I cinquantotto communi della riviera ligure -- dal levante al ponente

Luigi Speranza

Sarzana (Comune No. 1). Riviera di Levante, Provincia della Spezia. Includes the coast from the mouth of the Magra towards the border with Toscana.

Ameglia (Comune No. 2)

Lerici (Comune No. 3). Villa Bobiloni

Spezia (Comune No. 4). Lawrence lived here.

Porto Venere (Comune No. 5). So called because Venus was thought of having been born here: the foam. Byron swam here.

Riomaggiore (Comune No. 6). Latin, “Rivus Maior” The first of the ‘cinque terre’.

Vernazza (Comune No. 7). The second of the ‘cinque terre’

Monterroso (Comune No. 8). Originally “Monte Russo”. The third of the cinque terre

Levanto (Comune No. 9).

Bonassola (Comune No. 10)

Framura (Comune No. 11)

Deiva (Comune No. 12). This is the last comune on the provincia della Spezia.

Moneglia (Comune No. 13). This is the first comune in the Provincia di Genova.

Sestri Levante (Comune No. 14)

Lavagna (Comune No. 15)

Chiavari (Comune No. 16)

Zoagli (Comune No. 17)

Rapallo (Comune No. 18). Sir Massimo Beerbohm lived here ("Villino Chiaro"). He died here, in "Villa Chiara".

Margherita (Comune No. 19). A new comune. It used to be two different towns. So called after church for Saint Margaret of Antioch, who fought against a dragon, and won.

Portofin (Comune No. 20). Literally, port of dolphins (Portus Dolphini).

Camogli (Comune No. 21). Literally, 'the house of women' -- i.e. sailors's women.

Recco (Comune No. 22)

Sori (Comune No. 23)

Pieve (Comune No. 24)

Bogliasco (Comune No. 25). This is the last comune in the Riviera di Ponente.

Arenzano (Comune No. 26). This is the first comune in the Riviera di Levante.

Cogoleto (Comune No. 27). This is the last comune in the Provincia di Genova

Varazze (Comune No. 28). This is the first comune in the Provincia di Savona

Ҫelle (Comune No. 29). An old monastery. Cellae. Cfr. English ‘cell’.

Albisola (Comune No. 30)

Savona (Comune No. 31). Capital city of the namesake "Provincia".

Vado (Comune No. 32)

Bergeggi (Comune No. 33). There is a nice island off Bergeggi, oddly ALSO called Bergeggi. Italian Riviera, eyewitness travel, p. 140. The town is distinctive for its houses with roof terraces overlooking the sea. The island contains ruins of two ancient churches, a monastery, and a tower.

Spotorno (Comune No. 34) D. H. Lawrence lived here at Villa Bernarda. Italian riviera, eyewitness travel, p. 141. The historic nucleus of the town retains the appearance of a fishing village, with buildings scattered along the seafront. It belonged to the bishops of Savona. They sold it to the Del Carretto.

Noli (Comune No. 35). "Italian Riviera" Eyewitness travel, p. 141. A well-preserved medieval town. There are palazzi, with loggie.

Finalmarina (Comune No. 36). Contains 16h-century palazzi.

Borgio (Comune No. 37). Italian Riviera Eyewitness travel, p. 145. A medieval borgo, with cobbled streets which alternate with gardens and orchards.

Pietra (Comune No. 38). The 'pietra' is the rocky outcrop to the northeast of the old town. "Italian Riviera", Eyewitness travel, p. 145. The Borgo Vecchio has five streets running parallel to the coastline. These feature 16th-century palazzi.

Loano (Comune No. 39). P. 145 "Italian Riviera", Eyewitness travel. It belonged to the bishops, who sold it to the Dorias. A 16th-century palazzo was built for the Dorias. It has balconies and loggias, and a gallery to the tower.

Santo Spirito (Comune No. 40)

Ceriale (Comune No. 41)

Albenga (Comune No. 42). Albingaunum. Founded on the site of a port built by the Ingauni, a Ligurian tribe. Its centro storico is one of the best-preserved in Liguria. There is the Palazzo Peolo Cepolla, on Piaza San Michele. Also Palazzo Vescovile. There are Roman ruins, including a funerary monument, "Il Pilone", on the Via Julia Augusta. Off is Isola Gallinara, once inhabited by 'galline' (hens) and hermit monks. St. Martin of Tours visited in the 4th century. At the top of the island is the "Torre di Vedetta".

Alassio (Comune No. 43). After Aledasia, daughter of Otto. Vide "Italian Riviera", Eyewitness travel, p. 152. Has some splendid ville, some art-nouveau. The Via AQurelia passes through it. There is a long carruggio (narrow street) that runs parallel with the sea, hemmed by 16th-century houses. This is nown as the Budello. From here, narrow streets (esci) fan out, leading to the sea front. There is a Muretto to the garden of the caffe.

Laigueglia (Comune No. 44). This is a tthe southern end of the bay of Alessio. A round tower, the Torrione, on the beach.

Andora (Comune No. 45). This is the last comune in the Provincia di Savona, and thus of the Riviera delle Palme. Vide "Italian Riviera", p. 152. The technical label for the coastal area is "Marina di Andora".

Cervo (Comune No. 46). This is the first comune in the provincia di Imperia. Vide "Italian Riviera", Eyewitness travel, p. 153. The village is perched on a hill between Capo Cervo and the mouth of the River Cervo. The village belonged to Del Caretto, but it was bought by the Dorias. The houses, painted in white and pale shades of yellow, overlook a single beach. There's the Castello of the Marchesi di Clavesana, a control point along the Via Aurelia. The church of San Giovanni Battista, facing the sea, has a facade that features a 'cervo' (stag). Also in the town are the Palazzo Morchio and the Palazzo Viale.

Bartolomeo (Comune No. 47)

Diano (Comune No. 48). After "Diana", the goddess of hunting.

Oneglia--Porto Maurizio (Comune No. 49). The comune is now called "Imperia". Oneglia is on the levante bank of the Impero, and Porto Maurizio on the ponente side. Oneglia lies at the centre of the Riviera dei Fiori. Oneglia (from 'olmi', a plantation of elms. Oneglia belonged to the bishops, but he sold it to the Dorias, where Andrea was born. Oneglia has a characteristic quay building, the Calata Giovan Battista Cuneo, which faces the harbour. The arcades are designed to shelter fishmongers, trattorias, and fishermen's houses. A painting in the Collegiata di San Giovanni Battista, "S. Chiara drives out the Saracens" is by De Ferrari, a native of Porto Maurizio. The central piazza is surrounded by neo-medieval palazzi. It has a centro storico which is largely a monument to the Genoese golden age. Built apres San Maurizio. At the Pinacoteca on the Piazza, works by Barabino, Rayper, Frascheri, and Semino, form part of the Rebaudi Collection, which includes 19th-century Ligurian and Genoese works. Also on the piazza is the Museo Navale. Then there's the Parasio. Charming and steep streets, lined with handsome palaces and churches, including the Convento di Santa Chiara, which has an arcade from which there is a fantastic view of the sea. It stages concerts. There's also the Oratorio di San Leonardo. In Via Acquarone, Palazzo Pagliari. Oratorio di San Leonardo, apres the local patron saint. Leonardo was born in Porto Maurizio in 1676, near the oratorio that now bears his name. The Chiesa di San Pietro is the Parasio church. It stands on the same level as a loggia overlooking the sea.

Lorenzo (Comune No. 50)

Stefano (Comune No. 51)

Riva (Comune No. 52)

Taggia (Comune No. 53). Vide "Italian Riviera", Eyewitness travel, p. 158. Strictly, this is not Taggia itself, but Arma di Taggia.

Remo (Comune No. 54). The town is divided in three: the west end is the seafront. All manner of grand ville built, including art-nouveau palazzi. The Casino was bult by Ferret. The seafront boulevard provides a wonderful taste of the aristocratic town. Beyond two lungomare, the road continues to a modern marina by the old port. At the top of the old part of town, La Pigna, is the sumptuous Santuario di Nostra Signora della Costa.

Ospedaletti (Comune No. 55)

Bordighera (Comune NO. 56). A painting by Monet, "A view of Bordighera", is evidence of the fame of the town. Many art-nouveau palazzi, and a seafront boulevard: the Lungomare Argentina, with Capo Sant'Ameplio at the far end. Famous visitors include Clarence Bicknell, a British botanist. By the sean, on Capo Sant'Ampelio is the church of Sant'Ampelio. Ampelio was a hermit who later became a saint. He lived during the 10th century. The marble sculpture at the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena is by Domenico Parodi.

Vallecrosia (Comune No. 57)

Ventimiglia (Comune No. 58). Albintimilium. Tribe: Liguri Intermelii. It includes Capo Mortola -- (after mirto), where the Hanbury brothers and Winter laid their garden. Vide p. 168, "Italian Riviera" Eyewitness travel. It straddles the Roia and the Nervia valleys. The Roia divides Ventimiglia, the town, into two. The modern half is on the coastal plain, to the east. Clearly visible from the flyover on the Via Aurelia, the Roman ruins consist of a stretch of the decumanus maximus, or main street, a few houses, and the greath baths. Also a theatre, whose western gate is practically intact. There are some fine palazzi around the piazza, some with hanging gardens, in the 16th-century tradition. The bell tower of the Cattedrale dell'Assunta is baroque.