Altitude: 100 m a.s.l.
Area: 4.60 sq km
Distance from Imperia: 44 km
Inhabitants: in 1881: 966 - in 2017: 1325
Patron Saint Day: February 3rd - San Biagio
Information: Municipality phone 0184 289044
The toponym is clearly related to the cult of the homonymous holy martyr, attested since 1260 (apud Sanctum Blasium), while the determinative, purely literary, was added in 1862, to distinguish the town from other namesakes located on the Italian territory, with allusion to the shape and name of Monte Cima, as the locals call Monte Santa Croce, also called Collina di Crovairola (i.e. hill of the crows), which overlooks the town from the south.
Beyond the rare sources, it may be thought that Soldano, San Biagio and Vallebona were among the numerous peripheral fortified towns of the Roman municipality of Ventimiglia which, in the early Middle Ages, gathered the families that had gone away from the insecure coastal lands.
A confirmation comes from the discovery, at the foot of Cima Cravairola, of burials and other remains of the settlement of the Roman age; other traces of continuity of the Roman and late antique tradition come from the primitive cemetery church of San Biagio, built along the main access road to the village.
On July 15 is held the Rose Festival, thus the town is decorated with fragrant flowers to the delight of the many tourists, who can participate in outdoor dancing evenings or visit some of the food stands, where it’s possible to taste local specialties.
The final evening of the Festival is gladdened by the election of Miss Rosa, chosen by a special jury among the young ladies who show more affinity with the much celebrated flower. In recent years a poetry competition is organized. This town is also famous for having given birth to Francesco Biamonti, writer of the lights and stones of Liguria.
Visit of the town
Park the car at the foot of the village and reach the town along the left ramp up.
Unfortunately even in San Biagio, as in Apricale, modern "artists" have left their mark by dirtying more than one wall; particularly unfortunate, to the left of the vault that leads to the church square, is the pairing of one of these "masterpieces" with the severe plaque carved in a Trigram between the letters B and A affixed over a square medieval window. Well, let's hope that time will soon make things right with these licenses.
The parish church of Santi Fabiano, Sebastiano and Blasio that you’ll reach was rebuilt in 1954; inside it preserves the wooden statue of San Fabiano attributed to Maragliano.
Opposite there is the low Municipal Loggia with seats flanked by a large fountain with stone basin and ducts; on the right is the ramp that leads up to the oratory of Assunta with rough frescoes on the façade with small seats, and to the overlying recently built fountain with a stone basin.
Back to the Provincial Road, head towards the town of Soldano.