A compact medieval village in the middle of the valley, dominated by its disproportionately large cathedral. Brugnato was the seat of an independent bishopric for almost seven hundred years, which explains the scale of the church and the small lanes of ecclesiastical buildings around it.
The village makes a good lunch stop on a drive between La Spezia and Varese Ligure. Try the focaccia con uvetta — a sweet raisin focaccia that is a local specialty of the bakeries here. There is an outlet shopping centre on the edge of the village, easily skipped.