Brewing up evil in the village of Triora......

If you like bread and old stories, Triora, Italy may be a great place to take a vacation if you are not afraid of streghe.

Triora is officially one of the most magnificent villages and oldest villages in Italy (speculated to have been built during the Roman Empire).  And while today the village is quite picturesque, back in the 16th century, it was a place of witch trials and executions.  It is also the location of the very last witch trials and was also known as The Salem of Italy.

The village of Triora is located at the foot of the Trono Mountain and overlooks the Argentine valley (close to the French border).

Around 1587, a two-year-long famine descended up the village of Triora and somehow this natural disaster was blamed on women who were felt to be witches because that makes total sense, right?  In fact, over 300 women were accused of many outlandish crimes including turning into cats, practicing black magic, making deals with the devil, killing children, killing livestock, and making bread that caused people to go crazy.

The witch trials were extremely violent and lasted for about two years.  The witch hunting and torque was so out of control, the Vatican had to step in and put a stop to it.

Things calmed down a bit but revved back up in 1943 when Nazi troops moved into Triora.  By 1944, Triora was ravaged by war, houses burned and alleys destroyed by bombs.  The inhabitants of the village had to flee for safety.  Germans basically destroyed this historical gem.  Luckily, Triora was reconstructed and today is a quaint little town with a population of barely 400 people.

The village today seems to be proud of their witchy past as evidenced by places to park your broom, relics, tours of the witch homes, statues of witches, and parades.  You can also find locals roaming the village that are related to a witch or two.

This is the perfect place to visit during Halloween but you will probably want to BYOB (bring your own bread) just in case.  You will definitely need to book accommodations in advance as the options are limited.  Hotel Colomba d'Oro is highly recommended.  And do not forget to take a trip to Museo di Triora Etnografico e della Stregoneria.