The city and nature

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The city and nature
Chiavari has a long history, beginning
with the Pre-Roman Tigulli Ligures and
today visible throughout its streets.
The caruggio dritto (“straight alley,” or Via
Martiri della Liberazione) is the city’s heart;
Chiavari’s commercial life has gathered
beneath its porticos since the 1300s. There
are many museums and churches to visit,
often housing prominent works, like the
church of San Giovanni Battista with its
paintings by Piola, Carlone, Fiasella, and De
Ferrari, and the church of Madonna delle
Grazie with frescoes by Teramo Piaggio and
Luca Cambiaso.
Inland, meanwhile, along Val d'Aveto
(Aveto Valley), you’ll find a rural setting,
characterized by the widespread presence
of local food products and wonderful
outdoor itineraries for travelling by
foot, mountain bike, or horseback. In
the summer, lovers of the outdoors go
canyoning and canoeing down the streams,
while in the winter, they practice crosscountry
skiing and ski touring.
Dense, age-old woods, lakes, and views
from the mountain to the sea combine on
Maggiorasca Mount that, at 1799 metres, is
the highest peak in the Ligurian Apennines.
Here, nature is the star of a long, rich
dialogue with man. Along with the Stura
and Graveglia valleys, the area is part of
the Parco naturale regionale dell'Aveto
(Regional Natural Park of Aveto), a nature
reserve comprising over 3000 hectares.
The entire area is covered by the dense
network of paths of the Alta via dei
monti liguri.(High Road of the Ligurian
Mountains). Among the most beautiful
itineraries are those of Penna and Aiona
mounts, the Pratomollo rocks, and
Groppo Rosso mounts. Walking through
the woods, you’ll come across old
vestiges of rural life: barns,chestnut
drying houses, mills, coal cellars, and
icehouses. Not to be missed is the tiny,
deep green Lago delle Lame, a lake
surmounted by a scenic moraine and
surrounded by large beech, like the King
of the Forest.
The park organizes guided visits of
the spring blooming of the narcissi,
nocturnal birds of prey, and the Agoraie
nature reserve. This last preserves
integral signs of the last ice age, like
prehistoric petrified trunks on the
bottom of Lago degli Abeti; it can only
be accessed via guided visits made by
appointment (tel. +39 0185343370).
Of the many villages scattered through
the valley Borzonasca, Rezzoaglio,
the rural, half-abandoned village of
Ventarola, and, of course Santo Stefano
d'Aveto are all worth a visit.
www.parks.it/parco.aveto
tel. +39 018588046
(Santo Stefano d’Aveto tourism office)
for fun
Santo Stefano d'Aveto is one of the few Ligurian
localities where it is possible to practice crosscountry
skiingand other winter sports,
thanks to ski lifts that make the most of the
town’s extensive, alpine-esque valley bowl,
dominated by Monte Maggiorasca.
to see
In Gambatesa, anyone can become a
miner for a day. Its manganese deposit has
recently become a path for discovering the
world of minerals, mining techniques, and life
underground. You’ll travel through the tunnels
on small trams… and then come back out, to life
as usual, above-ground.
www.minieragambatesa.it.

Chiavari
Slate, feasts, and the Fieschi: these are the
three keywords of Lavagna and its
hinterland, an area permeated with the
memory of its powerful lords who, along
with many wonderful buildings, left behind
two events that draw tourists from all over
Italy, every summer. The Addio do Fantin,
(“Bachelor Party”), a great medieval fair in
San Salvatore di Cogorno, and the Torta
dei Fieschi in Lavagna commemorate the
bachelor party of Opizzo Fieschi and his
wedding to a Sienese lady, respectively.
Important signs of the Fieschi can be
seen throughout the town, like the stately
Church of San Salvatore, the remains of the
Conti palace, and a Baroque oratory.
Squeezed between the sea and cultivated
hills, Lavagna has been devoted to three
main activities for centuries: the navy,
farming, and slate manufacturing. Today,
tourism dominates, on the long, sandy
Slate, feasts, and memories
coast that often receives Blue Flag
recognition. The centre thrives in the
porticos of Via Nuova Italia, with sights
from the Middle Ages and the 1600s.
Casa Carbone, a 19 th century residence
and picture gallery run by the FAI, is
worth a visit. Those in search of the best
views can climb to the 17 th century
church of Santa Giulia di Centaura and
enjoy a panorama of the Gulf of Tigullio.
Heading east, you’ll reach the hamlet
of Cavi di Lavagna, a small fishermen’s
village that has succeeded in uniting its
seafaring history with its new tourist
identity. Alleyways and colourful houses
overlook a seaside promenade that is
lovely to stroll down on mild winter days.
Not far from here is the Entella wildlife
reserve,a paradise for birdwatchers: the
best period for sightings is during the
spring and fall southward migrations.
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Outings to the old slate quarries, known
as the Rocche di Sant'Anna, depart from
here. The area is very rich in slate; not by
chance is the rock also known as pietra
di Lavagna (stone of Lavagna). Elegant
and discreet, it’s a “semi-soft” rock that,
besides dominating the rooftops of
Ligurian houses, is also used in flooring,
architectural ornaments, furnishings,
decorative objects, and the building
of billiard tables. It’s used by the local
cuisine, too, cooking on a heated slab of
slate known as a ciappa.
San Salvatore di Cogorno was once an
important centre of slate manufacturing.
Carriers came down into the valley from
its quarries, with loads of rock balanced
on their heads.
www.comune.lavagna.ge.it
www.comune.cogorno.ge.it
for fun
Speed date with dessert on August 14, in
Lavagna. Torta dei Fieschi is a fun,
chaotic festival, with a tasty prize at the end.
Each participant receives half of a pair of tickets;
if they find their “soul mate” amid the crowd,
they’ll also receive a slice of the enormous cake
recalling the one that was given to the people
of Lavagna in 1230 for the wedding of Count
Opizzo Fieschi. Dancing, medieval music, flagwavers,
fire-breathers, acrobats, and men-atarms
all make for an unforgettable “Fieschian”
evening.
www.tortadeifieschi.com
to see
Work of the expert hands of cabinetmakers
and chair-menders, keepers of an
old, artisan knowledge, Chiavarine
are chairs of French origin. Delicately
crafted, resistant, but also light and simple
at the same time, they are, by now, a preeminent
product of Chiavari’s artisan
crafts, known and esteemed the world
over.
Slate manufactoring
to see
The first records of the fabrics of Lòrsica
may date back to the 15 th century, but the
handmade production of damasks continues to
this day on antique looms in a local business.
Close by, the Museo del Damasco
(Damask Museum) celebrates the age-old
tradition of weaving valuable silk fabrics, like
damask, taffeta, shantung, and macramé,
characterized by traditional crown and palm
designs.
www.museodamasco.it
for the ears
A strong family tie links Frank Sinatra
to the hamlet of Rossi inLumarzo,in
Tigullio’s hinterland: the singer’s mother,
Natalina Dolly Garaventa was born here.
Each year the town hosts the Hallo
Frank! tribute concert and other themed
events, in memory of the singer and, with
him, all Ligurians who immigrated to “La
Merica.”www.culturainliguria.it
to hear and to taste
Its name says it all: great music, great wine.
The Jazz and Wine Festival takes
place every summer in Cavi di Lavagna with an
excellent programme of concerts, meetings,
seminars, themed dinners, and happy hours
with the artists.
www.jazzwinefestival.it

The first settlement of the ancient
Segesta Tigulliorum arose on an isthmus
at the meeting point of two bays and a
hill that was once an island. The latter
became a promontory around the 16 th
century, when sediments deposited by the
Gromolo stream bridged its stretch of sea.
This thin strip of land sweeping toward
the peninsula and stretched between the
Bays of Fairytales and Silence, is Sestri
Levante's most characteristic spot, with
its old town’s houses lined up in two long,
parallel rows framing the central Caruggio
that is always teeming with life, hangouts,
and shops.
The name of the Bay of Fairytales is
renowned and recent: it was chosen by
Danish fairytale author Hans Christian
Sestri Levante, Bay of Silence
The bays, the fairytales,
and a long-lost island
Andersen who became enchanted
with the place. The name of the small,
delightful Bay of Silence,, meanwhile,
is the merit of Sestrese poet Giovanni
Descalzo.
for the soul
"From my room, I could
see the gulf crowned
by mountains: the sea
was calm, and yet you
could hear the roar of
high breakers like weak
thunder in the distance."
H.C.Andersen
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The island, as it continues to call itself, is a
lovely hill stretching into the Tigullio.
Though it’s rare to find it open, it’s worth
hiking up to the Church of San Nicolò.
Immersed in Mediterranean macchia
and dating to 1151, it’s an enchanting
example of late Romanesque architecture.
Along the way, you’ll pass the ruins of the
16 th century Oratory of Santa Caterina,
destroyed by bombs in 1944. Further up
is the 19 th century Castle Gualino, today
a hotel, that encompasses the remains of
a 12 th century fortress where Guglielmo
Marconi carried out his experiments in
short-wave radio transmission.
Along the descent, you’ll encounter the
Basilica of Santa Maria di Nazareth, built
by Carlone in the 1600s, and the church
of San Pietro in Vincoli. Overlooking the
Bay of Silence, the Galleria Rizzi is worth a
visit; the collection houses works by Guido
Reni, Veronese, Carracci, Rubens, Van
Dyck, Murillo, Zurbaran, and many others.
Among the religious buildings to visit
there’s also the 18 th century Sanctuary of
Nostra Signora del Soccorso.
Look around you as you stroll through
the city: Sestri is peppered with villas
testifying to its economic development of
the 18 th century. If you enjoy hiking, the
walks of punta Manara, punta Baffe and
monte Castello and Libiola with their old
copper mines, all offer great itineraries.
Sports lovers can travel the paths by
mountain bike or take a stab at the rock
climbing practice walls, near Moneglia.
www.comune.sestri-levante.ge.it
to see
A highly anticipated event for those in the field
and those who just love fantasy: the
Andersen Prize - Bay of
Fairytales of Sestri Levante is awarded to
unpublished fairytales every year and brings
the city to life with street theatre, a circus,
performances, and events of the Andersen
Festival, dedicated to kids and kids at heart.
www.premioandersen.it
www.andersenfestival.it
Designed at the end of the 19 th century by
Erasmo Piaggio, the Cantiere navale
di Riva Trigoso is one of the largest
and most historic shipyards in Italy.
Over one hundred and twenty navy units
have been launched from the plant, first
for the Regia Marina and afterward for the
Marina Militare, i.e. the Italian Navy.
In 2004, the Italian Navy’s first aircraft
carrier the Cavour was launched; it would
be the last ship launched in the classic
"end-on" style.
to taste
Bagnun is a famous fish soup in which
anchovies find a happy pairing with tomatoes,
garlic, and gallette del marinaio (sailor’s
biscuits); a feast dedicated to the dish is
held in Riva Trigoso on the second
to last weekend in July (www.bagnun.it).
Other traditional fishermen dishes include
ciuppin, a soup of rock fish, prawns, and
mussels served with slices of toast, and saltpacked
anchovies which are best
enjoyed with a white, dry, subtly aromatic
Vermentino DOC from Tigullio
For organic food and “zero kilometre”
products, enthusiasts the market held every
Saturday morning from May through October
in Ne (Valgraveglia) can’t be missed. Here,
you’ll find balin de loto, a Ligurian bean with
small, wavy pods, madunetta beans, porcini
mushrooms, oak and chestnut chanterelles,
heirloom apples, and the red onions of Zerli,
which are sweeter than those of Tropea and
perfect for making marmalades to accompany
cheese. Every farmer sells quarantina potatoes,
which have a very subtle flavour and are
considered the best and oldest among the
local varieties.