Casa Graziella - Town Center, Loano, Italy

The territory of Loano is located on the coast of the Riviera delle Palme, at the mouth of the Nimbalto stream, between the municipalities of Pietra Ligure and Borghetto Santo Spirito.

Its position, protected by an arch of mountains of which the highest is Mount Carmo (1389 m), means that Loano can enjoy a particularly favorable climatic situation, peculiar, since the territory of Loano is much more sheltered by the cold north winds compared to the neighboring territories, a situation which makes the climate more similar to that of the extreme west (Sanremo, Bordighera, Ospedaletti). By virtue of its climatic characteristics, as well as the peculiarity of its ancient history as a fiefdom of the Doria family, Loano can be considered as an island: \"Isola del Ponente\".

The municipal territory is made up of the two main urban agglomerations of Loano and Verzi - the latter located in the hinterland of the Nimbalto valley - for a land area of 13.48 km².[16] The historic towns and villages of Borgo Castello, Centro Storico, Ponente-Ponte Romano, Porto and Vignasse are also part of the municipality.

It borders to the north with the municipality of Bardineto, to the south it is bordered by the Ligurian Sea, to the west with Boissano and Borghetto Santo Spirito, to the east with Pietra Ligure.

The city of Loano, as a whole, is made up of many hamlets, districts and villages, which over the centuries and over the years have formed the entire inhabited center. The main neighborhoods are:

Borgo Castello: the medieval nucleus of the city, located further north of the center, is a typically Ligurian village, made up of narrow stone \"alleyways\", the castle is important, an ancient fortification, today it appears as a sumptuous villa.

Historic centre: this is the entire inhabited area that runs along the long sandy beach from the station to the port. It is divided into two easily distinguishable parts: the Borgo di Dentro, enclosed by sixteenth-century walls with a pentagonal plan; the Borgo di Fuori, further west, which starts from the Porta dell\'Orologio (or Porta Passorino) and reaches as far as Piazza Massena. The first is the oldest part of the city, where 71 families settled starting from 19 July 1309, responding to the invitation of the feudal lord Raffo Doria: here, around the current via Boragine and via Doria, the first nucleus of houses was formed, including \"casa Richeri\" from 1310 (the large house with the exposed brick portico in Piazza Rocca) which was joined over the centuries by other houses and palaces commissioned by the Dorias; inside are the main palaces of the city: Palazzo Doria, now the town hall, the parish church of San Giovanni (the so-called cathedral of Loano), the house of the Commander, the oratories of the Turchini and Bianchi. The second (Borgo di Fuori) originates between the second half of the seventeenth century and the first half of the eighteenth century: among the most notable houses is the Maccagli house (1711), easily identifiable from the sea for the double terrace with porch and the pink color. In his garden (for years suppressed to make way for the promenade) there was, until 1943, the tallest palm tree in Europe.[6]

Ponente-Ponte Romano: it is the westernmost residential area of the city, built around the remains of the ancient Roman bridge called \"Pontasso\", of which the grandiose stone arches remain clearly visible; the archaeological excavation is bound by the Ligurian Archaeological Superintendency. Here are the marine colony \"Città di Torino\", the municipal bowling alley, the high school \"Giovanni Falcone\" and the large park of the Roses.

Porto: it is the whole area that is located on the banks of the Porto di Loano, one of the largest ports on the Riviera di Ponente, here is the small church of the Madonna di Loreto, patroness of sailors.

Verzi: it is the most hilly district of the city, from here the paths lead to the top of Mount Carmo di Loano, the highest peak in the area; lately it is turning into a privileged residential area.

Vignasse: the easternmost area of the whole city, here dominate expanses of fields of olive trees and citrus groves, the main plantations that rise luxuriantly in the plain of Loano. On the heights stands the former Marino Piemontese hospital, in disuse, but subject to a recovery plan.