Wedding in Alassio

The history of the villa is inextricably linked to the birth of the English winter resort in Alassio. In 1875, two Scottish gentlemen, George Henderson Gibb and General William Montagu Scott McMurdo, were the first Britons, together with their families, to spend an entire winter in Alassio and to purchase the land for the construction of the villa. The first building to be constructed by Gen. McMurdo on his property was not the current Villa della Pergola but its annex, the Villino della Pergola, which at the time of its construction was called Casa Napier. The Villino, even more than the Pergola, reflects the taste and experience of its creator: the villa was in fact designed according to Anglo-Indian canons and taste, that is, the architectural style favored by the English who had lived for much of their lives in India as military officers, civil servants, or businessmen. Built on three levels, the building was equipped with spacious verandas and pergolas that closely resemble the English houses built in those same years in India and Malaysia for officials of the British Empire. It was subsequently purchased by the Hanbury family, who gave an extraordinary impetus to the completion of the Villa’s garden, greatly increasing the variety of exotic species transported from the botanical garden of La Mortola. Currently, the property has been completely restored and converted into a luxury Relais and is particularly suitable for receptions and events. The structure can be used both indoors and outdoors and features luxury suites for guest accommodation.