Unspoiled Italy: The Calming Quiet of Framuraluminosityitalia.com/framura.pdf · “The Italian...
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 15 L'Italo-Americano MARIELLA RADAELLI ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES A constellation of little ham- lets comprise the com- mune of Framura, an atmospheric, somnolent village perched on a rocky outcrop rising from the Ligurian Sea. Though the authentic beauty in La Spezia province is just a 15 minute-train trip from the Cinque Terre, Framura is actually the “anti-Five Lands” that might not even crop up in your average guidebook. This little slice of coast and its hamlets of Anzo, Ravecca, Setta, Costa and Castagnola have no real nightlife and shows no sign of developing into a major tourist destination. Its ancient features and social fabric are unaltered. We found Framura’s special atmosphere was ideal for recharging our batteries through the flow and the rhythm of natur- al time. Atop the hamlet of Costa on Monte Serro sits an imposing torre di guardia. The Carolingian tower overlooks the village with stunning views of the plains below: the porticciolo (small harbor), the marina and the sea. The symbol of Framura, the ancient watchtower dates back to around AD 1000 and was primar- ily a lookout against Saracens and Barbary Pirate raids from North Africa, especially from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The other hamlets of Framura have Genoese towers that together rep- resent a considerable heritage. From Costa, a road twists and turns its way down the mountain- side towards the shimmering sea below, but before leaving, we visit the medieval church of San Martino De Muris, home to the Madonna of the Rosary with Saints Dominic and Charles by baroque painter Bernardo Strozzi. “The Italian master lived in Framura for a while,” says Andrea Lircari, a local historian who wrote the book “Framura, un’antica terra tra il mare e i monti”. Beyond the hilltop village stands rural Castagnola hidden in the outback, replete with the fra- grance of chestnut flowers. Here the heavenly trio of good food, good wine and seclusion are the secret of Sostio a Levante, a blissful country hotel on Montebello (www.sostioale- vante.com) owned by Laura Colzani. Homemade breads and pasta, homegrown vegetables, local wines and meat highlight the regional menu. Dishes are deliciously Ligurian. Laura serves her estate’s own wines, named Terre di Framura and Levante, and picks produce from the veg- etable gardens for your evening meals. Great care has been taken with the eight large bedrooms furnished with ecological interi- ors and textiles. The agriturismo also offers a pool and sea views. Walking down the tortuous, winding paths of Framura towards the sea and through the tiny frazioni (hamlets) with their narrow streets is a rare delight. The view sweeps over the beauti- ful sea and lush vegetation as you inhale the refreshing scent of lemons, the aromatic smell of figs and the woody, fruity notes of olive trees. We stop in Anzo to visit the botanical garden and the graceful chapel Nostra Signora della Neve (1342) built in Ligurian Gothic style. Arriving in Framura by train or by car, you land in Framura- Anzo, the seaside portion of the town that hugs four small, wild beaches: la Vallà, Arena, Torsei and Porto Pidocchio. The water is crystal clear and continually changes tone from turquoise to deep, dark blue. It lures snorkel- ers and divers who can explore numerous surrounding islets and reefs. No wonder Framura has now been awarded the Blue Flag eco- mark for the fourth time. The Bandiera Blu is an international ecological award run by the International Foundation for Environmental Education that aims to protect beaches’ natural environment. From these secluded beaches, we look up the mountainside and see the medieval citadel of Framura looming above, and in between, lush, landscaped vaca- tion homes. “The commune has a population of 650 inhabitants while about 2,000 individuals have second vacation homes,” says the mayor Andrea Da Passano from his office located in the small settlement of Setta. He is quite satisfied with last year’s tourism. “We had a good year with around 100,000 tourists spread throughout the year. We certainly want to increase the number, but replicating the mass tourism that appears to interest the Cinque Terre would cause damage and be a failure. Mass tourism is unsustainable. We are very careful to conserve and pro- tect the strong identity of our vil- lage.” The mayor says Famura is particularly American-friendly. “American tourists are very wel- come here. We are interested in establishing a good relationship with them. We are gearing up to make their stay easier from the point of view of language, signs and the rest. American tourists are pampered in our family run accommodations. They love our typical products -- anchovies, pesto, wine and olive oil.” Framura’s bond with America includes native son Modesto Lanzone, a restaurateur and patron of arts renowned in the San Francisco Bay area who was born in Framura in 1929. The historian Lercari notes that the Framuresi families Da Passano and Zino sailed to New Orleans in the 18th century, where they became successful entrepreneurs. “The Framuresi were ship- owners and also captains of their sailing boats,” he notes. Cyclists will also love Framura, which has a direct con- nection by coastal bike path to the old town of Levanto. Unspoiled Italy: The Calming Quiet of Framura Walking down the tortuous, winding paths of Framura towards the sea and through the tiny hamlets with their narrow streets is a rare delight The water is crystal clear and it lures snorkelers and divers who can explore numerous surrounding islets and reefs The Carolingian Tower overlooks the village of Framura with stunning views of the plains below
Transcript of Unspoiled Italy: The Calming Quiet of Framuraluminosityitalia.com/framura.pdf · “The Italian...
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 15L'Italo-Americano
MARIELLA RADAELLI
ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES
Aconstellation of little ham-lets comprise the com-mune of Framura, an
atmospheric, somnolent villageperched on a rocky outcrop risingfrom the Ligurian Sea. Thoughthe authentic beauty in La Speziaprovince is just a 15 minute-traintrip from the Cinque Terre,Framura is actually the “anti-FiveLands” that might not even cropup in your average guidebook.
This little slice of coast and itshamlets of Anzo, Ravecca, Setta,Costa and Castagnola have noreal nightlife and shows no signof developing into a major touristdestination. Its ancient featuresand social fabric are unaltered.
We found Framura’s specialatmosphere was ideal forrecharging our batteries throughthe flow and the rhythm of natur-al time.
Atop the hamlet of Costa onMonte Serro sits an imposingtorre di guardia. The Carolingiantower overlooks the village withstunning views of the plainsbelow: the porticciolo (smallharbor), the marina and the sea.The symbol of Framura, theancient watchtower dates back to
around AD 1000 and was primar-ily a lookout against Saracens andBarbary Pirate raids from NorthAfrica, especially from the 15thto the 18th centuries. The otherhamlets of Framura haveGenoese towers that together rep-resent a considerable heritage.
From Costa, a road twists andturns its way down the mountain-side towards the shimmering seabelow, but before leaving, wevisit the medieval church of SanMartino De Muris, home to theMadonna of the Rosary withSaints Dominic and Charles bybaroque painter Bernardo Strozzi.“The Italian master lived inFramura for a while,” saysAndrea Lircari, a local historianwho wrote the book “Framura,un’antica terra tra il mare e imonti”.
Beyond the hilltop villagestands rural Castagnola hidden inthe outback, replete with the fra-grance of chestnut flowers. Herethe heavenly trio of good food,good wine and seclusion are thesecret of Sostio a Levante, ablissful country hotel onMontebello (www.sostioale-vante.com) owned by LauraColzani. Homemade breads andpasta, homegrown vegetables,local wines and meat highlight
the regional menu. Dishes aredeliciously Ligurian. Laura servesher estate’s own wines, namedTerre di Framura and Levante,and picks produce from the veg-etable gardens for your eveningmeals. Great care has been takenwith the eight large bedroomsfurnished with ecological interi-ors and textiles. The agriturismoalso offers a pool and sea views.
Walking down the tortuous,winding paths of Framuratowards the sea and through thetiny frazioni (hamlets) with theirnarrow streets is a rare delight.The view sweeps over the beauti-ful sea and lush vegetation as youinhale the refreshing scent oflemons, the aromatic smell of figsand the woody, fruity notes ofolive trees. We stop in Anzo tovisit the botanical garden and thegraceful chapel Nostra Signoradella Neve (1342) built inLigurian Gothic style.
Arriving in Framura by trainor by car, you land in Framura-Anzo, the seaside portion of thetown that hugs four small, wildbeaches: la Vallà, Arena, Torseiand Porto Pidocchio. The water iscrystal clear and continuallychanges tone from turquoise todeep, dark blue. It lures snorkel-ers and divers who can explorenumerous surrounding islets andreefs.
No wonder Framura has nowbeen awarded the Blue Flag eco-mark for the fourth time. TheBandiera Blu is an internationalecological award run by theInternational Foundation forEnvironmental Education thataims to protect beaches’ naturalenvironment.
From these secluded beaches,we look up the mountainside andsee the medieval citadel ofFramura looming above, and inbetween, lush, landscaped vaca-tion homes. “The commune has apopulation of 650 inhabitantswhile about 2,000 individualshave second vacation homes,”says the mayor Andrea DaPassano from his office located inthe small settlement of Setta.
He is quite satisfied with lastyear’s tourism. “We had a goodyear with around 100,000 touristsspread throughout the year. Wecertainly want to increase thenumber, but replicating the masstourism that appears to interestthe Cinque Terre would causedamage and be a failure. Masstourism is unsustainable. We arevery careful to conserve and pro-tect the strong identity of our vil-lage.”
The mayor says Famura isparticularly American-friendly.“American tourists are very wel-come here. We are interested inestablishing a good relationship
with them. We are gearing up tomake their stay easier from thepoint of view of language, signsand the rest. American touristsare pampered in our family runaccommodations. They love ourtypical products -- anchovies,pesto, wine and olive oil.”
Framura’s bond with Americaincludes native son ModestoLanzone, a restaurateur andpatron of arts renowned in theSan Francisco Bay area who was
born in Framura in 1929. Thehistorian Lercari notes that theFramuresi families Da Passanoand Zino sailed to New Orleansin the 18th century, where theybecame successful entrepreneurs.
“The Framuresi were ship-owners and also captains of theirsailing boats,” he notes.
Cyclists will also loveFramura, which has a direct con-nection by coastal bike path tothe old town of Levanto.
Unspoiled Italy: The Calming Quiet of Framura
Walking down the tortuous, winding paths of Framura towards the seaand through the tiny hamlets with their narrow streets is a rare delight
The water is crystal clear and it lures snorkelers and divers who canexplore numerous surrounding islets and reefs
The Carolingian Tower overlooks the village of Framura with stunningviews of the plains below
