Walking among the evocative memories of an ancient spirituality!
In the 13th century, at a time of bloody struggles for power, the Genoese noblewomen Altilia, widow De Mari, and her sister Tiba worked to found a Cistercian monastery where they could retire. The site identified was a large flat area behind Rapallo, where a previous sacred building stood. Later the Clarisse nuns replaced the Cistercians, until they were abandoned in 1573.
Today, only the ruins of the church and the mighty bell tower remain as evidence of its past splendour, making this hermitage in nature a fascinating destination not far from the centre.
Curiosity: On windy nights, a moaning sound is said to echo among the stones of Valle Christi, fuelling an ancient legend!