Le 70 caves of Toirano, limestone formations created by underground rivers that slowly retreated over the millennia forming exceptional scenic effects.
Large underground halls, with stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes and very rare crystal flowers make these caves among the most spectacular in the world.
A gift from nature opened to the public in 1953, when for the first time the 1280 meters of tunnels they became one of the great attractions of Liguria.
Outside of them is found Toirano, an open-air jewel, ancient and fascinating village on the western Ligurian Riviera, with its medieval walls, its tower houses, its moats, its gates, its lodges and a beautiful timeless bridge.
Prehistoric Traces of Bears and Neanderthals
Every year, many visitors venture into the enchanting landscape of the Basura and Santa Lucia Inferiore caves, where the prehistoric bear found its home, and where you can also admire the marks of its claws next to those left by Neanderthal man.
Non-competitive nativity scene exhibition
This demonstration, which is constituted in 1997 as a simple display of home nativity scenes, taking up a devotional custom in Toirano from the early twentieth century, of displaying the home set-up from the window or in a place facing the street.
the event offers over 180 cribs along the alleys of the village, of the Barescione district and of Dari, showcasing the nativity scene in its many technical and artistic expressions.
The people who participate in the exhibition exhibit their creation along the suggestive path, indicated on a special map (distributed to visitors) in which the street and the name of the artist with the relative number appear.
Nativity scenes: traditional creations and more
Made of wood, glass, paper, papier-mâché, ceramic, plastic, iron, and various recycled materials, nativity scenes are a pure expression of creativity and imagination, without forgetting the underlying theme of the representation of the Birth of Jesus.
For decades, the Ethnographic Museum has held an exhibition, , regarding the popular nativity scene of Ligurian tradition, with specific reference to the craftsmanship of the Savona period, which is increased every year with donations.
The Albisola “macachi”, the terracotta figurines painted with cold colours, are displayed in settings that hark back to the taste of the late nineteenth century alongside devotional Christmas objects from the period (18th – 19th – early 20th century) made with paper, wood and wax.
In the Museum, on the main floor of the D'Aste – Del Carretto palace, two nativity scenes are set up: one from the late eighteenth century, made with wax figures and a nativity scene with santons Provençal set in the sumptuous reception rooms.
The exposure di dozens and dozens of nativity scenes give uniqueness to Toirano, now called the “Borgo dei Presepi” (Nativity Scene Village), attracting the curiosity of enthusiasts, families, artists and associations both from Liguria and from other locations outside the region who, pleased with this initiative, without profit, exhibit their creations and make the project of spending an afternoon in Toirano during the Christmas holidays even more interesting.
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