village there is a network of scenic trails, with stone bridges across the rivers Roya and Bevera. The town's name comes from its ancient history, which is clear from the three lookout towers (Torre d 'Olivè, Torre del Vio and Torre delle Garbae), the network of old mule tracks, water mills, historic kilns, the baroque bell tower and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Grace.

The local wine is still made here from vines trained with the “trench” method (as you can see at Dino and Laura's vineyard, which is surrounded by an impressive array of dry stone walls built by hand from strong Colombina stone). The old country traditions are also remembered in the Museum of Olive Oil and Rural History, and the historic furnace. Among the events, a highlight is the Lavender Festival, when the flowers are steamed in an old still.