{"id":6262,"date":"2026-10-01T23:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T21:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitbordighera.com\/luoghi\/borghetto-san-nicolo\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T14:13:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T12:13:01","slug":"borghetto-san-nicolo","status":"publish","type":"luogo","link":"https:\/\/visitbordighera.com\/en\/places\/borghetto-san-nicolo\/","title":{"rendered":"Borghetto San Nicol\u00f2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Borghetto San Nicol\u00f2 is a hilltop hamlet of Bordighera, on the right bank of the Borghetto stream, along the road that climbs to Vallebona<\/a>. It is a small, quiet village, with stone carruggi (narrow alleys), arches and flights of steps. One detail makes it special: many of the house doors are painted, and walking through the alleys is like visiting an open-air art gallery.<\/p>\n

But Borghetto is also the place where modern Bordighera was born.<\/p>\n

The village that refounded Bordighera<\/h2>\n

On 2 September 1470, in the parish church of Borghetto, the heads of thirty-two families met and decided to resettle the promontory of Bordighera, which was then uninhabited: from that decision came the village that is now Bordighera Alta<\/a>. A plaque in the square commemorates the event.<\/p>\n

In 1686 Borghetto joined the Magnifica Comunit\u00e0 degli Otto Luoghi, the union of the villages of the area under the Republic of Genoa. In 1861 \u201cSan Nicol\u00f2\u201d was added to its name, to distinguish it from the other Borghettos in Italy, and in 1928 the municipality was merged with Bordighera together with Sasso<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What to see<\/h2>\n

The painted doors<\/h3>\n

Strolling through the carruggi you discover dozens of decorated doors: Madonnas in blue cloaks, starry skies, night-time views of the village, sacred figures and brightly coloured faces. Each one is different, and hunting for the next door is the best way to explore the village, children included.<\/p>\n

The church of San Nicol\u00f2<\/h3>\n

The parish church, dedicated to San Nicol\u00f2 di Bari (Saint Nicholas of Bari), is the church where the refounding of Bordighera was decided in 1470. Its pale fa\u00e7ade peeps out among cypresses and palms. The patron saint\u2019s day is celebrated on 6 December.<\/p>\n

The Oratorio dell\u2019Annunziata and the carruggi<\/h3>\n

The village also has the Oratorio dell\u2019Annunziata, in late Baroque taste. All around are paved alleys, arched passages and stone benches where locals stop to chat.<\/p>\n

Events<\/h2>\n

At Christmas the carruggi host the \u201cPresepi int\u2019i carugi\u201d, nativity scenes set up along the alleys by the villagers.<\/p>\n

Tips for your visit<\/h2>\n