In the hills of the Ligurian Riviera dei Fiori, just a few kilometres from the French border, lies a mountain village that has regarded itself as an independent principality for over 60 years: Seborga. Around 300 inhabitants live at an altitude of roughly 500 metres between Bordighera and Sanremo, and although the Italian state does not recognise the small settlement's independence, Seborga has its own princess, its own currency, its own postage stamps, and a sentry box at the village entrance that is manned by an honour guard in blue-and-white uniforms on official occasions. Since 2019, the principality has been ruled by Nina Menegatto, a native German from Kempten im Allgäu, who took on the role of Principessa following the death of her predecessor. A portrait of one of the most unusual places in northern Italy, and at the same time one of the most beautiful along the Ligurian coast.
Where Seborga is and how to get there
Seborga lies in the Province of Imperia, in the western part of Liguria, just a few kilometres inland from the famous Riviera dei Fiori. The village can be reached from the coastal town of Bordighera via the provincial road SP57 in around twenty minutes, and sits at roughly five hundred metres above sea level, with sweeping views over the Ligurian Sea, the Maritime Alps, and, on clear days, the French Côte d'Azur. Travellers from German-speaking countries can reach Seborga via the A10 motorway, which runs the length of the Riviera di Ponente and branches off at Bordighera. The entire Riviera coastline separates Seborga from Portofino and the Cinque Terre , yet Nice, Menton, and Sanremo place some of the western Mediterranean's most celebrated spa and holiday resorts within immediate reach.
1,000 years of history: from 954 to the present day
The written history of the village stretches back to the year 954. In a deed issued by the Count of Ventimiglia, Seborga was ceded in that year to the Benedictine Abbey of Lérins on the islands off Cannes on the Côte d'Azur. This marked the beginning of an unusual arrangement, as the official Italian tourism portal Italia.it documents in its portrait of Seborga: the monks became prince-abbots and governed Seborga for over 700 years as an ecclesiastical principality, with its own administration, its own coinage, and its own fiscal sovereignty. It was not until 1729 that they sold the village to the House of Savoy under King Victor Amadeus II, who acquired Seborga as a personal possession and did not formally incorporate it into the Kingdom of Sardinia. It is in this detail that the entire historical kernel of the later independence movement lies.
Neither at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, at which Europe's borders were redrawn following the Napoleonic era, nor at the founding of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 or the proclamation of the Italian Republic in 1946, was Seborga mentioned in the official documents as part of Italy. In the view of today's residents, the village's formal legal incorporation into Italy was therefore never completed.
Giorgio Carbone and the declaration of independence
This historical observation was made public in the 1960s by a flower grower from Seborga named Giorgio Carbone . After years of research in archives and with a pronounced sense of history, he persuaded his fellow citizens that Seborga remained a sovereign principality in legal terms. The movement began in the 1960s; in 1963 Carbone was informally elected prince, and in 1995 a formal confirmation followed as Giorgio I of Seborga. He governed the small village until his death in 2009. After a brief interregnum, the businessman Marcello Menegatto succeeded to the throne in 2010 as Marcello I, holding the position until 2019. Since 2019, his wife Nina Menegatto has served as princess.
Nina Menegatto: the princess from the Allgäu
The current regent of Seborga is German. Nina Menegatto, born in Kempten im Allgäu, has held the role of Principessa since 2019, after her husband Marcello stepped down following nine years in office. She has professionalised the principality's souvenir trade, external communications, and tourism marketing, and appears as head of state at receptions, festivals, and official occasions. A new minting of the national currency, the Luigino, bearing the princess's likeness has been announced. For travellers from German-speaking countries, the change of princess is an additional reason to make the journey to Seborga, as nowhere else in Europe does a German princess rule a self-declared state.
How the Italian state deals with Seborga
From an official perspective, Seborga remains an Italian comune in the Province of Imperia. The Italian state does not recognise the principality, retains formal jurisdiction, and treats the village like any other small town in Liguria. As the Italian news portal Il Post documents in a detailed portrait published in February 2025, Seborga is subject to Italian jurisdiction in every respect, and the town hall is the only building in the village that flies the Italian tricolour. In all other streets and lanes, the blue-and-white flags of the self-declared principality flutter in the breeze.
At the same time, Italy has responded with a remarkable degree of tolerance . The principality's coat of arms was even formally approved in 1994 by decree of the then President of the Republic, Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, a very partial act of recognition. The municipality of Seborga itself has never objected to the principality's independent activities, as it acknowledges the tourist value of the story. The Luigino coins, the postage stamps, and the passports carry no legal weight, but are tolerated. As the news agency Virgilio noted in its coverage of the statute reform of 2022, the principality continues to base its argument on the absence of any formal mention of Seborga at the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and in the later founding documents of the Italian state.
What Seborga has to offer
The historic centre of Seborga has retained its medieval character and is listed by the association I Borghi più belli d'Italia, the most beautiful villages in Italy. In the narrow lanes and on the central Piazza San Martino stand the principality's most important buildings: the baroque parish church of San Martino, dating from the 17th century, with clean lines and a bell tower that rises above the surrounding buildings; the Palazzo dei Monaci, former seat of the prince-abbots and of the mint, with the principality's heraldic coat of arms on its façade; and the 13th-century Oratorio San Bernardo, which commemorates Seborga's connection with the Knights Templar. In the same building as the Palazzo, a permanent exhibition featuring 135 antique musical instruments from various periods is now on display.
The village is marked at its entrance by a sentry box of the Corpo delle Guardie, the principality's honour guard, which appears in blue-and-white uniform at official occasions and ceremonies. Those entering the village will find souvenir shops stocking the official symbols of the principality, Luigino coins as keepsakes, postage stamps, the blue-and-white coat of arms, and passports for tourists. Three restaurants in the village serve the cuisine of the Ligurian mountains, featuring game, rabbit, and goat's cheese and olive oil from the region. The preparation of the rabbit is considered a closely guarded secret and is a hallmark of the local gastronomy.
Practical tips for a visit
For a visit Seborga is particularly well suited during the transitional seasons of spring and autumn, when the Riviera dei Fiori is in full bloom and temperatures are mild. In high summer, the Ligurian hinterland can become very hot, making the early morning hours and late afternoon the best times for a stroll around the village. For those travelling by car, the A10 motorway is recommended, with the exit at Bordighera, from where the winding SP57 leads up to Seborga in around 20 minutes. Public transport is infrequent and irregular, making a hire car the more practical choice. Half a day is sufficient to explore the village at a leisurely pace. Those planning a longer holiday in Liguria can easily combine Seborga with Bordighera, Sanremo, Ospedaletti and a short trip to Portofino. For an official insight into the administration, events and public appearances of the principality the official website of the Principato di Seborga provides up-to-date information.
