As promised in my last post, today I will take you along on a walk through a little village in the Ligurian Appenin mountains that run along the coast of the Mediterranean. What ties this little mountain village, called Bellissimi, to the balloon vendor I photographed in Genoa’s Porto Antico the other day, are well…balloons. Bellissimi (which means “the most beautiful”) is full of murals of balloons. To see a selection of the artworks, find out why Bellissimi’s claim to fame are balloons, and last but not least see a picture of the four Bellissimi who visited this village, click below for the full story of “Liguria Explored – Bellissimi”
Bellissimi is located in the upper Valle del Prino, a valley known for its terraced olive groves, small streams and pittoresque Ligurian villages, just north of the coastal town of Imperia.
The origins of Bellissimi trace back to medieval times, when hilltop villages were established as strategic locations to defend against invasions, particularly by Saracen pirates who plagued the Ligurian coastline.
The village is renowned for its balloon murals that have turned Bellissimi into an open-air art gallery. But what started this tradition? The answer can also be found in one of the murals.
Legend says that Jaques-Étienne Montgolfier, inventor of the hot air balloon, has visited Bellissimi.
In 1783, he and his brother Joseph-Michel launched a balloon made of cloth and paper at the royal court in Versailles. This flight carried a sheep, a duck, and a rooster—becoming the first living creatures to fly in a hot air balloon. Later that year, the Montgolfier brothers launched another hot air balloon that took two men across Paris, a flight that marked the dawn of human flight.
In 1790, fleeing the revolutionary uprisings in his native France, Jacques-Étienne came to nearby Dolcedo with his monkey Elio to meet Canonico Languasco, a passionate balloonist from Imperia, Italy. Together, they launched a helium balloon from Bellissimi.
The balloon murals of Bellissimi, to the most part created by local artists, are an inspiring example of how art can revitalize a nearly abandoned community and preserve its cultural heritage. Walking through Bellissimi today feels like stepping into a little storybook, where each mural invites the visitors who drive up to this little Ligurian mountain village to dream and explore. And the photographer to snap away.
I hope you liked this little walk through colorful Bellissimi. Of course, the visiting Fab Four had to pose for a selfie in front of a written evidence that they are indeed the “the most beautiful” 🙂
All images taken with my iPhone 14 Pro, some post-processing in Lightroom Classic.
Have a great Saturday
Marcus
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Liguria Explored – Coastal Cycling