Places to See:
Laigueglia
It is hard to imagine just how romantic and picturesque Laigueglia is without having seen it first hand. Thanks to its particularly mild climate, this seaside resort attracts visitors all year round. For those interested in sport it offers courses in swimming, water-skiing and windsurfing, along with a sailing club and nightclubs catering to every taste and age.
Laigueglia lies at the western end of the broad sweep of coast delimited by Capo Santa Croce and Capo Mele. It was inhabited by fishermen who in 1191 swore allegiance to Genoa, receiving numerous tax exemptions in exchange. Splitting from Andora at the beginning of the sixteenth century, it became an independent commune and in 1609 was acquired by Genoa.
A round tower of 1564 is the oldest building in the village, which also has houses from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The parish church of San Matteo, built in 1754-83, is an example of the local baroque. Two campaniles decorated with glazed tiles flank its facade. The rich interior contains a marble shrine and holy-water stoup from the sixteenth century and canvases by Genoese painters of the 16th and 17th centuries (B. Castello, G.A. de Ferrari, B. Strozzi). An altarpiece by D. Piola and a seventeenth-century wooden choir can be seen in the nearby oratory of Santa Maria Maddalena, constructed in 1616-34.
Alassio
The town was founded in the 10th century AD, and according to the history was named after Adelasia, the daughter of German Emperor Otto I, who, it is said became so enamoured with the area that she eloped with beloved Aleramo, a squire at court, and settled with him on the hills of the hinterland. Later on, the Emperor pardoned the couple and gave to them and their descendants the marquisates of Acqui, Monferrato and Savoy giving origin to the Aleramic family.
In the 11th century the area was under the control of the Benedictine monks of Gallinara and later under the town of Albenga. As a protection against pirate raids walls were built to surround the town in 1521. Soon after, it came under the control of the Genoese Republic. In 1815 the Congress of Vienna suppressed the Republic of Genoa and assigned Liguria to the Sardinia Kingdom.
In the 1960's, when the so-called "economic boom" in Italy was at its highest, Alassio was, with Portofino and Sanremo, a fashionable destination of the jet-set people. In those years local painter Mario Berrino started the "Muretto di Alassio" a kind of Italian version of Hollywood House of Fame.
With all this history and with Alassio being on your doorstep, how could one resist but visit this fine place, taking in all the waterfront eateries and other activities it has to offer, including day trips to relax on the beaches. Other activities one can enjoy is the relax
Albenga
Albenga has become one of the “must visit” stops in this region. With the medieval influences still prevalent, it is the perfect place to take ones time and soak in the atmosphere of the area. The heart of the old town is the Piazza San Michele. This small square is dominated by the elegant cathedral, the main part of which was built in the 11th century and enlarged in the early 14th century. Nearby in the Torre Comunale is the Museo Civico Ingauno (Tues-Sun 10-12am & 3-6pm;€1.55), displaying interesting ancient artifacts and providing access to one of Albenga's big draws, the Baptistery. This ingenious building went up alongside the cathedral in the 5th century, and combines an unusual ten-sided exterior with a more orthodox octagonal interior. Inside are fragmentary mosaics showing the Apostles represented by twelve doves. The Diocesan museum with its splendid works of art of different ages is really also worth visiting for the many treasures one can uncover. Albenga really is a unique gem of the Liguria coastline that is a joy to discover.
For more information visit the local tourist office at no. 1 (Mon-Sat 9am-12.30pm & 3-7pm, Sun 9am-12.30pm; tel 0182.558.444,
www.italianriviera.com )
See also
- Cathedral of St. Michael Archangel
- Palaeo-Christian Baptistery (5th century). It includes an ancient polychrome mosaic.
- Palazzo Peloso Cipolla (16th century).
- Municipal towers, including the Torre del Municipio, Torre del Vecchio Comune (seat of the Ingaunian Town Museum) and Torre Costa.
- Roman Amphitheatre (2nd-3rd centuries AD).
- Necropolis, on the Via Julia Augusta.
- Roman baths
Cervo
Cervo could be said to be the epitome of a quaint old fashioned village. At only 4 sq.km, with a population of 1,200 it has perfectly preserved it’s original character of a medieval sea village. It’s borders are protected by 16th century towers and ramparts and surrounded by green hills. Access to the village is via the original medieval gates, therefore, circulation is possible only on foot. It is an oasis of peace and tranquillity, among 17th century aristocratic palazzi and alleys in which artisan workshops open their shutters: potters, glass blowers, carvers, leather dressers, goldsmiths and china decorators. In other words, it has remained a tiny medieval village with century-old houses, where artisans and artists ply their trade in cobbled alleys.
The main monuments to be explored are the baroque St John the Baptist or Corallini Church, the Romanesque Oratorio di Santa Caterina with 16th century frescoes, the medieval Clavesana Stronghold hosting the remarkable Etnographic Museum of western Liguria and Palazzo Viale.
The origins of this beautiful historic town date back to the Roman conquest (181 B.C.); it was then a mansio along the Julia Augusta road (today Aurelia road). In medieval times it became a fief of the Clavesana marquis, who was a subject of the Genoese Republic, to which Cervo had always been faithful. In 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the men worked intensively as coral fishermen in the Corsican and Sardinian seas, in addition to being olive growers and seafarers. Today Cervo’s economy is based on tourism and agriculture (olive, vine and flowers, among which orchids, gerberas and cyclamens).
Cervo offers an extraordinary variety of shores: there are several traditional bathing establishments with sand, deck-chairs and parasols, as well as long stretches of absolutely free shingle beach. Also totally free is the access to picturesque cliffs: “Porteghetto”, “Ciappellette” and more eastern ones (these are accessible only from the sea, therefore they are loved by naturists and skin-divers). There is a stretch of shoreline at the bottom of the village that is protected by breakwaters with constantly calm water, making it the ideal safe beach for toddlers. Thanks to the rocky bottom preventing sedimentation, the water is quite crystal-clear, so that it has earned Cervo a “Blue Flag”, the seal of approval for water purity.
For those who feel like they would like to continue exploring this magnificent area there are boats leaving from nearby Diano Marina offering daily mini-cruises along the coast, ending with the circumnavigation of Gallinara island facing Albenga. For those with greater nautical ambitions, every day a motor-ship leaves from nearby Imperia heading offshore to the heart of an International Cetacean Sanctuary, where you can go whale- and dolphin-watching in their natural environment.
Loano
An ancient town from the Roman era, it was set on the Via Julia Augusta, two of whose bridges are still standing. During the ninth-tenth century it, along with the whole of the coastal region, was abandoned. Its inhabitants sought refuge from the Saracen raids in the mountains and valleys of the hinterland. In 1263 it became a fief of Oberto Doria and it is to the credit of his son Raffo, who granted them many tax concessions, that in 1309 much of its population came back to live by the sea. The Doria ruled Loano almost uninterruptedly until 1735, when it was occupied by the Savoy.
The family has left its mark on the town with the many religious and civil monuments that it constructed, especially Palazzo Doria, now the town hall, which is considered one of the most representative examples of Renaissance civil architecture in Liguria. It has a sixteenth-century portal in black stone and a loggia with paintings on the left side, while a large mosaic floor from the age of Imperial Rome (third century AD) has been installed in the central hall on the second floor. The same room now houses an ornithological museum. A gallery links the palace to the pentagonal defensive tower, erected in 1602 and used to house the town garrison. Its middle floor is now used as a conference hall. The Doria also built the seventeenth-century parish church of San Giovanni Battista, with a ten-sided plan and a dome, which houses an important collection of paintings (works by Borgione, de Ferrari, Ansaldo, Coppellino and Badaracco), and the church of Sant'Agostino (with attached monastery and cloister), which has a nave and two aisles separated by columns of pink Finale stone. The nave has a vault with ample lunettes that let in the light. It houses large statues by M. Sparzo (late 16th to early 17th century) and numerous paintings (Paggi, Semino, Brandimarte).
Genoa
Genoa, Italy is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in all of Italy. Beautifully situated on the Italian Riviera, Genoa is a tourist attraction that attracts visitors from all over the world each year, don’t let yourself be one of the few who missed out.
Genoa Italia, as the Italians refer to it, is located in northwest Italy on the Ligurian Sea. Genoa is a major seaport in Italy and is one of the leading ports in the Mediterranean. Genoa is one of the major commercial and industrial centers in Italy and is an outlet for much of central Europe.
Genoa was once an ancient town of the Ligures and was very successful under Roman rule. Around the 10th century, it became a free commune and its power continued to increase steadily. During the 12th and 13th centuries Genoa was a major military power and triumphed in many wars. During the crusades Genoa became very wealthy which resulted in the city becoming a major trading partner with other parts of Europe. In the 14th century Genoa finally gained control of the cities in Liguria. For a time weakened by outside effects, the power of Genoa was finally revived in about the late 14th century. In 1814, Genoa was united with the kingdom of Sardinia. Since then, they have become a major power of Italy.
Genoa is one of the most historic cities in all of Italy. Many influential historic figures have called Genoa home. Christopher Columbus is perhaps the best well known of these. Nicolò Paganini, who is revered as one of the most talented violinists in the world, was also born in Genoa.
Many people say that Genoa has the largest and most historic city center in all of Europe. Genoa’s city center is mainly composed of medieval narrow alleyways with dozens of churches and museums along the way. The Lanterna, located on the harbor of Genoa, is one of the most magnificent lighthouses in all of Italy. There is also the world-famous Aquarium that attracts over half a million people to Genoa each year. Genoa is indeed one of the most historic and beautiful cities in all of Italy. There are many treasures in Genoa that are just waiting to be discovered.