nature
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THE VALLEYS BETWEEN FINALE AND BERGEGGIA stone’s throw from the sea
enjoy a holidayin the greeneryof Liguria’sRiviera delle Palme
Where, howand when
The valleys betweenFinale and Bergeggi
the other riviera
The stretch of the Riviera delle Palme between Finale Ligure and Bergeggiis undoubtedly one of the most beautiful on the whole Ligurian Riviera,but its hinterland is – if possible – even more evocative. This is the OtherRiviera, unique and unexpected. It combines all the best of the region’snatural and historical heritage for the joy of visitors. Just a few bends anda several kilometres along the road behind Finale and Noli will take youto the Manie Plateau. This wild land was created by the geological whimsof the earth and has been preserved intact by the wisdom of those whohave lived here: the prehistoric Ligurians who inhabited its caves; theRomans who crossed it with their roads and stone bridges; and finally thegenerations of peasants who have used it to produce excellent olive oiland fine wine – and all with the deep blue sea right below. Further inland,down towards the Po Valley, are the Bormida Valleys, with their huge,protected forests, feudal castles, wild mushrooms and truffles, colourfulvillages, and more besides…
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Borm
ida
di P
àlla
re V
alle
y
Borm
ida
di M
àlla
re V
alle
yPora Valley
The Manie Plateau
FINALE LIGURE
Bormida di M
illesimo Valley
Noli Spotorno Bergeggi Vado
Voze
and T
osse
The Manie Plateauand the Pora Valley
In prehistoric times this area was a warm, tropical sea.The sea bed formed gradually as the shells and skeletonsof thousands and thousand of calcareous organisms weredeposited. The skeletons and shells eventually becamerock: Finale stone, a pale limestone that was raised highabove sea level during the formation of the Alps.The ancient seafloor now forms the hills, plateau, cavesand rocky cliffs that make the Finale Ligure area sopicturesque and famous. The Manie Plateau and thePora Valley remain a well-preserved and untamed region,despite being so close to the coast. The air here isperfumed by the maquis and the green landscape isdotted with old faming villages surrounded by vineyardsand olive groves. The sheer pale limestone rock facesattract climbers from all over the world and the mildclimate allows them to engage in their sport all yearround, whilst the forests and rocks conceal caves bearingtraces of prehistoric Liguria. It is no exaggeration tosay that this is an absolutely unique corner of the
world, for the Mediterranean coast hasno other spot that can compare with the
Manie Plateau.
A limestone sea
the other riviera
NOLI
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THE HILLS OF NOLI
The two hamlets of Tosse and Vozeare immersed in the maquis thatcovers the hills behind Noli, surrounded byolive groves. The air here is perfumed withthe scent of broom and the strips of landare planted with rows of vines.In Roman times theVia Julia Augustapassed this wayand its traces canstill be seen inthe woods andbetween thehouses.
Voze and Tosse
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sse
Vezzi
Porti
o
Orco
Fegli
no
Calvi
sio
Perti
Gorra
and O
lle
Calic
e Ligu
re
Rialto
A stone’s throwfrom the sea
Voze and Tosse: 210 metresabove sea level, 4 km from theA10 motorway exit (Spotorno)3 km from the sea (Noli)
Vezzi Portio: 220 metres abovesea level, 3 km from the A10motorway exit (Spotorno)6 km from the sea (Noli)
Orco Feglino: 200 metres abovesea level, 1 km from the A10motorway exit (Feglino)7 km from the sea (Finale Ligure)
Calvisio: 130 metres above sealevel, 3 km from the A10motorway exit (Feglino)3 km from the sea (Finale Ligure)
Perti: 145 metres above sea level,3 km from the A10 motorway exit(Finale Ligure), 4 km fromthe sea (Finale Ligure)
Gorra and Olle: 210 metres abovesea level, 1 km from the A10motorway exit (Finale Ligure)4 km from the sea (Finale Ligure)
Calice Ligure: 70 metres abovesea level, 4 km from the A10motorway exit (Finale Ligure)6 km from the sea (Finale Ligure)
Rialto: 370 metres above sealevel, 7 km from the A10motorway exit (Finale Ligure)9 km from the sea (Finale Ligure)
Julius Caesar probably never visited Voze, but he wouldhave found good reasons for stopping here if he had.He could have chosen from the Albergo RistoranteEl Sito (hotel and restaurant) or the Ristorante Lilliputalong the road leading down to Noli from Voze;
the Locanda di Giuda (inn) offering Ligurianspecialities or the Trattoria da Teresa withrooms amidst the old houses of the village;or the Ristorante Belvedere on the Romanroad. The Ristorante Passu du Ventu,on the other hand, is located in apanoramic position at the beginning ofthe road to Vezzi. Good lunches are tobe had at the Ristorante Mea Culpa(although it’s not clear what it has toapologise for!).
Hail Caesar,the inns greet you!
FINALELIGURE
the other riviera Vezzi Portio
Albergo Ristorante El Sitovia la Malfa 2, Voze, tel. 019 748 107
La locanda di Giudastrada Romana 1, Vozetel. 019 748 625
Ristorante Lilliputregione Zuglieno 49, Vozetel. 019 748 009
Ristorante Mea Culpavia Guardia 9, Tosse, tel. 019 745 191
Ristorante Pizzeria Belvederestrada Romana 2, tel. 019 748 902
Ristorante Passu du Ventustrada Romana 10, Vozetelephone Circolo Ricreativo Vozesetel. 349 295 8049, 347 220 6878
Trattoria da Teresa (with rooms)strada Romana 25, Voze, tel. 019 748 065
Six hundred inhabitants scattered amongst smallvillages, clinging to strips of land covered witholive groves, vineyards and maquis. This is VezziPortio, in the wild inland area of Finale Liguria.It is made up of four villages, San Giorgio,San Filippo, Portio and Magnone, where the townhall is located. The hamlets offer views rangingfrom the bell tower of the neighbouring villageto the rocky cliffs much beloved by climbers.History left has many traces here, including thePorta di Spagna (Spanish Gate), a border stationon the edge of the Marquisate of Finale Ligure,which belonged to the Spanish crown in theseventeenth century.
VEZZI PORTIO
The hills of NoliWhere, how and when
The pretty, family-run Osteria dei Funghi (inn),on the road between Magnone and Portio is wellworth a stop for a bite, whilst GiuseppaPiscitello produces excellent honey amongstthe farms of Magnone, which she sells in thelocal shops with the “Pollupice” label.
Vineyards, olive grovesand wooded strips of land
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A couple of tasty addresses
The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
Vezzi PortioWhere, how and when
Town Hall tel. 019 742 8000www.inforiviera.it/blu/vezzi.cfm
Azienda Agricoladi Giuseppa Piscitello (honey)via Magnone 10tel. 019 742 275
Osteria dei Funghivia Portio 69, tel. 019 742 028
ORCO FEGLINO
The salty sea air mixes with forestscents and lends aroma andflavour to the gourmet delicaciesof Vezzi Portio: Lumassina andBarbarossa wines, olive oil andchestnuts.
Wines with a view
…all feature in the coat of arms of Orco Feglino, a municipality in the Finale Ligure area.It is made up of several hamlets in the upper valley of the River Aquila, with fine viewsover the lonely, unspoilt Cornei Valley. Terraced roofs, a common Mediterranean featurearound Finale Ligure, are common here too. Feglino is situated next to the motorway, withits imposing Church of San Lorenzo and red-roofed houses. Above the motorway is thewhite church of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, with the nearby Cappella dell’Apparizione (Chapelof the Apparition), whilst the hill that dominates Orco is the site of the ruins of the ancient
castrum Orchae and a tenth-century tower. Not far away is the Romanesque-Gothiccountry Church of San Lorenzino with fifteenth-century frescoes. Boragni is a
country village enclosed by tall fortifications and crossed by a coveredvaulted street. At Christmas the charming old town of Feglino
is enlivened by the living nativity scenestaged by its inhabitants.
A bunch of grapes, a pine tree and a tower…
Orco Feglino
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the other riviera Orco Feglino
The area of Orco Feglino produces Lumassina and Barbarossawines, olive oil and peaches. The trattorias serve ovolimushrooms on vine leaves and peaches in Lumassina wine.
The wild,unspoilt AquilaValley iscrisscrossed withevocative pathsand its rock facesare a magnet forfree climbersfrom all over theworld. The MonteCucco practicewall is veryfamous.
Wine, oil and peaches
You can eat and sleep like a lordaround Orco and Feglino! Feglinois home to the Locanda RistoranteBorgo Antico (inn and restaurant)and the Locanda Ristorante DelRio (inn and restaurant), as wellas Giovanni Bonora’s roominghouse, the Ristorante da Annaand the Ristorante il Portico.The central part of the valley flooralso boasts the AgriturismoAspettando il Sole (guest farm),offering food and accommodation,horse riding, garden and poultryproduce, and the AgriturismoDa Beppe e Lucia (guest farm),with its soft beds, tasty meals,oil and wine.The roads that climb up to Orcolead to the Ristorante con camereLa Sosta (restaurant with rooms)in Bonomi, and the RistorantePizzeria il Rifugio at the MonteCucco practice wall. Visitors to Orcocan stay at the B&B di NicolettaPozzi and the B&B Cà Bassi,towards Boragni, next to theAzienda Agrituristica Cà Magli(guest farm).
Useful addressesRockypaths
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The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
Orco FeglinoWhere, how and when
Town Hall tel. 019 699 010www.inforiviera.it/blu/orco.cfm
Affittacamere Giovanni Bonoravia Aquila 2, Feglinotel. 019 699 107
Agriturismo Aspettando il Solevia Concezione 3, Feglinotel. 019 699 146
AgriturismoDa Beppe e Luciavia San Giacomo 33Feglinotel. 019 699 318
Azienda AgrituristicaCà Maglivia Boragni 3, tel. 019 699 319
B&B Cà Bassivia Condera 18Boragni-Orco roadtel. 019 699 174, 333 799 7132
B&B Nicoletta Pozzivia Chiesa 1, Orcotel. 019 699 399
Locanda Ristorante Borgo Anticovia San Giacomo 17, Feglinotel. 019 699 4405, 019 699 108
Locanda Ristorante Del Riovia Aquila 6, Feglinotel. 019 699 011
Ristorante con camere La Sostastrada per Orco 1, loc. Bonomitel. 019 699 195
Ristorante da Annavia Cristoforo Colombo 4, Feglinotel. 019 699 040
Ristorante il Porticovia San Rocco 22, Feglinotel. 019 699 207
Ristorante Pizzeria il Rifugiovia San Lorenzinotel. 019 699 311
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The small but concentrated region of deep valleys, sheerrock faces and limestone plateaus that lies immediatelyinland of Finale Ligure is almost unique in Liguria.This lush, solitary landscape, alternating flat and craggystretches, is interrupted here and there by small villagesand crisscrossed by a maze of dirt tracks and pathsthat cry out to be explored. It is the only place inLiguria you can find plant and animal species likeCampanula isophylla, whose bright blue flowers coverthe openings of caves and walls of old houses, andLacerta ocellata, the largest European lizard, whichis green-blue in colour and over 60 cm long.The slopes of the Aquila Valley are home toa monumental Pinus pinea (stone pine),which is at least 200 years old.
the other riviera The hamlets of Finale Ligure
THE HAMLETS OF FINALE LIGURE
Man’s artistic genius has created several splendidbuildings scattered between the hamlets of FinaleLigure’s plateau and valleys: the Romanesque Churchof San Cipriano and the Renaissance Villa Buraggi inCalvisio; the Romanesque Church of San Sebastiano,the Gothic Church of Sant’Eusebio and the RenaissanceCinque Campanili Church in Perti (whose oriental styleis reminiscent of the Portinari Chapel in Milan); theabandoned fifteenth-century Church of San Bartolomeoin Gorra; and the rural stone houses in Olle.
The Manie Plateau:in a world of itsown
Rocks, bridgesand caves
The most famous climbing wallin the Finale Ligure area isundoubtedly the Corno Rock(313 m), next to the Ponte delleFate (Fairy Bridge), the first ofthe five second-century Romanbridges crossing the Ponci Valley(Vallis Pontium) on the Via JuliaAugusta, built by the Romans in13 BC. The Roman road connectsthe Manie Plateau, with itsrosemary hedges, lavender, holm
oaks and juniper bushes,to the wonderfully
scenic Capo Noliheadland (267 m).The karst networkof undergroundstreams has createdmany caves, the
most famous of which are theArma delle Manie (Manie Cave),which was inhabited inprehistoric times, and the Cavernadelle Fate (Fairy Cave). The pathsof this small, untamed region arewell suited to exploration onhorseback. Visitors can contactthe Società Ippica Finalese(riding club), which also runs ariding school.
Churches and squares inCalvisio, Perti, Gorra and Olle
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The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
There is a wide choice of restaurants and inns ready tosatisfy the appetites of hungry visitors. The road up toLe Manie is lined by the Trattoria del Falco, the AnticaTrattoria Le Terrazze sul Mare, theRistorante la Gioiosa and the RistoranteRosita. In the woods nearby is theRistorante Acapulco; the brightly colouredRistorante Altopiano also offers roomsfor overnight stays. Le Manie is also hometo the Trattoria Gambero Verde in an old church alongthe road; the Osteria della Briga (inn) in a spotfrequented by hang-gliding enthusiasts; the TrattoriaFerrin, a brasserie in the centre of the plateau; theOsteria del Bosco (inn) near the Church of San Giacomoalong the dirt track leading to the Arma Cave; andfinally the Osteria La Grotta dell’Arma (inn), whichalso produces honey. Bricco, between the hamlets ofIsasco and Chien, boasts the Trattoria Beppe, whichalso offers rooms. In Calvisio there is the RistoranteInegaggie in the village square, whilst the road toVezzi Portio, beyond the junction for Verzi, is home tothe Ristorante Girasole, the B&B Ristorante PizzeriaLa Fenice and the Pizzeria Cornei. The Trattoria Cuccois situated amidst the olive groves, maritime pines andhouses of San Bernardino and boasts a magnificentview stretching as far as the coast and the sea. TheAntica Osteria con cucina (inn and restaurant) andthe Antica Osteria del Castel Gavone (inn) are situatedright in the heart of the mystical village of Perti, whilstthe business district on the valley floor is home to theRistoro La Francesina (restaurant) and the RistorantePizzeria Bastian Contrario, offering grilled meats.The Osteria del Tempo Perso (inn) invites travellersto pause on the road leading up to Gorra, which alsoboasts the Osteria dell’Agorà (inn), the Ristorante auGumbu and the Ristorante Cà del Moro, on the formerMelogno highway.
Eating in the Finale Ligure area
Agricultural produce from theFinale Ligure area can be
purchased from PaoloGranero (whoproduces exquisitecapers, oil and wine at
Le Manie), the AziendaAgricola Terre Rosse (farm),also on the plateau, whichis renowned for itsVermentino, and the AziendaAgricola Gli Aromi di Isasco,which produces oil and wine.Perti offers honey fromApicoltura Fernandez(beekeepers) and wine fromthe Cantina Paganini(winery), whilst Gorra hasthe Frantoio da Olive Folco(olive oil mill), which sellsoil and olives.
Produce from theFinale Ligure area
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the other riviera The hamlets of Finale Ligure
The wild, unspoilt setting of the area behindFinale Ligure is ideal for guest farm holidays.Le Manie is home to the Agriturismo LaRealidad on the road up to the plateau, which
offers food and accommodation, and theAgriturismo La Selva amidst the olive groves
overlooking Varigotti. Verzi boasts the AgriturismoLa Fontana with rooms and the Agriturismo Barillaro
offering food and accommodation, as well as the chanceto buy PDO olive oil, wine and fruit, whilst the edge of themunicipal territory (along the main road leading to Feglino)is the site of the Agriturismo a Cà di Alice, which offersrooms and meals and sells barnyard animals and vegetables.Perti is home to the Agriturismo Rocca di Perti, whichserves meals and sells oil and wine, and the AgriturismoVilla Piuma housed in an eighteenth-century country housethat offers accommodation and country cooking. Both areexcellent bases for climbing the Perti Rock. The Agriturismoai Cinque Campanili is situated close to the magnificentchurch of the same name and offers accommodation, localcuisine and oil. Gorra offers the Agriturismo da Mario inthe Valgelata, with its wild cacti, exotic animals and cuisinefeaturing wild boar and vegetable fritters.
…are small clusters of ruralhouses with centuries ofhistory, or modern residentialcomplexes for summer holidays.They are immersed in thecountryside of the plateau orexposed on the panoramichillsides and are calledSan Bernardino, Monticello,Isasco, Monte and Sella.
The road up to Le Manieis home to the AlbergoLa Gioiosa (hotel) and theAlbergo Rosita (hotel),whilst the woods of theplateau conceal theCampeggio Terre Rosse,Campeggio San Martino andCampeggio La Forestacampsites. The road toIsasco, on the other hand,has the B&B di Pia LambertiGuglielmone. Calvisio is hometo Eurocamping (campsite),whilst Perti boasts theVillaggio VerdeazzurroCamping (campsite) withcaravan area.
Sleeping and perhapseven dreaming
The other hamletsof Finale Ligure’shinterland…
Hooray for guest farms!
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The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
Agriturismo a Cà di Aliceloc. Sanguineo 59tel. 019 680 160, 349 557 6285Agriturismo ai Cinque Campanilicontrada Bolla 26, Perti, tel. 019 680 482Agriturismo Barillaroloc. Verzi, tel. 019 603 111Agriturismo da Marioloc. Valgelata 13, Gorra, tel. 019 696 322Agriturismo La Fontanaloc. Verzi 18, tel. 019 603 330Agriturismo La Realidadvia Manie 53, tel. 019 600 455Agriturismo La Selvaloc. Selva, tel. 019 698 8320Agriturismo Rocca di Pertiloc. Chiazzari, Pertitel. 019 695 513, 389 816 6170Agriturismo Villa Piumavia Cappelletta Nuova 8, Pertitel. 019 687 030Albergo Ristorante La Gioiosavia Manie 53, tel. 019 601306Albergo Ristorante Rositavia Manie 67, tel. 019 602 437Antica Osteria con cucinapiazza Martiri di Perti 4, tel. 019 690 609Antica Osteria del Castel Gavonevia Chiesa di Perti 4, tel. 019 694 320Antica Trattoria Le Terrazze sul Marevia Manie 65, tel. 019 601 243Apicoltura Fernandez (honey)via Calice 186, Perti, tel. 019 687 042Azienda Agricola Gli Aromiloc. Isasco 3, tel. 019 698 221Azienda Agricola Paganiniloc. Chiazzari 15, Perti, Finale Liguretel. 019 681 6208, 335 211 931Azienda Agricola Terre Rosse(vermentino) loc. ManieB&B Pia Lamberti Guglielmonestrada di Isasco 40, tel. 019 698 8437B&B Ristorante Pizzeria La Fenicevia Calvisio 131, tel. 019 604 9072Camping La Forestaloc. Manie, tel. 019 698 103Camping San Martinoloc. Manie, tel. 019 698 250
The hamlets of Finale LigureWhere, how and when
Camping Terre Rosse & Trattoria Ferrinloc. Manie 40, tel. 019 698 473Eurocampingvia Calvisio 37, Calvisio, tel. 019 601 240Frantoio da olive Folcopiazza Annunziata 10, Gorra, tel. 019 696 025Osteria del Bosco, loc. Manie, tel. 019 698 197Osteria della Briga, loc. Manie, tel. 019 698 579Osteria dell’Agoràp.zza San Bartolomeo 13, Gorra, tel. 019 696 263Osteria del Tempo Persovia Provinciale 7, Gorra, tel. 019 696 093Osteria La Grotta dell’Armaloc. Manie, tel. 019 698 457Pizzeria Corneivia Calvisio 137, tel. 019 699 254Ristorante Acapulcoloc. Selva, tel. 019 698 8240Ristorante Altopiano with roomsloc. Manie 12, tel. 019 698 080Ristorante au Gumbupiazza Annunziata 5, Gorra, tel. 019 696 025Ristorante Cà del Morovia per Calizzano 34, Gorra, tel. 019 696 001Ristorante il Girasolevia Calvisio 111, tel. 019 600 202Ristorante Inegaggiepiazza Inegaggie 5, Calvisio, tel. 019 600 820Ristorante Pizzeria Bastian Contrario(grilled meat) via Calice, tel. 019 692 750Ristoro La Francesinavia Maestri del lavoro d’Italia 13, Pertitel. 347 402 1601Società Ippica Finalesevia Calice, Perti, tel. 019 695 640Trattoria Beppe with roomsloc. Bricco, Manie, tel. 019 691 622
Trattoria Cuccoloc. San Bernardino 9, tel. 019 691 267Trattoria del Falcovia Manie 53, tel. 019 601 311Trattoria Gambero Verdeloc. Manie 2, tel. 019 698 483Vignaiolo Paolo Granero (wine, oil and capers)via Manie 47, tel. 019 600 658Villaggio Verdeazzurro Campingvia Calice 15b, with caravan area 13
Finalborgo
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FINAL BORGO
Final Borgo is not a municipality, or evenan outlying administrative district of one.It merges with the villages of Finalpia andFinal Marina to form the almost inseparablecommune of Finale Ligure. It features in thisguide to the “Other Riviera”, dedicated tothe villages of the inland region, becauseit is an ancient settlement with a richhistorical, artistic and architectural heritage.But it has no coastline, despite beingpractically a stone’s throw from the sea.It appears on the Peutingerian Table (mapof the Roman Empire) as Pollupice, and wasoriginally a vicus ad fines (border village) ofthe Roman town of Vada Sabatia. During theearly Middle Ages it lay on the border betweenthe Marca Aleramica and the Marca Arduinica.In the thirteenth century it passed underthe control of the Del Carretto Marquises,imperial landowners connected with theSforza family of Milan. The ensuing centuriesbrought great splendour to the Marquisateof Finale Ligure. In 1598 it was sold to theSpanish crown and came under Genoese rulein 1748. The walls, palaces, churches, PortaReale gate with the octagonal bell tower ofSan Biagio, and Porta Testa gate all dateback to this period. Local history is preservedin the Civic Museum, housed in the Conventof Santa Caterina. The paved pedestrianstreets of the village are lined withcraftsmen’s workshops, art galleries, bakeriesselling farmhouse bread, trattorias and bars.
An authentic capital
Half-closed gates offer glimpses of largerural courtyards and gardens with lemontrees, which would have delighted the Italianpoet Eugenio Montale. High above the wallsand roofs of the village is Castel San Giovanni,a blend of medieval and Spanish architecture,which marks the start of the Strada Berretta,the road that connected Finale Ligure to theSpanish possessions in the Milan area from1666. Further up are the ruins of CastelGavone, a Lombard-style military andresidential building.Today Final Borgo belongs to the “MostBeautiful Villages in Italy” Club.
The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
Visitors can eat and rest totheir hearts’ content both insideand outside the walls of FinalBorgo. The Albergo RistoranteVecchie Mura (hotel and restaurant) is situatedoutside the walls, near the late-Gothic bell towerof San Biagio, whilst the Trattoria au Quarté,is located along the River Aquila. The medievalrectangle of the village features the elegantRistorante ai Torchi and the Locanda di Lò(inn), near the Convent of Santa Caterina.A stroll around the old lanes and fine squareswill reveal the Ligurian flavours of the TrattoriaInvexendu, the first courses of the SpaghetteriaSotto il Santo, the flower-decked Ristorantedell’Orso Poeta, the mulled wine and Serranoham of the Tia Pepa restaurant and the littleOsteria ai Cuattru Canti (inn). The B&B Lettial Castello offers accommodation overlookinga pretty and colourful little square. Finally, thebeginning of the road up to the Melogno Hill ismarked by Settanta, a beerhouse with restaurant,which also serves cassëula (a Lombarddish of pork and cabbage).
The hospitalityof the Marquises
the other riviera Finalborgo
Town Hall tel. 019 689 011www.inforiviera.it/blu/finale.cfm
Albergo Ristorante Vecchie Muravia delle Mura 3, tel. 019 691 268
B&B Letti al Castellopiazzetta Meloria 4/1
tel. 019 695 056, 347 331 6280347 780 1622
Osteria ai Cuattru Cantivia Torcelli 2 tel. 019 680 540
Ristorante ai Torchivia dell’Annunziata 12
tel. 019 690 531
Ristorante l’Orso Poetapiazza Aicardi 21tel. 019 690 445
Final BorgoWhere, how and when
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Settanta (pub with restaurant)via per Gorra 10, tel. 019 695 683SpaghetteriaSotto il Santopiazza Garibaldi 7tel. 019 680 087Tia Pepavia G. Nicotera 25tel. 019 680 087Trattoria au Quartévia Fiume 38tel. 019 690 300Trattoria Invexendupiazza Tribunale 1tel. 019 690 475Trattoria la Locanda di Lòpiazza Santa Caterina 13tel. 019 693 202
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The Manie Plateau and the Pora ValleyCalice Ligure
CALICE LIGURE
The 1500 inhabitants ofCalice Ligure breathe thecool country air, despite
being just a stone’s throw from the sea at FinaleLigure. Calice is a peaceful village graced by elegantRenaissance and Baroque churches and narrow streets andsquares lined with colourful, decorated palaces. It overlooksthe Riviera and backs onto the woods of the Pora Valleythat run from the maquis of the village of Eze to the pinegroves of the hamlet of Carbuta, the site of a 220-year-oldmonumental holm oak. Beyond Carbuta the road climbs uptowards the solitary Chapel of San Rocco in the woods, andthen on to the beech woods of Pian dei Corsi, with theirwide views, soaring birds of prey and the revolving turbinesof a wind farm.
A stone’s throwfrom the sea
Calice was the home of thepainter Emilio Scanavino,who opened his home tomany twentieth-centuryartists, transforming thevillage into a miniatureart capital. The “RemoPastori” Civic Collectionof Contemporary Artis on display at the Casadel Console museum.
Painting andcontemporary art
Calice’s ravioli are delicious with Lumassina and Barbarossa, the excellent local wines. Thecentre of the town features the elegant Trattoria Piemontese with rooms, which servessnails and fish, whilst the colourful old alleys conceal the RistoranteSciamadda, the Osteria il Caruggio (inn) and the Bar BraceriaBarabba (bar and brasserie). A pretty, colourful little square ishome to the Ristorante Al Tre, not far from the Piccolo BarPizzeria and the Pizzeria Lo Spigo. The road leading up toCarbuta, a hamlet halfway up the hillside, offers the Osteria duCasè (inn) and, a little higher up, the Ristorante Sotto la Quercia.
the other riviera Calice Ligure
The local cuisine
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The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
19
Those wishing to stay inCalice can choose from aroom at the TrattoriaPiemontese, theAgriturismo Il Cerro (guestfarm), the B&B Giucalù(amidst the chestnut woodsof Carbuta), the B&B LaRocca in Campogrande, andthe B&B Filosofia dellaQuotidianità in Ramata,which also offers a library,Internet access and ahammam (Turkish bath).The area also offers theB&B la Bibliothèque, onthe road that leads downto Feglino, and the B&B laCosta, towards Rialto.
Calice LigureWhere, how and when
Town Hall tel. 019 65 433www.inforiviera.it/blu/calice.cfm
Agriturismo Il Cerroloc. Cerro, tel. 019 65 524
Bar Braceria Barabbavia Vecchia 59, tel. 019 65 739
B&B Filosofia della Quotidianità(hammam, library, Internet access)loc. Ramata 1, road to Carbuta, tel. 019 65 976348 510 0524, www.filosofiadellaquotidianita.it
B&B Giucalùloc. Cà de Boretti 11, Carbutatel. 019 65 477338 9513663, www.bandb.ligure.it
B&B La Bibliothèqueloc. Prà 1, road between Carbuta aFeglino, tel. 019 65 795, 328 583 3362
B&B La Costaloc. Costa 4, from via Venetel. 019 65 769, 333 599 7512
B&B La Roccaloc. Campogrande 23, tel. 019 65 801
Civica Raccolta d’ArteContemporanea “Remo Pastori”via Roma, tel. 019 65 433 (Town Hall)
Osteria du Casèvia Trincheri, towards Carbutatel. 019 65 639
Osteria il Caruggiovia alla Chiesa 5, tel. 019 65 708
Piccolo Bar Pizzeriapiazza Cesio 12, tel. 019 65 432
Pizzeria Lo Spigovia Emo Trincheri 7, tel. 019 65 336
Ristorante Al Trepiazza IV Novembre 3, tel. 019 65 388
Ristorante Sciamaddavia Vecchia (road leading to the church) 67tel. 019 65 648
Ristorante Sotto la Querciapiazza Paolo Cappa 3, Carbutatel. 019 65 343
Trattoria Piemontese (with rooms)piazza Massa 4, tel. 019 65 463
Accommodationin Calice
Rialto is a smallfarming village at thehead of the Pora Valley. Its 500 inhabitantslive in small groups of houses scattered aroundthe terraced vineyards and olive groves. Thehistory and legends of the village are depictedin colourful murals around the square of theRomanesque Church of San Pietro.
The townof murals
the other riviera Rialto
The small Museo della Civiltà Contadina(Peasant Culture Museum) displays theagricultural tools and illustrates the traditionsof the Upper Pora Valley. The treasures housedin the local churches recall the time whensilver, lead, iron and gold were mined inPurin, towards Melogno Hill.
Peasant culture and silver
RIALTO
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21
The Manie Plateau and the Pora Valley
Town Hall tel. 019 65 114www.inforiviera.it/blu/rialto.cfm
Agriturismo Del Pontevia Ferriera 5, tel. 019 65 110
Agriturismo La Cà dell’Alpevia Alpe 6 o 10, tel. 019 688 030
Agriturismo Podere Bricchetto(oil, cheese and fruit)via Melogno 14, tel. and fax 019 65 146, www.poderebricchetto.it
Osteria del Dinvia Pian dei Corsi 1, Melogno, tel. 019 64 184, 347 478 8718, 338 686 1266
Museo della Civiltà Contadinavia Benso 5, loc. Chiesa, tel. 019 65 114 (Town Hall)
Vivaio forestale e Rifugio escursionistico Pian dei CorsiRoad between Carbuta and Melogno, tel. 019 65 498, 019 681 037
RialtoWhere, how and when
Rialto is a hospitable village. Localcuisine can be enjoyed at theAgriturismo Del Ponte (guest farm) ina seventeenth-century building, whichalso sells oil, fruit and vegetables, or atthe Agriturismo La Cà dell’Alpe (guestfarm), which also offers accommodation,horse riding, a swimming pool (forchildren), and “leaf-peeping”(learninghow to identify the leaves of the foresttrees). The Agriturismo PodereBricchetto (guest farm) offersaccommodation and sells oil, fruit andvegetables. The forests of Pian dei Corsiare home to the Vivaio Forestale colRifugio Escursionistico (woodlandnursery and trekking refuge), which isideal for those walking the Alta Via deiMonti Liguri (Upper Ligurian MountainWay) and sells woodland andornamental plants. Finally, thereis the Osteria del Din (inn),almost at Melogno Hill, whichboasts a well-stocked cellar offoreign wines (ranging from Frenchto South African) and a sweetgreen liqueur based on Arquebuse,which is well worth sampling.
Hospitality in Rialto
Ingredients for 4 people:1kg lean boar meat, 3-4 carrots,2 onions, 2 cloves garlic,sprig of rosemary, 1 stick celery,1l red wine, salt and pepper to taste
Marinate the meat and the choppedvegetables for 6-8 hours in the wine.before cooking, setting aside the wine.Sauté the meat in a large pan and brown
the vegetables separately. When thevegetables have browned, liquidise
with the wine and add the sauceto the meat. Season to taste andsimmer, adding a little stock ifnecessary. The sauce should have
a creamy consistency.
A recipe from the Osteria delDin in Rialto: Wild boar in wine
The Bormida di Màllareand Bormida di Pàllare Valleys
The two valleys of the minor Bormida rivers –the Bormida di Màllare and Bormida di Pàllare– remind us of how Italy and Europe must havelooked until the Middle Ages: a succession ofmajestic forests, where gigantic beech trees gaveway to chestnuts and willows and alders grewalong the banks of little lakes. The forests wereinhabited by wild boar, roe deer and hawks anddotted with farming villages, offering hospitality,food and rest to travellers and pilgrims.
Today most of the travellers arriveby car, but theforests,
hospitality, foodand rest remainthe same.
A world of beech trees
BORMIDA
Logically enough, several of thenumerous sources of the RiverBormida are located in themunicipality of Bormida. It is said tobe the greenest in Italy, with almost500 inhabitants in an area of woodedhills crisscrossed by paths and mountainstreams, populated by wild animals andboasting extensive panoramic ridges,typical of the entire valley. CascinaPiagna, above Pian Soprano is a wildlifecentre with an environmental educationworkshop. The ridge facing Osiglia housesa modern wind farm, where the sailsof a gigantic twenty-first-centurywindmill turn in the air, in the bestDon Quixote tradition.
Leaving behind red Palazzo della Ferriera inPian Soprano, where the iron imported fromElba was once worked, visitors encounter theNapoleonic trenches on Mount Ronco di Maglioand the Strada della Regina (Queen’s Road).Its name commemorates Margarita Teresa, thedaughter of Philip IV of Spain, who passedthrough here on the occasion of her marriageto the Austrian Emperor Leopold I in 1666.
Up where the riveris born
History has leftits mark
the other riviera
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…is the only way to describe fazéni, little potato flatbreads cooked on the stove and drizzled with oil andgarlic. A speciality of these valleys, they are often eatenwith local honey, fruit, mushrooms and chestnuts. Goodeateries in Bormida are the Locanda Ristorante La Casadel Viandante (inn and restaurant) and the Trattoria daPiero, in Piano Sottano, which offers authentic homecooking – light as well as very tasty. Piano Sopranois home to the Trattoria Pizzeria Serena. Visitorscan stay at the recently built B&B Il Bosco Magicoand B&B Pineta di Bormida in Pirotti, the B&B LaCasa di Magalì in Chiesa, or the B&B Frumento in Costa.
Mouthwatering…
23
Màllare
Pàlla
re
Borm
ida
A stone’s throwfrom the sea
Bormida590 metres above sea level,16 km from the A6 motorwayexit (Altare), 22 km from thesea (Finale Ligure)
Pàllare400 metres above sea level,8 km from the A6 motorwayexit (Altare), 25 km from thesea (Vado Ligure) and 30 kmfrom the sea (Finale Ligure)
Màllare460 metres above sea level,11 km from the A6 motorwayexit (Altare), 28 km from thesea (Vado Ligure) and 31 kmfrom the sea (Finale Ligure)
FINALE LIGURE VADO LIGURE
Town Hall tel. 019 54 718www.inforiviera.it/blu/bormida.cfm
B&B Il Bosco Magicodi Biassiolo Michelaloc. Pirotti n. 20, tel. 019 54 785
B&B La Casa di Magalìdi Cavelli Florianaloc. Chiesa n. 45, tel. 019 54 883
B&B La Pineta di Bormidadi Ambrosini Claudioloc. Pirotti n. 26
… and populated by the 900inhabitants of Pàllare, on anotherhead branch of the River Bormida.Pàllare has Roman origins andbecame an independent communein 1795, just in time to betraversed and sacked byNapoleon’s troops. Five sculptedrocks in the Biestro Forest areknown as “Napoleon’s Stones”and may have been gun pits orthe bases for a bridge. The rockcarvings on the road to Bric dellaCosta, on the other hand, aremuch more ancient.
PÀLLARE
B&B Frumentodi Frumento Giuseppe - loc. Costa n. 9tel. 019 54 615Locanda RistoranteLa Casa del Viandantevia Piano Sottano 27, tel. 019 54 835Trattoria da Pierovia Piano Sottano 40, tel. 019 54 804Trattoria Pizzeria Serenavia Piano Soprano 42tel. 019 54 769
A landscapedominated bychestnut and firtrees…
Is Pàllare a town ofastronomers? Perhaps not,but the sundials paintedon the walls of its ruralhouses are an interestingtestimony of art andscience.
Art andscience
BormidaWhere, how and when
the other riviera Pallare
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Bormida
Pàllare’s cuisine includes lisotto(a flat bread, cooked on thegriddle and served with variouskinds of sweet and savoury sauces)and, more generally, inlandLigurian and Piedmontese dishes.Its “temples” are the RistoranteLady Blue, the first on the roadfrom Carcare; the Ristorante laTrota d’Oro, in the centre of town;the Osteria San Lazzaro Pescatore(inn), offering themed evenings,on the main road to Bormida; andthe Trattoria Franca, in the smallcountry village of Biestro.A maze of paths runs across thecountryside around Biestro,through a world of woods, valleysand uplands with uncertainboundaries. It is the setting forthe Fattoria degli Antichi Sapori(guest farm), which offers foodand accommodation and issituated between Biestro andCostabella.
Sparse pastures, a fewhamlets and woods: thisis Pàllare, home tobizarre, curious trees, likethe six monumentalbeeches that have grownup together with a hophornbeam on the ruinsof the Notola Farmin the UpperBiestro Valley. Orthe almosthorizontal pinetree in Retanodelle Surie,which has threeyounger pinesgrowing out ofits trunk.
Town Hall tel. 019 590 250www.inforiviera.it/blu/pallare.cfm
Agriturismo la Fattoriadegli antichi saporiloc. Culazzi 3, Biestrotel. 019 590 054
Osteria di San Lazzaro Pescatorevia Fornelli 1, tel. 019 590 313
Ristorante la Trota d’Oropiazza San Marco 11tel. 019 590 051
Ristorante Pizzeria Lady Bluevia Contei 14, tel. 019 590 169
Trattoria Francavia Roma 10, Biestrotel. 019 590 065
Green giants
The local cuisine
25
Bormida di Màllare and di Pàllare Valleys
PàllareWhere, how and when
…are the chief attractions of Màllare,an elegant, colourful village with 1,300inhabitants in the UpperBormida Valley, whichgives its name to oneof the three headbranches of the river.Màllare grew up alongan ancient salt routeand shared the commondestiny of the regionduring the feudal period.
Màllare was once famousthroughout Italy for its wovenchestnut wicker grape baskets.Today only a handful of craftsmen stillmake them. Local gourmet traditions, onthe other hand, are thriving. Codevillaproduces one of the Bormida Valley’sexcellent farmhouse breads, whilst fassiniare disks of potato dough cooked on agriddle and seasoned with garlic poundedwith oil. Other specialities that deserveto be tasted are hazelnut cake and turcett,sweet biscuits with rum filling.
MÀLLARE
The Màllare Forest, not far from thehamlet of Eremita on the slopes ofMount Alto, boasts a splendid beechwood, whose solemn and majestictrees are much admired and respectedby visitors. Four of them are listedas monumental trees in Liguria, andtheir trunks have a circumference ofalmost eight metres, making themone of the greatest wonders of theRiviera delle Palme. They stand in thebeech wood of Benevento, which isreached from Eremita, via the roadthat climbs the Colla di San Giacomo,a hill offering stunning views overthe Finale Ligure area, and descendsthe other side. Another monumentaltree – a 150-year-old arborvitae –stands by the striking ironworks inCodevilla, where the iron importedfrom Elba, unloaded in Finale Ligureand brought here by mules was workedfrom the fifteenth century onwards.Next to the ironworks is an elegantmanor house with a seventeenth-century family chapel.
Traces of Màllare’s past can be seen in thepicturesque narrow streets of its historic district,and the medieval Casa del Conte, the residenceof the Del Carretto family. Several fine countrychurches can be found outside the village, inparticular the Santuario dell’Eremita (Sanctuaryof the Hermit) – built around 1000 AD on apre-existing pagan building – and the twelfth-century Fornelli Abbey, in Lombard Gothic style,which is more easily reached from Pàllare.
Peasant culture andnatural resources…
The Beneventobeeches and thePiantelli Ironworks
History told by churches
Handicrafts andgood cooking
the other riviera Màllare
26
The road that leads from Altare to Màllareoffers the opportunity for lunch at theRistorante K3 in Acque, or at the RistoranteDel Poggio, beyond the winding roads ofMontefreddo. The Pizzeria Mediterraneaand the Ristorante La Lanterna – a memberof the Slow Food movement and featuringa well-stocked wine cellar – are both locatedfurther on, towards the village itself, whilstthe Ristorante all’Eremo is situated nearthe Santuario dell’Eremita.Visitors to Màllare can stay at theAgriturismo Il Frutteto (guest farm) up inthe Eremita Valley, which also boasts a ridingschool with fine horses, a gym and excellentLigurian and Piedmontese cuisine. A littlehigher up is the Ristorante Il Cadotto, andthe Colla di San Giacomo hill beyond.The main road that leads to theupper valley is home to theTrattoria del Pozzo alleFucine and the Trattoriadi Rosa Oliveri(without any signs ordirections) by theevocativeironworks inCodevilla.
Town Hall tel. 019 586 009www.inforiviera.it/blu/mallare.cfm
Abbazia di FornelliPàllare-Bormida main road, visits canbe booked through the Savona branchof the FAI (Italian EnvironmentFoundation), tel. 019 829 895(Luisa Faccio); 339 747 1308(Graziella Ferrari)
Agriturismo Il Fruttetoloc. Cadotto 7, tel. 019 586 375
Ristorante all'Eremoloc. Eremita 2/R, tel. 019 586 402
Ristorante Del Poggiovia Poggio 4, Montefreddotel. 019 586 210
Ristorante K3loc. Acque 1, tel. 019 586 004
Ristorante Il Cadottoloc. Cadotto 2, tel. 019 586 050
Ristorante La Lanternaloc. Panelli 5, tel. 019 586 300
Ristorante Pizzeria Mediterraneaviale Luigi Corsi 40, tel. 019 586 296
Trattoria del Pozzoloc. Fucine 49, tel. 019 586 044
Trattoria Rosa Oliveriloc. Ferriere Codevillatel. 019 586 530 27
A few good addresses
Bormida di Màllare and di Pàllare Valleys
MàllareWhere, how and when
Millesimo is one of the numerous Bormidavalleys that form the backbone of theSavona Apennines, and it has closegeographical and historical links withPiedmont. There is a flavour of Piedmontin the area’s dialects, cookery and sportingtraditions. It blends perfectly with thescent of the Ligurian sea air, which risesfrom the dividing ridge, carried by themarin, the warm, salty wind that gives thewild mushrooms of this valley theirparticular aroma.
The Bormidadi Millesimo Valley
The Riviera witha Piedmontese flavour
the other riviera
FINALE LIGURE
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The 500 inhabitants of Osiglia, wholive on the shores of a striking, deep,artificial lake, are descended from pre-Roman ancestors. Part of the villagewas flooded when the lake was dug inthe 1930s, but it perhaps the mostbeautiful in Liguria, with an elegantSwiss air that would not look out ofplace amongst the mountains ofLucerne. It hosts international rowingand canoeing events, fishing contestsand a costume regatta aboardhomemade craft. Visitors can stay atthe Campeggio del Lago (campsite)on its shores, stroll around the lakesidepath or cross the Manfrin Bridge thatdivides it in two. The many churchesscattered around its hamlets includethe Magione (“Manor”) of San Giacomoin Ronchi, which belonged to theKnights Templar before being entrustedto the Knights of Malta.
Osigl
ia
Millesim
o
Ceng
io
Rocca
vigna
le
Plodio
Cossè
ria
OSIGLIA
A village and a lake
A stone’s throwfrom the sea
Osiglia710 metres above sea level15 km from the A6 motorway exit(Millesimo), 25 km from the sea(Finale Ligure)
Millesimo430 metres above sea level1 km from the A6 motorway exit(Millesimo), 30 km from the sea(Vado Ligure)
Cengio400 metres above sea level1 km from the A6 motorway exit(Millesimo), 34 km from the sea(Vado Ligure)
Roccavignale500 metres above sea level3 km from the A6 motorway exit(Millesimo), 32 km from the sea(Vado Ligure)
Plodio500 metres above sea level3 km from the A6 motorway exit(Millesimo), 32 km from the sea(Vado Ligure)
Cossèria510 metres above sea level3 km from the A6 motorway exit(Millesimo), 32 km from the sea(Vado Ligure)
E
29
The Slow Food Presidium for“dried Calizzano and Murialdochestnuts” also dries and
protects the chestnutsof Osiglia, which arestill cookedaccording totraditional recipes:
boiled and flavouredwith fennel seeds or roasted.
Along with these russetautumn treasures, visitors cantaste delicious fresh andcreamy Robiola cheese madefrom sheep’s milk and producedand sold by the AziendaAgricola Mauro Carle (farm)in Ronchi, situated in afarmhouse on a hillock belowthe dam. Accommodation isoffered by the B&B di DanieleCoralli, the AlbergoRistorante La Posta (hoteland restaurant), or the AlbergoRistorante Alpino (hotel andrestaurant) above the lake,in Barberis. The RistorantePizzeria C’era una Volta,also in Barberis, and theRistorante Tavernetta delleTrote in Borgo both serveexcellent food.
Like all the villages in the Bormida Valley, Osiglia issurrounded by thick woods and huge chestnut trees.The extensive network of paths crosses a protectedbeach wood and reaches Melogno Hill, at an altitudeof over 1000 metres. The ridge separating the OsigliaValley from the River Bormida di Pàllare is home to awind farm jointly run by the town councils of Osigliaand Bormida. It is a handsome sight, as well as a cleansource of energy.
Town Hall tel. 019 542 085www.inforiviera.it/blu/osiglia.cfm
Albergo Ristorante Alpinovia Rossi 7, tel. 019 542 090
Albergo Ristorante La Postaloc. Rossi 24, tel. 019 542 080
Azienda Agricola Mauro Carle (sheep’s cheeses)loc. Ronchi 21, tel. 333 72 43 518
B&B Daniele Coralliloc. Barberis 7, tel. 019 512 996
Campeggio del Lagoloc. Barberis, tel. 348 224 1378
Ristorante Pizzeria C’era una Voltaloc. Barberis 27, tel. 019 512 998
Ristorante Tavernetta delle Trotep.zza San Francesco 13, loc. Borgo, tel. 019 512 988
Where’s Don Quixote?Osigliafor gourmets
the other riviera Osiglia
30
OsigliaWhere, how and when
This is not just a figure of speech:Millesimo, a Roman town on theVia Aemilia Scauri with 3,300inhabitants, belongs to the “MostBeautiful Villages in Italy” Club.A stroll around its streets will enablevisitors to see its palaces, castles,bridges and churches.
31
Millesimo’s medievalheritage can still be seenin the ruins of its castle,perched on the hill, andmany details of itshouses, such as massivewooden beams, lowarcades and stoneportals. Enrico II DelCarretto made it themountain capital of hismarquisate, boosting itsgrowth. The ParishChurch of the Annunziataand the watchtower onthe arch of thethirteenth-centuryGaietta Bridge both dateback to the fifteenthcentury.The handsomesixteenth-centurysquare is thesite of theturreted palaceof the DelCarretto Marquises,housing the town hall,and featuring one of thefinest and most completesundials in Northern Italy.
One of the most beautifulvillages in Italy
A castle, abridge, a squareand a sundial…
MILLESIMO
Bormida di Millesimo ValleyMillesimo
The area between Millesimo and theSantuario della Madonna del Deserto(Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Desert)is the starting point for paths thatcross the protected areas of the Tre ReValley and the Bric Tana, part of aregional park with characteristic karstformations, caves and sinkholes.Excavations near the “Tana dell’Orpe”cave have uncovered a rare LigurianBronze-Age settlement, not far from agroup of menhirs with rock engravings.
Millesimo’s two most evocativechurches are also well worth a visit:the medieval Romanesque ParishChurch of Santa Maria Extramuros and,on the road leading to Cengio, theformer Cistercian Monastery of SantoStefano. It was built in 1211 andconverted into a private home at thebeginning of the twentieth century, andhas a tower by Gino Coppedè and severalinteresting frescoes. The round dome ofthe solitary eighteenth-century Santuariodella Madonna del Deserto stands outabove the woods of the upper valley,a few kilometres above the village.
Millesimo’s vicinityto Piedmont canalso be deducedfrom the factthat it holds an
annual fair in honourof white truffles, for the
quality of the local specimensrivals those of Alba. Gourmet specialitiesof the Bormida Valley include raw salami,fazzini (potato bread) and frizze (or grive):a local salami made from pork liver, sausagemeat and juniper berries (a local substitutefor the more expensive pepper). Anotherspeciality of the area is rice and leek tart.Luciana Oliveri’s cheeses can be purchasedin Chiesa, whilst the Cooperativa AllevatoriBestiame CAB (Livestock Farmers’Cooperative) sells its meat at the OK Market.
…and a few churches
Protected natureand prehistory…
GourmetMillesimo
The Museo Mineralogico (MineralMuseum) and the MuseoNapoleonico (Napoleonic Museum)are housed in Villa Scarzella,which was built near the castleduring the twentieth century.
Napoleon andhis museum
the other riviera Millesimo
32
33
Town Hall tel. 019 564 007www.inforiviera.it/blu/millesimo.cfm
Albergo Ristorante La GaiettaPiazza Libertà 98, tel. 333 241 5618
Bar Ristorante Jolly Caffèvia Partigiani 50, tel. 019 565 322
Cooperativa Allevatori Bestiame CAB(production and sale of meat)via Trento e Trieste 139presso OK Market
Luciana Oliveri (cheese)loc. Chiesa 73tel. 019 565 193
Museo Mineralogicoand Museo Napoleonicovia Enrico del Carretto 29tel. 019 564 007 (Town Hall)
Pizzeria da Ninopiazza Libertà 93tel. 019 564 444
Ristorante del DesertoSantuario del Desertotel. 019 564 022
Ristorante Msè Tuttaloc. Monastero 8, tel. 019 564 226
Trattoria Nazionalevia Garibaldi 10tel. 019 565 019, 019 565 527
Visitors to Millesimo can stopfor a bite at the Albergo
Ristorante La Gaietta (hotel andrestaurant), the nearby Pizzeria da
Nino, the Trattoria Nazionale or theRistorante Jolly Caffè. The turretedMonastery of Santo Stefano, on the roadto Cengio, offers lunch in its RistoranteMsè Tutta, whilst those visiting theSantuario del Deserto can try theRistorante del Deserto, immersedin the green landscape.
Some goodaddresses
Bormida di Millesimo Valley
MillesimoWhere, how and when
Cengio owes its name to thecengi, rocky spurs that breakthe profile of the lush,green hills. The original coreof this municipality of 4,000inhabitants is the oldhamlet of Cengio Alto,a Piedmontese-style littlehilltop village clusteredaround a ruined castle.Nearby is the hamlet ofChiesa, which was theoriginal town centre.The modern centre, on theother hand, grew up alongthe river close to the borderwith Piedmont in the earlytwentieth century, followingthe valley’s industrialdevelopment.
CENGIO
Cengio’s chief sportingpassion, like that of theentire Bormida Valley, ispallone elastico (elasticball), a typical sport inwestern Liguria and lowerPiedmont that combinesstrength, elegance anddexterity. It is played onspecial courts or, moreinformally, in the churchsquares. Additional tracesof Piedmont can be foundin the local dialect, whichis also influenced byProvençal, and the cuisine.
“Cinglum”
…although not to escapefrom ferocious beasts orwicked witches. The fieldsand woods around the RiverParasacco are crisscrossed bya fitness trail that enableshealthy physical exercise tobe enjoyed whilst learningthe secrets and discoveringthe wonders of this small butuntamed natural area.
Between Liguriaand Piedmont
Running and jumpingin the woods…
the other riviera Cengio
34
For several years nowCengio has createdan unusualilluminated nativityscene that is verypopular with visitors.
Christmasilluminations
Town Hall tel. 019 554 035www.inforiviera.it/blu/cengio.cfmRistorante Il Cantucciovia Valbormida 37, Geneprotel. 019 555 152Ristorante Pizzeria Pappa e BuffaVia Valbormida 99, Geneprotel. 019 554 317Trattoria Conca d’Oropiazza IV Novembre, Rocchettatel. 019 554 229Trattoria il CastelloPiazza Libertà 19, tel. 019 554 000
Roccavignale is one of the greenest Ligurianmunicipalities in Italy’s greenest province, with75% of its territory consisting of woods andcountryside. Its 700 inhabitants are thedescendents of the medieval vine-dressers andthe prehistoric Ligurians who erected the dolmenin Ghiare. They now live scattered in four hamletsof varying age and scenic appeal, which all enjoythe cool country air, despite being situated justa few minutes’ drive from the sea.
Cengio’s cuisine can be discovered andenjoyed at the Ristorante Il Cantuccioor the Ristorante Pizzeria Pappa e Buffa,near the railway station in Genepro.
Cengio Alto is home to the finely decoratedTrattoria il Castello, whilst the peaceful
hamlet of Rocchetta Cengio has the friendly andwelcoming Trattoria Conca d’Oro, with its wood-burning oven.
ROCCAVIGNALE
The pleasures of the table
Green Liguria
35
Bormida di Millesimo Valley
CengioWhere, how and when
Roccavignale
Roccavignale
A twenty-yeartradition attractsthousands of peopleto Roccavignale eachChristmas, when thevillage stages a hugeliving nativity scenefor three days,featuring twohundred people.
Town Hall tel. 019 564 103www.inforiviera.it/blu/roccavignale.cfm
Albergo Ristorante da Librinavia delle Scuole 42, Camponuovo, tel. 019 568 202
Albergo Ristorante Orizzontevia Partigiani 22, Pianissolo, tel. 019 568 034(closed until spring 2005)
B&B Ai Piani del Soletel. 339 462 4370, 335 669 3570
The ruined castle of thehamlet of Vazèmola hasbeen partially restoredand is truly imposing.It dates back to thetwelfth and thirteenthcenturies and belongedto the powerful DelCarretto family. Itstands below the villagebecause the fiefdom ofRoccavignale collectedthe transit tolls on thesalt route. It is now thevenue for evocativeopen-air shows and itsimposing bulk can beadmired from themotorway to Turin.
… has mixed Ligurian andPiedmontese origins. It canbe savoured at the elegantcountry-style AlbergoRistorante Orizzonte (hotel andrestaurant) amidst the muraled housesof the scenic village of Pianissolo, and beneath the greathorse chestnut tree of the Albergo Ristorante da Librina(hotel and restaurant) in the small Piedmontese-style villageof Camponuovo, in the woods beyond the castle. The B&BAi Piani del Sole is ideal for an overnight stay.
Baby Jesusis born
They “talk funny” in Roccavignale:the local dialect, especially in Borgodi Strada, has unique characteristics.They developed when Strada’shaberdashers began to make contactwith the Piedmontese markets.It would be well worth learning…
A majesticcastle
A specialdialect
The tasty localcooking…
the other riviera
36
RoccavignaleWhere, how and when
This is the annual event that best describes the agriculturalcharacter of Plodio, a small village with 500 inhabitantson the watershed between the Bormida di Millesimo andthe Bormida di Pàllare Valleys. It has a long history: rockengravings at Bric della Colla testify to man’s presence inthe area since the Bronze Age. Plodio’s destiny subsequentlyfollowed a similar course to that of its neighbours in thevalley, passing between the Del Carretto and Savoy Marquises.The distant peaks of the Alps can be admired from theChapel of Sant’Anna e Santa Lucia on the hill.
Plodio’s woods are ideal for walking as they are crisscrossedby paths shaded by trees and accompanied by the murmurof streams. The thick vegetation between Plodio and theroad between Càrcare and Biestro is the location of theSieizi Spring, which is renowned for the diuretic propertiesof its waters. The surrounding woods offer ceps, ovolimushrooms, and even the odd truffle. Piani is home to thearchery range belonging to the Società di Tiro con l’Arco“Volpe Argentata” (archery club).
PLODIO
The Farmer’s Festival
Sport and good water
37
Bormida di Millesimo Valley
Cossèria is mentioned in a diploma issuedby Emperor Otto I under the nameCrux Ferrea. The village now has 1,000inhabitants, and boasts a ruined castle andmany other attractions. The ruins of themedieval castle are surrounded by a silent,evocative wood offering wonderful viewsover the Maritime Alps and the Langhe. Thepaths around the village are ideal forhorseback or mountain bike excursions.
Two excellent places to pausefor refreshment in Piani, onthe main road leadingup from Càrcare, arethe Ristorante dalTabacchino, which offerstruffles and grilled meat,and the elegantly decoratedRistorante Locanda dellaFontana on the edge of thevillage.
Town Hall tel. 019 519 649www.inforiviera.it/blu/plodio.cfm
Locanda e Ristorante della Fontanaloc. Piani 26, tel. 019 511 229
Ristorante dal Tabacchinovia Piani 4, tel. 019 518 091
338 492 4751
Soc. Volpe Argentata Tiro con l'Arcocampo ai Piani
information from the Town Hall
Eating and drinkingin Plodio
COSSÈRIA
A ruined castlein the woods
the other riviera Plodio
PlodioWhere, how and when
38
Cossèria is best known for the battle between the younggeneral Napoleon Bonaparte and the Austrian and Savoyarmy, which took place on 13 and 14 April 1796. Followinghis victory at the Battle of Cossèria, Napoleon began hisglorious yet tragic imperial adventure, which ended atWaterloo twenty years later. The battle inspired GiosuèCarducci’s bold verses of the poem entitled La Bicocca diSan Giacomo. In Cossèria the Napoleonic vicissitudes oftwo hundred years ago are commemorated with celebrationsand costume re-enactments, accompanied by shows andconferences.
39
This ancient traditioncomes from the BormidaValley and the hillsof Piedmont.During Easter weekadults and childrengather in the streets tosing an ancient song,sung by farmers manyyears ago. In returnthey all receivean egg.Today the traditionhas taken on a morehumanitarian angle:all proceeds go tointernational charities.
At the turn of the twentieth century Liguria’srich and noble families enthusiastically builtelegant and bizarre buildings (“castles”) in ArtNouveau or eclectic style in both the city andthe country. Quassolo’s Piantelli Castle is oneof the best examples in the region and itsgrounds are an interesting natural area,containing many tall trees and wild animals.
Napoleon’s battle and Napoleonic events
Singingfor eggs
Quassolo Castle
Bormida di Millesimo ValleyCossèria
Wild mushrooms andtruffles take pride ofplace in Cossèria. TheRistorante LaCoccinella, on the mainroad at Case Lidora, isperfect for a meal. It ispublicised by artistic businesscards and run by two dynamicyoung girls. Another good choiceis the Albergo Ristorante al Castello(hotel and restaurant) on the hillside,which organises historical gourmet daysalong the Napoleonic trails. Home-produced meat and charcuterie productsare available from both Eraldo Bergeroin Mussi, and Ercole Pizzorno in Bosi.
Each year the municipality of Cossèria organisesa lively literary competition for Italians livingabroad. It may seem strange, but works ofliterature from every corner of the globe arrivein this little-known small town in Savona’s inlandarea. And it is no coincidence that the parkopposite the Church of San Rocco is home toan unusual sculpture – a monument to women– carved from Carrara marble by the Italian-Argentinian sculptor Noemi Sanguinetti.
What to eat andwhere to stay
Italians worldwide
the other riviera Cossèria
40
Ingredients for 4 people:Gnocchi: 500g potatoes, 1 egg, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, grated nutmeg, 200g flourSauce: 200g Fontina or Raclette cheese, 20g flour, 20g butter,1/2 glass milk, 100g grated Parmesan cheese
Boil the potatoes in their skins in plenty of water. When they arecooked, peel them when still warm and pass through a ricer.
Heap onto a worktop, form a well and add the egg, nutmeg, Parmesan,oil and flour. Mix all the ingredients together quickly to make a smooth,
soft dough. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 2 cm and use a pastry cutteror glass to cut out 8 cm rounds.
Cook the rounds of dough in plenty of boiling salted water, drain and place in a greasedovenproof dish. Dice the cheese, dust lightly with the flour and melt in a bain-mariewith the butter and milk until it forms a thick cream. Spread the sauce over the gnocchiand sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven (180°C) for about 10 minutes,until browned. Serve straight from the oven.
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Town Hall tel. 019 519 608www.inforiviera.it/blu/cosseria.cfm
Albergo Ristorante al CastelloLoc. Bosi 12, tel. 019 519 615digilander.libero.it/mangiedormi
Eraldo Bergero(production and sale of meat)loc. Mussi 218, tel. 019 519 315
Ercole Pizzorno(homemade traditional meat specialities)loc. Bosi 18, tel. 019 519 610
Ristorante La CoccinellaCase Lidora 66, tel. 019 514 2050
A recipe from Cossèria CastleGnocchi “Al Castello”
Bormida di Millesimo Valley
CossèriaWhere, how and when
Isola di Bergeggi
The valleys betweenFinale and Bergeggi
GENOVASAVONA
A10
the other riviera
ACQUI TERM
ESAVONA
Finale Ligure
Varigotti
Noli
SpotornoBergeggi
Vezzi Portio
Feglino
Orco
Calice Ligure
Osiglia
Bormida
MàllarePàllare
Plodio
Cosseria
Carcare
Rialto
Finalpia
San Bernardino
Monticello
Perti
Borgo
Marina
Eze
Calvi
VeneCarbuta
Monte SelvaLe Manie
Verzi
Isasco
Calvisio
Boragni
Magnone
Gandoglia
Voze
Serra
Tosse
Segno
San GiorgioSan Filippo
Rocca di Perti397
Bric Pianarella333
Monte Cucco357
Rocca di Corno315
Rocca degli Uccelli332
Bric Care482
Bric Berba482
Cima delle Rocche482
Rocca dei Corvi793
Bric Frabosa673
Monte Alto954
Monte Baraccone821
Cime Ronco di Maglio1103
Bric del Gallo882
Piano dei Corsi1028
Monte Camulera1224
Altare
Millesimo
Cengio
RoccavignaleMurialdoCalizzano
CanovaIsallo
Magliolo
Bardino
Olle
Gorra
Colladi San Giacomo
Rocca Carpanea
A6
T. Segno
T. Trexenda
F. Bormida diMallare
S.S.1
T. Aquila
R. Pora
T. Sciusa
Lago di Osiglia
F. Bormida
di Pallare
F. Bormida di Millesimo
PONTINVREASAVONA
IMPE
RIA
PIET
RA L
IGU
REIM
PERI
A FR
ANCI
A
GARE
SSIO
CUNE
O
Colle del Melogno1028
Madonnadella Guardia
Capo diCaprazoppa
Capo Noli
VADOSAVONA
S.S.30 CairoMontenotte
Madonnadelle Grazie
490
S.S.29
T. Maremol
aMonte Settepani
1386
Madonnadella Neve
T. Osiglietta
Editorial production: M&R Comunicazione - GenovaTexts: Gian Antonio Dall’AglioEditing: Fabrizio CalziaEnglish translation: Polylingua EnterprisesGraphic design and make-up: Alessia MassariMap and illustrations: Marco FerrarisPhotography: Archivio APT Riviera delle Palme, Archivio M&R, Fabrizio Calzia, Mario Camuffo,Renato Cottalasso, Gian Antonio Dall’Aglio, Fabrizio Gioberti, Alessia Massari, Federico Panzano.Thanks to the Commune of Calice Ligure for permission to reproduce the photo of Emilio Scanavino'swork, and to the Commune of Cosseria for the photo of the Napoleonic battle re-enactment.Printing: Algraphy – Genova
© 2004, Agency of Touristic Promotion Riviera delle Palme
the other riviera
Olives and oil
Golf
Bed&BreakfastRestaurant
Sport
Wine
The territory map uses these symbols:
The information regarding each business was checked by the editor and was updated in May 2004.Thanks in advance to our readers for reporting any changes. As they are subject to variations,opening hours of restaurants are available on the website www.inforiviera.it or by calling theestablishments.The information contained in this booklet is in no way derived from advertisements.
Harbour Monument Hotel Typical productsand guest farm
Beach Plantsand flowers
Honey RidingOrganicfarming
Crafts Walks
This guide describes each valleyof the territory along routes thatgo “municipality bymunicipality”. Each area includesdifferent topics highlighted bysymbols and a colour code:
Locality
Art and History
Nature and Sport
Gastronomy
Accommodation
How to consult this guide
Wine, Oil,Distillates
Information andUseful Numbers
free
cop
y
Head officeAlassio (17021) - Viale Gibb, 26tel. 0182 647 11 - fax 0182 644 690www.inforiviera.ite-mail: [email protected]
Information and Tourist Reception Offices - I.A.T.
Alassio & Le Baie del Sole
Alassio (17021)Via Mazzini, 68tel. 0182 647 027 - fax 0182 647 874e-mail: [email protected] (17031)Piazza Corridoni, 11tel. 0182 558 444 - fax 0182 558 740e-mail: [email protected] (17051)Via Aurelia, 122/a - Villa Lauratel. 0182 681 004 - fax 0182 681 807e-mail: [email protected] (17023)Via Aurelia, 224/atel. 0182 993 007 - fax 0182 993 804e-mail: [email protected] (17033) seasonalVia Roma, 1tel. e fax 0182 582 114e-mail: [email protected] (17053)Via Roma, 2tel. 0182 690 059 - fax 0182 691 798e-mail: [email protected] (17037)Piazza IV Novembre, 11tel. e fax 0182 547 423e-mail: [email protected] d’Albenga (17038)seasonalVia Garibaldi, 5tel. e fax 0182 582 498e-mail: [email protected]
Il Loanese & Il Pietrese
Borghetto Santo Spirito (17052)Piazza Libertà, 1tel. e fax 0182 950 784e-mail: [email protected] Verezzi (17022)seasonalVia Matteotti, 158tel. e fax 019 610 412e-mail: [email protected] (17025)Corso Europa, 19tel. 019 676 007fax 019 676 818e-mail: [email protected] Ligure (17027)Piazza San Nicolò, 36tel. 019 629 003fax 019 629 790e-mail: [email protected] (17055)Piazzale Grottetel. 0182 989 938fax 0182 984 63e-mail: [email protected]
Il Finalese
Bardineto (17057) seasonalPiazza della Chiesa, 6tel. 019 790 72 28 - fax 019 790 72 93e-mail: [email protected] (17042) seasonalVia Aurelia - tel. e fax 019 859 777e-mail: [email protected] (17057) seasonalPiazza San Rocco - tel. e fax 019 791 93e-mail: [email protected] Ligure (17024)• Finalmarina - Via San Pietro, 14tel. 019 681 019 - fax 019 681 804e-mail: [email protected]• Finalborgo seasonalPiazza Porta Testatel. 019 680 954 - fax 019 681 57 89e-mail: [email protected] (17017)Piazza Italia, 27tel. 019 560 00 78 - fax 019 560 09 70e-mail: [email protected] (17026)Corso Italia, 8 - tel. 019 749 90 03 - fax 019 749 93 00e-mail: [email protected] (17028)Piazza Matteotti, 6tel. 019 741 50 08 - fax 019 741 58 11e-mail: [email protected] (17029) seasonalVia Aurelia, 79 - tel. 019 698 013 - fax 019 698 88 42e-mail: [email protected]
Il Savonese & Il Varazzino
Albissola Marina (17012)Albisola Superiore (17013)Passeggiata E. Montale, 21tel. 019 400 20 08 - fax 019 400 30 84e-mail: [email protected] Ligure (17015)Via Boagno - Palazzo Comunaletel. 019 990 021 - fax 019 999 97 98e-mail: [email protected] (17040) seasonalPiazza Indipendenza, 1tel. 019 705 001 - fax 019 705 269e-mail: [email protected] (17046) seasonalVia G.B. Badano, 45tel. 019 724 020 - fax 019 723 832e-mail: [email protected] (17100)Corso Italia, 157 rtel. 019 840 23 21 - fax 019 840 36 72e-mail: [email protected] (17019)Via Matteotti, 56 - Palazzo Beato Jacopotel. 019 935 043 - fax 019 935 916e-mail: [email protected]
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