Varignano: a stunning Roman villa with an incredible history that was a noble residence from the Roman era in the village of Le Grazie in the province of La Spezia. Excavations conducted since 1967 have unearthed a complex situated in a particularly favorable position in a small valley rich in water and overlooking the sea, surrounded by an olive grove, perhaps also with wooded areas and pastures. The first construction phase of the villa is dated to the first half of the 1st century BC. Like every Roman villa, this one also consisted of a building intended for the residence of the owner, a merchant, connected to an area linked to agricultural production activity, in this case primarily related to olive oil processing.

In the olive oil processing facility, there are remains of presses for squeezing, decantation tanks, and an oil storage room. The complex also had a private dock that allowed for mooring, loading goods, and supplying vessels. The apartments had a horizontal layout with mosaic floors, bathrooms with drainage systems, a private thermal bath equipped with heated rooms and hot and cold bath tubs. For this purpose, to have the necessary water reserve, a cistern with a vaulted ceiling was built, a feature considered almost unique of its kind compared to similar Roman buildings in northern Italy.

We recommend our guests visit the Roman villa of Varignano, a true gem, easily reachable in just a few minutes by bus.