The former fishing village on the Ligurian coast was once a favourite with the wealthy British set it offers scenic treks and seafood feasts in glorious spring sunshine whose pre-second world war British population could reach 5,000 wealthy Britons would arrive in October to escape the winter cold and then head home before the torrid Italian summer British people with that kind of wealth probably winter between Zermatt and the Caribbean But neither has Alassio great appeal to more ordinary Britons wanting a summer holiday: August temperatures can hit the high 30s the sands are taken over by beach concessions from Easter to September However good food and outdoor pursuits may find this Ligurian resort a perfect spring or autumn destination Just over an hour from Genoa (not much more from Nice) this lucky little town faces south-east over the Ligurian Sea protected by a ring of hills on a shallow curve of silvery sand called Baia del Sole (Sunshine Bay) Alassio’s microclimate sees it consistently a few degrees warmer than its neighbours with clear skies punctuated by a few spring showers A spring trip to Alassio could also take in Flauer (4-6 April in 2025) the town’s festival of cooking with flowers this year with invited Sicilian chefs widening the offering of stalls As a preview I nibble a few pinky-red begonia petals and am surprised at their zingy citrus taste – perfect in gelato views getting more spectacular with each hairpinMany Flauer events take place on Piazza dei Partigiani which has the sea on one long side and is minutes from the town’s smart pier a setting for contemporary art exhibitions until late October Inland are the narrow streets of the old town where the Old Alassio Association keeps photographs dating from before the British “discovered” it An image taken in 1860 shows Alassio a mere fishing village with just sheep and a few drying nets on the unspoilt sand views getting more spectacular with each hairpin to the village square and a church with 14th-century frescoes designed to frighten the faithful into behaving The island of Gallinara sits off Alassio, to the north-east. Photograph: Mauritius Images /AlamyThere are no refreshments in Solva, but it’s only a half-hour walk back, with the track ending close to wonderful Osteria I Matetti (see below) A longer trail leads from Alassio’s south-west edge to Moglio village with its pretty multicoloured houses and views of the bay from a different angle Moglio’s summer festival celebrates a less-appealing speciality: stewed tuna entrails with simple – intestine-free – snacks on a panoramic terrace An old poster for Balzola’s Baci biscuits created in the town’s historic pastry shop Photograph: Liz BoulterFor a deeper dive into Alassio’s hinterland who will be leading foraging walks (in English if required) during the Flauer festival She learned about wild plants for food and healing from her mother and grandmother so she is not allowed to share it with her only child On a lung- and thigh-stretching walk to Vegliasco several types of dandelion and an edible bush with lush spinachy leaves She shows me how to spot poisonous plants and explains how a herbal tea made from rosehips is a natural Prozac The strawberry tree’s leaves are good for stomach, bladder and circulatory problems, while the waxy leaves of caccialepre (Reichardia picroides) are good in salad or cooked in ravioli. Laura runs foraging walks year round Back in town I take a look at what all the British left behind: a tennis club straight out of Agatha Christie, still thriving under eightysomething British owner Joe Skordis; the Anglican church, not so thriving; and the English Library, presided over on Wednesday and Friday afternoons by another long-term resident Brit, Jacqueline Rosadoni A century ago, Alassio was all about mixed doubles, garden parties and new year balls. Times have changedBut for more of what today’s visitors might enjoy, I take to the water, meeting fisher Stefano Roascio at the town’s marina. He offers tours (from €30, ask at the tourist office) of the bay and Gallinara the rocky island visible from all the mainland villages but in 2020 the authorities stepped in to stop a Russian oligarch buying it and there are plans to open a museum and some Roman ruins as a tourist attraction it’s a handy shelter from chill breezes: Stefano anchors his boat in the island’s lee and even in low season it’s warm enough for a pre-lunch dip The palm-fringed streets of Alassio’s old town Photograph: Panther Media/AlamyWhen not entertaining tourists then cuttlefish salad and pasta with sea urchins After, I go to the Carlo Levi Gallery (Saturday having previously known the man only for his books and leftwing politics He was a regular visitor to Alassio until his death in 1975 and his paintings include post-impressionist-feeling carob trees and expressive portraiture posters and artefacts from his activist life garden parties and new year balls for assorted upper-crust Dalrymples and Hanburys and with scenic treks instead of tennis tournaments Alassio could find the inglesi falling for it all over again A room in Villa della Pergola. Photograph: Matteo CarassaleOn the edge of the old town, Casa d’Artista (doubles from €150 B&B) has sea views from the back and paintings by the owner’s mother The garden has one of Italy’s biggest collections of wisteria and spring sees a “waterfall” of them in full glory Osteria I Matetti looks unassuming but inside you are hit by a loud hum of happy patrons The walls are lined with old school photos: every local over a certain age can find themselves somewhere Young staff dash about handing plates of pasta to office workers though I am also tempted by green tagliolini with bottarga but be aware that it is the local HQ for Inter Milan fans who watch on a big screen unrolled from the ceiling on match days Balzola, the town’s opulent bakery and cafe, does crepes and gelato as well as baci di alassio, signature hazelnut biscuits sandwiched with chocolate cream. Nove is the Michelin-starred restaurant of Villa della Pergola A glorious vegan menu offers pasta with peanut green gazpacho over tomatoes cooked at just 63C and sweet delicate trombette with truffles can mean organic wine from their own nearby vineyard starters of hot panissa – chickpea-flour fritters with lemon – and fresh fried porcini then a main of pinzimonio – olive oil dip with pesto and anchovy – with the region’s freshest veg: raw spring onions The trip was provided by the town of Alassio and Alassio Marina Alassio is a place of uncommon beauty: gazing at its sea from above The story of what is now a hotel in the brilliant greenery of an extraordinary botanical park born at the end of the 19th century and saved from building speculation that would have made it disappear is the result of an act of love by an entire family starting with Antonio Ricci and Silvia Arnaud Today in the Gardens of Villa della Pergola 22 thousand square meters of area of which Alessandra Ricci one can admire an impressive variety of plants including the most important collection of wisteria in Italy with more than 40 varieties and that of agapanthus -in this case the varieties represented are more than 500- which in the flowering period between June and July give an incredible range of colors a Michelin-starred restaurant inside the facility “It was 2006 and Villa della Pergola was saved from a major project that would have destroyed part of the hill demolishing the garden structures and all the buildings Dad is from Albenga and we are three sisters all born and raised by choice in Alassio: so the link with the territory is very strong Then it was trying to rationalize and figure out what to do after winning the judicial auction It took six years just to get it back on its feet properly it had been in the hands of English families since the mid-1900s and each one brought something different." The first rooms were opened in 2009 “was to bring this place to the community in as many facets as possible It was decided to arrange them without touching anything of the original spaces recreating with a very extensive research the history of Villa della Pergola through images at first embryonically: “At first we served only breakfast but customers wanted to spend more time inside the villa who prepared very simple dishes for those who stopped here for dinner based on what she found in the market." Come 2015 and “we start grinding out the idea of opening a gourmet restaurant.” It is Giorgio Servetto who follows him from 2016 to 2021 and in 2020 came both a Michelin star and Relais & Chateaux membership.” For a couple of seasons it is another Giorgio who is in charge of the kitchens at Nove; the partnership Francesca also tells us about the many projects in the pipeline including the development of Orto Rampante on land that belonged to Carlo Levi's family A big project that has met its bureaucratic hurdles but has finally started and should see the light of day in a couple of years: "The idea is to bring the farm to life in 360 degrees Over there the Liguria of land and agriculture the restaurant and another greenhouse with four rooms: you learn The project was entrusted to Renzo Piano (family friend there is a blend of Liguria to the utmost power." Francesca's meeting with new chef Antonio Romano was professionally a bolt out of the blue: "Mutual friends put us in touch we spoke ten minutes and I felt like he was finishing my sentences and thoughts even though we didn't know each other: it was easy for me to think of him as the next step for Nove and Villa della Pergola definitely has quite a resume: after graduating from the hotel school and the most significant British stop was with Heston Blumenthal two of which were at Pergola; I did a lot of openings and I found myself within a short time being one of those who took responsibility until I became head of events abroad even if unofficially so in my third year Chef Beck sent me to Milan as sous chef in the Attimi interlude then he decided to entrust me with Castello di Fighine that I had given all there was to give: I wondered how much I could be worth as a chef without having a big name behind me.” So that's when Antonio said goodbye to the world of Heinz Beck and took a leap of faith until an opportunity came his way to replace Alessandro Mecca at Spazio 7 in Turin namely the ownership decision to leave the business after two years but in spite of everything I feel that I have grown a lot in a situation that did me as much good as bad that's okay!" Francesca Ricci tells us how the chef was given carte blanche: “Of course it is important to contextualize but in my opinion you should not force too much on the territory especially if you are in a place you don't know yet you risk doing damage (laughs).” Of course Antonio is also beginning to become familiar with the raw materials of a region rich in magnificent ingredients “We looked at the whole proposition together: hotellerie but I have to say he quickly settled in-it will come naturally to him to include more and more Liguria and we want this to be recognized as a place where the concept appears at its best in all its facets-one of the biggest compliments for me is that there is great cohesion between everything it is essential that the human factor is coordinated and consistent across all roles-it is difficult and requires a lot of commitment." But because we are talking about a team that gravitates to an average age under 30 expresses himself with elegance and taste: “The idea is that more than making ‘covers,’ it is important to use local products to make something personal even at the level of identity.” Our dinner was a remarkable experience just to name a couple, the Gillardeau oyster in tuna sauce and the cauliflower cloud with masala creme fraîche and black garlic honey confit the mouthwatering focaccia with hazelnut butter and lemon are also excellent with a salad of the vegetable marinated in saffron and the Moroccan spice flavored creme fraîche The cantaloupe is pan seared over a creamy zucchini scapece sauce and squash blossom and mint ice cream are added plums and cucumber: delicious local shrimp marinated in the extraction of its own carapace with cucumber emulsion and the same pickled lovage and plankton also centers the flavors with the fish caught in the Ligurian Sea and marinated in a Chardonnay dressing there is a return to great summer freshness: bread is revitalized with tomato water Yellow dates marinated in yellow tomato vinaigrette and tomato vinegar includes more than 30 elements of green vegetables and herbs Of explosive goodness is the raviolo del plin stuffed with blue cheese from the upper Elvo valley with apricots and roasted peppers: mustard and apricot vinegar are added to the cheese all of which is whipped with a cryo-extraction of red peppers tomato and almonds: the meat is cherry wood smoked tomato water ketchup and finally pickled almonds watermelon in osmosis in cordial of the same brigasca sheep buttermilk custard and dill buttermilk and dill ice cream; to finish custard the result is also excellent for the small pastries Via Privata Montagu, 9/1, 17021 Alassio SV Website Do you want to discover the latest news and recipes of the most renowned chefs and restaurants in the world La nostra società utilizza inoltre cookie funzionali per registrare informazioni sulle scelte dell’utente e per consentire una personalizzazione del Sito; ad esempio Questi cookie possono essere installati dalla nostra società o da Terze parti In caso di disabilitazione di questi cookie la qualità e l’esperienza di navigazione potrebbe non essere soddisfacente Questi cookie sono installati da social media per consentire la condivisione dei contenuti del presente Sito Essi sono in grado di monitorare la navigazione compiuta anche in altri siti e creano un profilo dell’utente sulla base dei suoi interessi Ciò potrebbe avere un impatto sul contenuto e messaggi visualizzati sugli altri siti visitati non sarà possibile utilizzare o visualizzare questi strumenti di condivisione per l’installazione e l’uso di tali cookie occorre il consenso dell’utente Per maggiori informazioni consulta la pagna cookies policy ShareSaveCommentLifestyleTravelFor New, Authentic Travel Experiences, Head To Italy’s Western RivieraByCatherine Sabino Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Catherine Sabino is an editor and author who writes about travel.Follow AuthorJul 27 has long attracted travelers—in the late 19th century new rail connections made it easier for well-heeled and titled English and Russians to escape their dreary winters destinations on the Côte d'Azur and Riviera di Levante (the Eastern Riviera) drawing celebrity names and eventually flocks of tourists There’s the the stunning beauty, of course, but Roberta Giovannina, founder of Sanremo Experience a firm specializing in travel excursions in Liguria and the Côte d'Azur says the Riviera di Levante’s location (Genoa to the Tuscan border) is another reason the area continues to entice millions of travelers “It’s close to Florence and Milan with good connections to Rome,” she says “From these destinations it’s easy to reach Genoa and Cinque Terre You need more time to reach the Western Riviera.” coast running west of Genoa to the French border (Easiest connections from the US are through Nice.) Giovannina says that while many of her clients have Cinque Terre high on their to-see lists frequent travelers to Italy are also eager to seek out new destinations “Well-travelled Americans love the Riviera dei Fiori.* They consider it sort of an extension of the French Riviera,” she says After lockdown she notes that visitors have been keen to explore “hidden medieval villages for a full immersion in nature The keyword nowadays is off-the-beaten path one of the Riviera di Ponente's villages Here are two towns worth getting to know if you’re heading to the Western Riviera (Photo by Fabio Giuliano Stella/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty .. "Villas at Bordighera," painted by Claude Monet in 1884 (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images .. architectural styles pivot between the medieval and Belle Epoque a period when the town became a prime destination for British travelers escaping in winter to the primary-colored town by the sea It was an early magnet for VIPs—the famous architect Charles Garnier whose buildings left an indelible mark on Paris and Monaco One villa he created for a wealthy German banker came to be called Villa Etelinda when owned by the Bowes-Lyon family Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later Queen Elizabeth a pioneering journalist whose family was from Bordighera wrote for Harper’s Bazaar in the 1950s at Diana Vreeland’s request helping to popularize the post-World War II Italian fashion industry; a museum and garden commemorate her work in the nearby hamlet of Sasso di Bordighera Bordighera is slowly catching on with the overseas market especially for those on repeat visits to Italy “I visit Bordighera three to four times a week in the good season,” says Roberta Giovannina of Sanremo Experience In addition to the historic mansions and gardens Giovannina says she recommends Bordighera for the “crystalline sea and the sea promenade especially during the evenings in summer,” she says (Bordighera enjoys Bandiera Blu status for its clean waters and its lengthy sea promenade A photograph of the Villa Garnier taken in 1880 (Photo by bildagentur-online/uig via getty images) While the Villa Ettelinda and Villa Regina Margherita (once owned by a Queen of Italy) are closed for refurbishment (catch glimpses of them as you stroll the Via Romana Bordighera’s prestigious residential street) you can visit the star architect Charles Garnier’s home and even stay at the Villa (or one of its apartments) run by the sisters of the Congregation of St formerly the home of a noted Italian Impressionist painter renowned for his graceful landscapes and portraits also has a notable garden with olive trees that were painted by Monet (Olive Trees Study 1884) and a well-preserved artist’s atelier Also not to miss: The Clarence Bicknell Museum on Via Romana magazines and butterfly specimens collected by Bicknell botanist and philanthropist during the late 19th and early 20th centuries is a treadmill-worthy climb up to a medieval square not-changed-in-centuries caruggi studded with small shops and restaurants offering sea-centric Bordighera cuisine Some local favorites to try include the brandacujùn pine nuts and potatoes; pasta with prawns and mussels (spaghetti alla chittara allo scoglio); and snack favorites like the onion tart Lodging: The five-star hotel in town is the Grand Hotel Del Mare Resort & Spa You can stay on the Via Romana when you book at the Hotel Villa Elisa, located in an historic ochre villa dating from the early 20th century Antonio Oggero opened the hotel in 1909; today his fourth-generation descendant Hotel Villa Elisa & Spa on the Via Romana Set in lush gardens with honeysuckle and bougainvillea the hotel has come to include a wellness spa and good-sized pool heated in cool weather for use year round with canopied daybeds and sun loungers on the patio lunch and dinner; you can dine outdoors in one of the garden areas in the front or back of the villa The lobby rooms contain pieces from the period when the hotel first opened As you approach Alassio from the motorway on a sunny day in summer you come across a splendid seascape not uncommon in Liguria—a waterfront dotted with pastel houses But as you get closer to the town you see something that is unique in Liguria the longest on the Riviera running for some four kilometers a swirl of striped and colored beach umbrellas marking the various bagni fill the beach has been attracting visitors since the 19th century when the British settled in for the mild winters; in the 1950s it became a cafe-society destination luring artists and other celebrities who provided the town with a cerebral take on la dolce vita Today Alassio is a popular beach resort for Italian and European families The sandy beach in Alassio runs for four kilometers the oldest part of town with many shops (and even an English bookstore) like the one from Alassio to nearby Albenga along the Roman road “I recommend Alassio to my clients because it is a peaceful village overlooking the sea the gardens of Villa della Pergola in spring when the wisteria bloom” says Giovannini “It is also one of the few Ligurian villages [that is] completely flat (Photo by Bluered/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The Muretto: In the 1950s when celebrities came to Alassio who liked to collect autographs from his famous customers He came up with the idea of creating tiles with those signatures and fixing it to a stone wall near his caffè for decorative some branding purposes; over time his creation would become one of Alassio’s most notable sites Ernest Hemingway’s autograph was among the first to be fixed to what would become an intricate mosaic of post-war movers and shakers; tiles include such names as Vittorio de Sica and Anita Ekberg famous for her role in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (Photo by Paolo Picciotto/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) whose early founders created and patented the cookie and are filled with.a rich chocolate ganache and it’s been a culinary symbol of the city for decades is located in the heart of Alassio (Piazza Matteotti) having a tea and sampling the baci and other pastries made here along with artisanal ice creams and aperitifs baked in a separate kitchen near the store The pasticceria also produces a host of other treats like soft amaretti and pane di marinaio (a dense version of panettone) but the privately owned island isn’t open to visitors (and you can’t dock) as it’s a nature reserve with hundreds of floral species and a large nesting colony of Herring sea gulls But even if you can’t set foot on this islet you can sail around it and take in the stunning views of the rocky coves and Alassio coastline Gian Marco Sanfilippo and Micol Basso run Ittiturismo L’Isola the seafaring counterpart to the farm-based agriturismo that focuses on sustainable marine practices and experiences where travelers get to know about (and sometimes participate in) fishing expeditions and sample the local catch in specially prepared menus served on land or sea At Ittiturismo L’Isola you can come for lunch or dinner served aboard a boat or on the docks at Porto Luca Ferrari where menus feature fish caught by the Basso and Sanfilippo team or colleagues in the waters off the coasts of Alassio and Albenga and other parts of Liguria and shrimp and anchovies from Imperia on offer you can admire the paintings of the doctor-artist-writer about Southern Italy and the towns he was exiled to in the 1930s for his anti-fascist views with a private beach; and the Villa della Pergola a Relais & Châteaux property built in the 19th century with historic gardens (those not staying at the hotel can visit them by purchasing tickets in advance) Popular with Italian families for decades, the Hotel Eden Alaxi Hotel sea-fronting superior double rooms come with large balconies and the background sounds of a gently pounding surf Guests often include extended families on annual trips who book for a week with grandparents fondly recalling the Alassio of their youth to first-timers at the hotel and heading to the beach from morning to early evening with their youngest nipoti The Luca Ferrari Port of Alassio is making a significant shift towards renewable energy Having been awarded the Blue Flag from Fee for 19 consecutive years the port is implementing an innovative project in partnership with the Municipal Administration of Alassio and the Board of Marina di Alassio The goal is to harness solar energy to power a substantial part of the marina “The designated area for this groundbreaking project at our port,” explains Agostini “is the new dock near the fishermen’s quay.” Here serving a dual purpose: to shield vehicles and to host photovoltaic panels for generating clean energy This initiative is one of many operations planned in the port’s development projects a company entirely controlled by the municipality Among the initial undertakings is the installation of smart barriers at the port entrance a computerized system that facilitates access for boaters there will also be an enhancement of the electrical network on the breakwater improving energy distribution to large yachts the port remains operational 24 hours a day thanks to the dedication of its 11 employees including 8 mooring staff and 2 administrative employees the Assessor for Municipally Owned Companies in Alassio expresses satisfaction with the progress of Marina di Alassio: “As a Municipal Administration extremely focused on technological efficiency we are truly pleased with the path Marina di Alassio is taking in this regard reaffirming the excellence it has been recognized for over 19 years with the prestigious Blue Flag award A heartfelt thank you to President Rinaldo Agostini and their collaborators for their constant dedication.” Franziska Fries' internationally competed Young Riders horse Alassio's Boy has been retired from competition sport He competed at six European Junior/Young Riders Championships with two riders Alassio's Boy is a 19-year old Bavarian warmblood by Alassio out of Chantal (by Heraldik xx x Alexis Z) Alassio's Boy was licensed at the Bavarian Stallion Licensing in Munich in January 2005 and did his 30-day performance test in November that year in Neustadt/Dosse where he scored 8.65 for dressage and 8.44 for show jumping He was owned by Thomas Casper as a youngster and stood at Gestut Birkhof Under Nicole Casper he made it to the Bundeschampionate three times in a row He won silver at the 2006 Bundeschampionate as a 4-year old stallion in 2007 he was eliminated in the second round In 2008 he landed fifth place in the 6-year old dressage horse finals He only bred during his time at Birkhof and has 91 offspring registered for sport in Germany Franziska and Alassio's Boy at the 2011 Europeans in BroholmIn February 2010 Rudolf Fries as a junior rider's horse for his daughter Franziska Franziska had competed Opal at the 2009 European Junior Riders Championships in Ermelo and wanted to step up a level with Alassio's Boy Their first year together they won silver at the 2010 Austrian Junior Championships and represented Austria at the 2010 European Junior Championships where they finished 24th in the individual test A year later they were 18th at the European Junior Championships in Broholm and won gold at the 2011 Austrian Junior Championships In 2012 they moved up to Young Riders level and were 40th in the individual test at the European Young Riders Championships in Berne At the 2013 Europeans in Compiègne they were 38th in the individual test and fourth at the Nationals In 2014 at the Europeans in Arezzo they moved to a 35th place in the individual test In 2015 Franziska took Alassio's Boy into the senior ranks at small tour level and campaigned him at several internationals until the spring of 2017 Pengg and Alassio's Boy at the 2019 Europeans in ItalyTrained by Christian Schumach Fries was based at the same barn as the Austrian junior Chiara Pengg and when she transitioned from ponies onto horses Pengg and Alassio's Boy made their international debut at junior level at the 2018 CDI Wiener Neustadt and further competed at Zakrzow that year did win the 2018 Austrian Young Riders Championships with Alassio's Boy In 2019 they moved to Young Riders level and showed in Neustadt They were selected on the Austrian team for the European Young Riders Championships in San Giovanni in Marignano where they landed 44th place in the individual test Pengg did not show at the Austrian Championships that year In 2020 the pair did their last CDI together in Achleiten in the senior small tour Alassio's Boy returned home to Franziska's for his retirement "When he came out of the trailer I felt like 12 years ago when I saw him for the first time at Gestut Birkhof "I will still ride him at home because he is totally in shape so it's time for him to have fun and enjoy his life Maybe he will teach my husband how to do the one tempi changes," she joked Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot You can find hundreds of cars designed by Pininfarina listed for sale in the Classic Driver Market.  Long-established Austrian engineers and boatbuilders Frauscher originally brought out the electric Alassio model back in 2010 and the family firm claims to have sold 250 of them The new version is billed as the ‘second generation’ the user interface and the finish to create “a more valuable look and more intense feel” in the words of managing director Michael Frauscher An attractive and nicely detailed little runabout, the Frauscher 650 Alassio would look perfectly at home on the pristine lakes of its homeland – and being an electric boat it would help to keep them that way It comes with a number of alternative installations that offer a wide variation in performance and capability The simplest set-up consists if a 4.3kW motor with 960Ah of lead-acid batteries for a maximum speed of 6.5 knots and a cruising range You’d need to be pretty confident in your navigation Lithium battery packs of 11kWh or 22kWh combined with more powerful motors of up to 15kW improve both speed and range quite markedly Top of the heap is the 60kW Torqeedo motor and a 40kWh BMW i3 battery which gives a maximum speed of about 18 knots Reduce your speed to 5.4 knots (this all looks so much better in metric) and the Frauscher 650 Alassio can cruise for up to 42nm A pretty comprehensive standard spec includes ‘vegan leather’ upholstery while the options list brings in lots of alternative paint jobs drawer fridge and LED lighting inside and out This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page (ANS - Alassio) - 151 years have passed since Saint John Bosco founded at Alassio the first Salesian school outside Piedmont many generations of students and teachers have passed through the school and the campus continues to resonate the Salesian charism Many of Don Bosco's pedagogical intuitions in many educational contexts religion and loving-kindness as pillars of the Preventive System conceived by Don Bosco inevitably many things have changed but there is an Ariadne’s thread of sorts that accompanies the story of the "Don Bosco" of Alassio: the presence of a beautiful educational community that knows how to get involved every day welcoming the challenges of the time with hope The Circumscription of Central Italy (ICC) in deciding to implement a renewal of the organizational and management methods at its presence at Alassio This famous Salesan presence has seen stalwards like Fr Giulivo Torri Fr Sandro Mariotti and Fr Karim Madjidi who has been the former Rector at the Institute of Rome Florence and is presently the rector in Vallecrosia This vitality and enthusiasm is confirmed by the many activities offered in the Pastoral Education Community during the first two weeks of school to the middle and high school students in addition to their lessons: "school in the fields" a three-day exposure in contact with nature in the alpine house of Nava experienced in a play-filled atmosphere with shared responsibility and mutual understanding between students and teachers: A Mass at the beginning of the year was celebrated by Fr Karim on Monday precisely on the anniversary of the foundation of the house by Don Bosco a brief moment of reflection that opens the days at school every day according to a happy tradition initiated by Mamma Margaret continues and finally the open day is observed every day in order to permit anyone to "come and see" and choose to enter the joy of the great Salesian Family ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements Alassio is set to embrace the festive atmosphere with the arrival of Alassio Christmas Town an event that will turn the city into a lively hub of activity from December 7 to January 6 The city will become an authentic Christmas village adorned with light projections illuminating iconic spots and enchanting parades through city streets Fair and the Christmas Artisan Market will take place there’s the Dream Shopping prize contest and a concert by the band Free Will on December 31 The New Year will be welcomed with a spectacular fireworks display on January 1 and the Santa Claus and Befana house in Piazza Matteotti announces that the city is set to present a vibrant holiday program spearheaded by the Department of Tourism and enriched with events from other departments featuring celebrations that will peak with the Pontifical Mass at the Collegiate Church of Saint Ambrose The day will include the traditional De.Co highlighting Alassio’s municipal denomination products and the opening of Santa’s House in Matteotti Square An ice skating rink will be available until January 19th and a Christmas Parade will march down Via Torino The Shopping of Dreams contest will start on the same day offering the chance to win shopping vouchers with a minimum purchase at participating stores Art enthusiasts can enjoy an exhibition at the FineHeart Gallery showcasing works by Picasso and Elena Rede The day will conclude with a Gospel Choir performance at the Collegiate Church of Saint Ambrose The magic of the holidays will continue with shows like Christmas Balances and Christmas readings at the Civic Library The Artisan Christmas Market will kick off on December 13 while the Funfair in Partigiani Square promises entertainment until mid-January alongside the traditional gathering Ritruvammusse Together The Pastry Shop of Wonders show will take place in Airaldi and Durante Square while December 26 is reserved for the Santo Stefano Winter Challenge The program also includes parades like Precious children’s shows like Testafina Saves Christmas and concerts by artists such as Andrea Bacchetti and the Valleggia Polyphonic Choir New Year’s Eve in the Square will feature a performance by the band Libero Arbitrio The new year will be welcomed with a traveling concert by the Alassio Band and a fireworks show The festivities will continue with events such as the Befana Tournament with sports champions participating to support the AIRC Foundation for Cancer Research December 13-15 and December 20 – January 6: Today’s Ligurian hotspots are the Cinque Terre and swanky Portofino But head west of Genoa for now-quiet resorts such as Alassio where As the plane circled over the Ligurian coast towards Genoa, my fellow passengers were getting excited. They all seemed to be heading east – to glamorous Portofino, or the Cinque Terre for hiking along a road that was practically built by the British but has been curiously forgotten by them The 19th-century British habit of wintering on the Mediterranean changed the fortunes of many seaside villages But this small seafront resort between Savona and Imperia seems to have slipped off the British radar Even my Italophile friends hadn’t heard of it Now the permanent British population is about 15 Tastes changed and people moved on – away from one of the loveliest town beaches I’ve seen in Italy Its wide expanse of smooth sand is framed by typically Ligurian terracotta and green-shuttered ochre houses and sheltered from the wind by mountains to north and west I still caught the heat but missed the crowds The aptly named Hotel Eden a pleasant three-star with balconies for grandstand sunset views was less than 15 minutes’ stroll along the seafront from Alassio’s gleaming new pier romantic beachfront restaurants with candlelit tables sat comfortably with rustic-chic cafes A tiny hole-in-the-wall bar made a satisfying spot for a late night grappa Villa della Pergola in Alassio. Photograph: Matteo carassaleA few minutes further on, Osteria La Sosta was charging €20 for three courses with wine and coffee It was pure Ligurian food: ravioli-like pansoti in creamy walnut sauce; trofie pasta with pesto green beans and potatoes; fall-off-the-fork rabbit cooked with olives Running parallel to the promenade is Alassio’s heart, or rather its intestine, which is what Budello translates as. More prosaically known as Via XX Settembre, this narrow street of tall terracotta buildings is home to shops, delis and cafes, including the superb Gelateria a Cuvea In the pine-covered hills above Alassio are the villas built by the British, few more evocative than Villa della Pergola (villadellapergola.com) the villa has been owned by Virginia Woolf’s cousin and Daniel Hanbury (whose family created Villa Hanbury gardens further west with a lobby display recalling frequent visitors including Edward Lear and Edward Elgar who was inspired by a stay here to write his 1904 overture In the South (Alassio) The medieval hilltop village of Cervo Photograph: Alamy Stock PhotoBack in the town centre the Muretto di Alassio is a low wall covered with more than 550 ceramic plaques of celebrities’ signatures Along with Ernest Hemingway (who started it with the cafe’s owner back in 1953) Brits left their mark here in more ways than one a social enterprise that provides jobs for refugees and people with disabilities medieval villages hide among the olive groves and wooded peaks Rising from the coast road 10km south of Laigueglia is Cervo a medieval hilltop village whose maze of ochre alleys lead to the magnificent baroque San Giovanni Battista church Alassio beach Photograph: Patrice Coppee/Getty ImagesThe air got fresher and more alpine as I headed north along the Valle Arroscia towards Pieve di Teco Its massive 18th-century San Giovanni church and neoclassical dome hinted at a grand past when the village was an important border town with a medieval arcaded high street and a huge monthly antiques market I visited the beautifully preserved Roman town of Albenga whose medieval towers have given it the nickname of the San Gimignano of Liguria it’s not; otherwise it would have been heaving leaving the narrow lanes free for relaxed ambles past quirky art-covered walls I ate deliciously simple Ligurian food at Turlà on Via Torlaro (look out for the menu scribbled on bits of paper taped to the wall) As I sat on the beach snacking on focaccia I recalled the chat I had with the English librarian in Alassio Jacqueline Rosadoni had been on her way to Florence in 1959 when she stopped in Alassio During the Sant’Ambrogio celebrations at the peak of the festivities honoring the patron saint the ceremony for the presentation of the Alassino d’oro took place the highest honor from the Municipality of Alassio is symbolized by a gold medal and inspired by the esteemed “Premium Virtutis” of the Genoese Republic historically granted to its most loyal allies the Alassino d’oro was awarded to Professor Alberto Beniscelli and in memory of Simone Rossi along with other members of the administration and former mayors who make up the evaluation committee Professor Alberto Beniscelli received the honor The award’s citation highlights his “remarkable academic and cultural commitment” and his contribution to the city’s cultural life preserving his grandfather’s art studio as a public space The Golden Alassino in memory of Simone Rossi was awarded to his parents by former mayor Enzo Canepa Rossi was admired for his “human and professional qualities” and his dedication to local associations embodying the spirit of the Premium Virtutis held in the Parish Hall of the Ancient Collegiate Church of Sant’Ambrogio was attended by numerous authorities and citizens It was preceded by a solemn pontifical Mass and a procession in honour of the patron saint Monsignor Ennio Bezzone announced the commencement of the Ambrosian Year marking the 1650th anniversary of Saint Ambrose’s consecration as bishop of Milan The Municipal Giunta (executive cabinet) of Alassio has sanctioned the resolution of the Evaluation Committee for the awarding of the Alassino d’Oro 2024 comprising former mayors of the city and chaired by the current mayor Marco Melgrati has chosen Professor Alberto Beniscelli as the recipient of this honor the highest accolade bestowed upon distinguished citizens of Alassio Professor Beniscelli was selected for his outstanding cultural stature and a series of significant literary publications He has also been recognized for preserving his grandfather’s painter’s studio as a historical venue open to the community The award ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at the Parish Hall of the Ancient Collegiate Church of Sant’Ambrogio presided over by Monsignor Guglielmo Borghetti the Alassino d’Oro will also be posthumously awarded to Simone Rossi a former Tourism and Sports Assessore who tragically passed away in an avalanche Melgrati stated that this posthumous recognition serves as a token of gratitude for the “service to the City” Rossi demonstrated throughout his life contributing to the common good and actively participating in the community The mayor also expressed satisfaction with the award being granted to Professor Beniscelli acknowledging his academic dedication and contribution to the cultural life of Alassio The celebrations for the feast of Sant’Ambrogio will conclude with a concert at 8:45 PM in the Collegiate Church featuring a performance by the Gospel Choir “Double Trust Choir” by Denis Stackeusky March 3, 2025 - Categories: Hospitality News, Hotels: News, Florence has opened in the historic center of the city marking the brand’s second hotel in Italy after The Hoxton The hotel has 161 rooms across two buildings: a 16th-century renaissance palazzo with its original facade and an arcade and a 1980s building designed by Andrea Branzi with a timber-slatted facade and linear architecture a three-bedroom apartment with a private entrance and living space The location is near landmarks such as the Duomo Aime Studios led the design and renovation preserving original renaissance features like an outdoor arcade with one reflecting historical design and the other modern influences Rooms in the main building reference classical Florentine architecture and mid-century Italian design The color palette is inspired by the marble of the Duomo and materials reflecting the architect’s connection to the Memphis Group Guests have access to a house manager for assistance with arrangements such as private dining and event tickets Alassio serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes The menu includes breakfast items like necci chestnut pancakes and avocado schiacciata as well as larger plates like girella ravioli with red mullet and focaccia Alassio with grilled zucchini and tuna tartare and cocktails such as the capperi martini and Mediterranean negroni Enoteca Violetta is a wine bar offering local and international wines including selections from Champagne Larmandier Bernier The menu includes Italian snacks such as panisse frites a private dining space for tastings and masterclasses Hox Gallery in the lobby showcases emerging artists The Best Of shop offers locally designed items and a pop-up shop sells apparel and candles Pet amenities include beds from Vanity Pet Guests can use complimentary Sergio Bianchi bikes and receive discounts at Yoga Garage and Anytime Fitness Weekly runs with Runners of Florence start at the hotel and include breakfast and fruit after the run Two event spaces are available: La Riserva and a rooftop terrace with a bar and city views The courtyard is also available for private events The Good Rate program offers a discount for guests traveling by rail between Hoxton hotels You must be logged in to post a comment Get the scoop on the latest news in the hospitality industry Username can contain any letters or numbers only 15 miles from the border of France’s Côte d’Azur doggy toilettage — god help you if you need to buy anything as useful as toothpaste."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"This afternoon San Remo’s shopping streets are as jam-packed as La Croisette New trains from Moscow and London (the latter via a quick change in Marseilles) have reconnected the Italian Riviera The sophisticated playground of Gina Lollobrigida and Princess Grace of Monaco is back on the map Along the splendid seafront promenade streets such as Corso degli Inglesi and Strada Shuttleworth peel off"},"children":[]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" towards belle époque villas in the hills San Remo is one of the few places in Italy where traffic stops at a zebra crossing Naples it is most certainly not."},"children":[]}]}]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"For a taste of haughty Costa Azzurra history we check into the Hotel Royal This grand dame was constructed in 1872 on the command of Queen Margherita (for whom the pizza margherita was so honourably named) such as Empress Maria Alexandrovna in St Petersburg and Empress Sisi in Vienna The 20th century’s aristocracy railroaded in to bathe in one of Europe’s first swimming pools They included the Maharaja of Jodhpur and the King of Siam."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"For a window on modern times I breakfast with Carlo Ginatta “I remember when King Farouk of Egypt came here for his honeymoon in 1951,” recalls Ginatta “My father went out on a friend’s fishing boat to look at the royal yacht.”"}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"By the 1950s summer suntans had replaced winter sojourns on the Riviera coast and later Roger Moore and Duran Duran hung out on the Royal’s private beach “But now it’s the French that come because our hotel rates are half theirs [my off-season deal was about £150 a night] and include private beach access and breakfast,” says Ginatta who looks witheringly at my plate piled with prosciutto di Parma and torta di Linz from the 100-platter buffet."}}]},{"name":"ad","children":[]},{"name":"image","attributes":{"id":"d0ff951d-b01d-46c8-f1b8-a8e482152f21","display":"secondary","caption":"A sculpture at Alassio","title":"the muretto italy","credits":"Alamy","url":"https://www.thetimes.com/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F6f9b5e3e-f5b7-11e5-9bc2-3c65474038ca.jpg?crop=1500%2C1000%2C0%2C0","ratio":"1500:1000","relativeHorizontalOffset":null,"relativeVerticalOffset":null,"relativeWidth":null,"relativeHeight":null},"children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"It was certainly all French voices as we boarded the new Thello train which has connected Marseilles with Milan via Antibes Monaco and San Remo for a little more than a year The Ligurian coastline unfolded deliciously below in the afternoon sun Plus a sea so clear that we spotted fish darting along the bottom were temptingly sunny visions of Italian seduction."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"We alighted at Alassio’s rococo station 40 minutes down the tracks The train platform is the Grand Tour in miniature — complete with a pergola A century ago Alassio’s predominantly British guests would have stepped out on to a grand park akin to a village green albeit with a twinkling sea and sandy beach beyond The British made this resort a home from home as only they know how; witness an Anglican church plus a tennis club that demanded white flannel dress."}}]},{"name":"image","attributes":{"id":"4d62d5c8-1832-4549-dc7e-77928e0ee8d5","display":"secondary","caption":"The beach front at Alassio","title":"Beach of The town’s 2,000 British residents were even treated to a bi-weekly local rag: the "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Alassio News"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"If San Remo is Italy’s Cannes A colourful jumble of 18th-century townhouses — all pastel-hued and in perfect nick — hide "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"aperitivo"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" bars "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"salumeria"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" delis and art galleries The bar found fame one day in 1953 when Ernest Hemingway frantically tore along the French and Italian Rivieras looking for a certain brand of whiskey The establishment’s owner cashed in by having a grateful Hemingway sign the wall that surrounds his terrace Now 1,000 tiles autographed by celebrities from Charlie Chaplin to Diana Churchill adorn the "}},{"name":"inline","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Wall of Alassio"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" outside A café au lait in Antibes a few days previously was €5."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"History also abounds at the Grand Hotel Alassio which opened in 1898 to cater to the British rush Black and white photographs show scores of wealthy Brits taking tea near its beach terrace although their age range makes Eastbourne look like Magaluf The Grand Hotel shut in 1970 as this antiquated style of tourism petered out it reopened under manager Davide Crema in 2010 “Actually 2015 was our busiest year ever,” Crema told me over cocktails Better than in England I heard.”"}}]},{"name":"inlineAd1","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Has the new Thello train from France also helped but for €200 we can pick your family up at Nice airport in our hotel Mercedes There’s no border now so it’s only a one-hour drive.” The choice between the Côte d’Azur and the Costa Azzurra has never been so tempting."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"bold","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Need to know"}}]},{"name":"break","children":[]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Tristan Rutherford was a guest of the Royal Hotel San Remo (00 39 0184 5391 "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"royalhotelsanremo.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://royalhotelsanremo.com"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") and the Grand Hotel Alassio (00 39 0182 648778 "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"grandhotelalassio.it"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://grandhotelalassio.it"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") including breakfast."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"GRJ Independent (0800 1404444 "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"greatrail.com/grj-independent"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://greatrail.com/grj-independent"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") has a tailor-made rail package from London St Pancras to Alassio from £299pp The price includes a two-night stay with the Grand Hotel Alassio plus a flight home from Nice."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Thello ("}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"thello.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://thello.com"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") trains link Marseilles with San Remo and Alassio via Cannes Antibes and Nice."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"EasyJet (0843 1045000 "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"easyjet.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://easyjet.com"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") runs daily flights to Nice from eight UK airports from £39.99 one way All big San Remo and Alassio hotels can arrange airport pick-up."}}]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":200})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"It’s Italy’s answer to Cannes There are"},"children":[]}]}]},"dropcapsDisabled":false,"expirableFlags":[],"keywords":{"type":"json","json":["the","italian","riviera","—","chic","and","cheap","too"]},"leadAsset":{"type":"id","generated":false,"id":"Image:ace2f1fc-446a-4bd7-860c-e28362e8a463","typename":"Image"},"relatedArticleSlice":null,"sharingEnabled":false,"savingEnabled":false,"standfirst":"Italy’s Costa Azzurra is as stylish as its French neighbour North West Italy | Hafen und Marina von San Remo but much more affordable — and with a new train serviceTristan RutherfordSaturday April 02 2016 The TimesSan Remo marina on the Ligurian coastALAMYTristan RutherfordSaturday April 02 2016 doggy toilettage — god help you if you need to buy anything as useful as toothpaste This afternoon San Remo’s shopping streets are as jam-packed as La Croisette Along the splendid seafront promenade streets such as Corso degli Inglesi and Strada Shuttleworth peel off towards belle époque villas in the hills For a taste of haughty Costa Azzurra history we check into the Hotel Royal They included the Maharaja of Jodhpur and the King of Siam For a window on modern times I breakfast with Carlo Ginatta “My father went out on a friend’s fishing boat to look at the royal yacht.” By the 1950s summer suntans had replaced winter sojourns on the Riviera coast who looks witheringly at my plate piled with prosciutto di Parma and torta di Linz from the 100-platter buffet A sculpture at AlassioALAMYIt was certainly all French voices as we boarded the new Thello train were temptingly sunny visions of Italian seduction We alighted at Alassio’s rococo station 40 minutes down the tracks plus a tennis club that demanded white flannel dress The beach front at AlassioALAMYThe lovely seafront promenade that still runs for a good hour to the neighbouring resort of Laigueglia (a mini Alassio with another sandy beach) was patrolled by inglesi unencumbered by work: retired colonels The town’s 2,000 British residents were even treated to a bi-weekly local rag: the Alassio News A colourful jumble of 18th-century townhouses — all pastel-hued and in perfect nick — hide aperitivo bars Now 1,000 tiles autographed by celebrities from Charlie Chaplin to Diana Churchill adorn the Wall of Alassio outside A café au lait in Antibes a few days previously was €5 History also abounds at the Grand Hotel Alassio Has the new Thello train from France also helped There’s no border now so it’s only a one-hour drive.” The choice between the Côte d’Azur and the Costa Azzurra has never been so tempting Need to knowTristan Rutherford was a guest of the Royal Hotel San Remo (00 39 0184 5391, royalhotelsanremo.com), which has rooms from €213 (£167) , including breakfast, and the Grand Hotel Alassio (00 39 0182 648778, grandhotelalassio.it) GRJ Independent (0800 1404444, greatrail.com/grj-independent) has a tailor-made rail package from London St Pancras to Alassio from £299pp Thello (thello.com) trains link Marseilles with San Remo and Alassio via Cannes EasyJet (0843 1045000, easyjet.com) runs daily flights to Nice from eight UK airports from £39.99 one way All big San Remo and Alassio hotels can arrange airport pick-up Regala o regalati un abbonamento al Giornale della Vela cartaceo + digitale e a soli 69 euro l’anno hai la rivista a casa e in più la leggi su PC la Settimana Internazionale Vela d’Altura di Alassio era l’appuntamento con cui si apriva la stagione delle regate del nuovo anno e dove spesso venivano mostrate le barche nuove appena varate dai cantieri con una sfilata di velisti di altissimo livello la Settimana ha vissuto anche qualche periodo di crisi importante ma le Regate di Alassio stanno tornando ad avere il loro fascino e quest’edizione 2024 ha mostrato un’inversione di tendenza non un numero enorme ma in aumento rispetto alle ultime edizioni post Covid ma soprattutto in acqua è tornata un’ottima qualità della flotta certificata anche da alcuni nomi importanti della vela italiana che stanno tornando a regatare ad Alassio Qualche esempio: il coach della nazionale Nacra 17 Gabriele “Ganga” Bruni (tattico dell’IY 11.98 ToBe vincitore della rassegna) Michele Regolo (tattico a bordo del nuovo Ecoracer OD 30 Adriatica) Il tutto si è trasformato in acqua in regate tirate con le prime 7-8 imbarcazioni della classifica ORC a regatare metro su metro con poche decine di secondi di distacco in tempo reale Sono state tre le prove portate a termine sulla tre giorni di regate: due il venerdì con vento da ovest-sudovest intorno ai 10 nodi nessuna regata la domenica dove il vento non è entrato a vincere l’edizione 2024 della Settimana Internazionale Vela d’Altura di Alassio è l’Italia Yacht 11.98 To Be di Stefano Rusconi che precede il 998 Sarchiapone Fuoriserie di Gianluigi Dubbini terzo posto per il Ridas 37 Velasquez di Luigi Buzzi Dopo le due regate iniziali Sarchiapone Fuoriserie era in testa ma nella terza prova una To Be implacabile unita a una regata poco brillante dei rivali hanno determinato l’esito della classifica ORC In classe Libera vittoria per Peggy di Christian Nadile secondo posto per Shardana di Fabio Samaia CLASSIFICHE COMPLETE Il tuo indirizzo email non sarà pubblicato Iscriviti ora alla nostra newsletter gratuita e ricevi ogni settimana le migliori news selezionate dalla redazione del Giornale della Vela E in più ti regaliamo un mese di GdV in digitale su PC accetta la Privacy Policy e clicca sul bottone “iscrivimi” Riceverai un codice per attivare gratuitamente il tuo mese di GdV la grande festa della vela caraibica dove la nostra Ida Castiglioni è a caccia di storie (qui la prima puntata e la seconda puntata) scampata alla guerra in Ucraina “grazie” alla vela Va in archivio a Livorno una bellissima e tecnica edizione della Ran 630 una delle regate più lunghe che si corrano in Mediterraneo (la più lunga per le barche a rating) Dopo l’arrivo della prima imbarcazione la grande festa della vela caraibica dove la nostra Ida Castiglioni è a caccia di storie (qui la prima puntata e la seconda puntata) scampata alla guerra in Ucraina “grazie” alla vela Il pronostico della vigilia è stato rispettato la linea d’onore della Ran 630 dello Yacht Club Livorno una delle più lunghe e impegnative regate che si corrano in Mediterraneo è andato al catamarano foil F4 Falcon di Matteo Uliassi PER COMUNICARE CON LA REDAZIONE02 535 811111 – speciali@panamaeditore.it PER LA PUBBLICITÀSenior account:Guido De Palma:tel Cookie policyPrivacy policy 02 535811 111/200abbonamenti@panamaeditore.it Labous and Realini move up to second and third overall the maglia rosa was followed by Juliette Labous (Team DSM-Firmenich) and Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek).  They quickly passed Mavi García (Liv Racing TeqFind) who had attacked early on the climb Van Vleuten left the work to Labous and Realini who were fighting for the overall podium Van Vleuten's trademark acceleration left her two companions behind and she won the stage 13 seconds ahead of Labous with Realini finishing third at 20 seconds The GC has the same riders in the top three heading into the rest day transfer to Sardinia Van Vleuten being 3:56 minutes ahead of Labous and 4:25 minutes ahead of Realini “This was a nice one because it was really a team performance Everyone did their job perfectly to defend the jersey and it’s super nice to finish it off I ended up in a really good situation in the final I got Gaia Realini in front of me instead of in my wheel it was a perfect situation for us,” Van Vleuten thanked her team and referenced stage 6 of La Vuelta Femenina where she pulled Realini for 30km Van Vleuten had hoped to share the limelight on stage 7 at the Giro Donne with some of her teammates who had carte blanche to go for the stage “It was actually planned to give an opportunity to Paula Patiño or Liane Lippert if they could get in a break but today the tarmac was so bad I couldn’t it was a perfect finish,” the 40-year-old explained “I am really happy that I did the recon of the course yesterday and saw this super beautiful road and I hope the helicopter captured them because today I was suffering a lot,” Van Vleuten finished with a tourist’s view of the Ligurian coast The peloton stayed together on the first climb of the day where Fem van Empel (Team Jumbo-Visma) took maximum points at the top in a late bid for the mountain jersey Elena Pirrone (Israel-Premier Tech Roland) attacked on the descent and enjoyed a gap of up to 52 seconds but was reeled in on the climb of Il Vigneto There were attacks on this climb from Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) and Van Empel again won the mountain sprint Anouska Koster (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) went on the attack in the rolling terrain after the climb and established a one-minute gap Van Empel and Persico chased after her but were reeled in again after the descent A counterattack by Guilman and Soraya Paladin (Canyon-SRAM) was neutralised by Fisher-Black and Lippert and Koster was quickly caught by a peloton of about 40 riders at the start of the Cima Paravenna climb and Realini took turns leading the group until García attacked 4.5km from the top the peloton had split into several groups: Labous and Realini tried to limit the gap to García leading a group that also included Van Vleuten and Fisher-Black with Veronica Ewers (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Silvia Persico (both UAE Team ADQ) returning after a while With García’s advantage at 25 seconds Lippert and Labous tried to attack through the village of Paravenna but could not get away Van Vleuten attacked herself with 1.5 km to go to the top of the climb Realini and Labous made their way back onto her wheel while Fisher-Black had to leave a gap and the group of three soon passed García who struggled to keep up with them and eventually was dropped the race continues on the mountain ridge where Van Vleuten asked Realini and Labous to work if they wanted to finish on the overall podium as Ewers had imploded on the Cima Paravenna and was 1:15 minutes behind at the top Fisher-Black caught up with García a kilometre after the QOM sprint and they worked together but could not keep the following group with Magnaldi The front trio started the finishing climb 2.7 kilometres to the Santuario Nostra Signora della Guardia overlooking the Ligurian Sea As Uttrup Ludwig and Lippert dropped the rest of the chase group Van Vleuten made her stage-winning move at the front to take another solo victory ahead of Labous and Realini.  The maglia rosa’s teammate Lippert dropped Uttrup Ludwig on the final metres to finish fourth García paid for her earlier attack to finish 1:57 minutes behind with Ewers crossing the line at 2:23 minutes Van Vleuten secured the points and mountain classifications where nobody can surpass her points tallies on the final two stages Friday will be a rest and transfer day before the final two stages on the island of Sardinia Results powered by FirstCycling Lukas Knöfler started working in cycling communications in 2013 and has seen the inside of the scene from many angles Having worked as press officer for teams and races and written for several online and print publications he has been Cyclingnews’ Women’s WorldTour correspondent since 2018 Or that the sight of the full moon rising out of the silky Mediterranean while you're sipping a last limoncello might just be the most romantic thing you've ever seen Or even that flowers blossom here all year round The Riviera di Ponente (the riviera of the setting sun) A main road tucked three blocks back from the beach leaving the historical centre traffic-free And - with budget flights from the UK to both Genoa and Nice - it's all too easy to get to Ernest Hemingway spent lots of time in Alassio and even left his parrot here at the Caffè Roma - where it was famously sick on Judith Chalmers decades later while she was wrapping up an episode of Wish You Were Here but the Caffè Roma's still doing a fine trade in short espressos This stretch of the Riviera has always been popular with the British who came in small numbers from the 18th-century on and then arrived in droves with the opening of the railway in 1872 The wealthy British colony here had splendid villas built and extravagant gardens designed by the enterprising Hanbury brothers who were quick to corner the local market; it's no coincidence that Alassio's main arterial road Daniel's father, Sir Thomas, made his fortune in Shanghai as a silk and tea merchant, and retired to the Riviera in 1867 at the ripe old age of 35, spending the rest of his life landscaping and planting the fabulous gardens at La Mortola they're state-owned and somewhat overgrown The motorway above Alassio is known as the autostrada dei fiori; there are flowers everywhere Not just the abundant local flora - jasmine mimosa - but also great fields of carnations and acres of greenhouses speed-growing Italy's most-treasured lilies The massive Ligurian hills provide shelter from the north and deliver an exceptionally mild climate to the coast - especially in the Baia del Sole (bay of the sun) which runs between Capo Mele to the west and Capo San Croce to the east and includes Alassio's great four-kilometre sweep of sandy beach dedicated and decadent about the pursuit of pleasure here - which is perhaps why the guidebooks tend to be slightly snooty and dismissive The 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica says Alassio is 'mainly noticeable as a health resort in winter and a bathing place in summer and has many hotels The anchorage is safe and the bay full of fish.' It's all true It's also true that there are no cultural gems here to distract you from your hedonistic quest - a couple of ruined towers here and a scattering of dull churches with dark peeling interiors there are hardly going to keep you away from your next apertitivo or gelati or the serious business of sun worshipping shady pedestrian street known as il budello It's lined with 16th- and 17th-century pastel-plastered houses so this is where you come to escape the heat - and to window-shop The nightly passeggiata ebbs and flows along here in the endless search for the perfect gelato the finest shoes - and the tackiest knick-knacks and with a number of outlets along the budello the fish and chip paper of the fashion world Alassio's other main attraction is il muretto a kitsch welter of ceramic plaques lining one of the low walls of the public gardens on Via Cavour It was started in 1951 - as a bit of a joke showbiz types and sporting stars have left their mark here - from the Italian World Cup-winning team of 1982 to the surrealist Jean Cocteau and the Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl who lived just down the road until his death in 2002 there's the real reason everyone comes here: the beach Alassio's four kilometres of perfect sand are parcelled up into over 100 separate bathing areas each the jealous domain of a particular hotel or pensione and each providing an all-inclusive service including snacks loungers and umbrellas - and of course access to the sea crystalline sand is raked spotlessly clean and tidy again by the same ragazzi you'll see trying their luck along the beach in the daytime If you tire of the relentless lounging around You can take a boat out to the Isola Gallinara nature reserve - the offshore island that's in all the postcards - or hike up into the hills on any one of 25 marked paths; you can cycle along the shore - many of the hotels have bikes for guests' use - or explore the Julia Augusta the original Roman road running half way up the hills from Santa Croce to Albenga complete with fragments of Roman ruins along the way with the front boasting a whole slew of places where you can tuck in to pasta all washed down with palatable - and keenly-priced - Ligurian wines The cuisine is heavily influenced by the local and freshly-made pesto is served here the way it always should be with green beans and potatoes complementing spaghetti-like trenette or twists of trofie for a handful of Baci di Alassio (Alassio kisses) For something several notches further up the food chain there's Palma (tel: 39 0182 640314) though you'll need to reserve well ahead as the dining room is minuscule This Michelin-starred restaurant has been popular By local standards it's eye-wateringly expensive - count on around 90 euros a head all in - but the food is fabulous tiny filets of grey mullet with rosemary and olive oil we did top it all off with one grappa more than was strictly necessary we ended up purchasing a sweet (if scraggy-looking) kitten with small flashing eyes It mewled pitiably at us as the street vendor took our money with a smile - and fitted a fresh set of batteries Getting there: Alassio is 110 kilometres east of Nice Côte d'Azur and 90 kilometres west of Genoa Cristoforo Columbo - count on an hour by car from either airport on the motorway. The drive from Genoa is easier, with the airport on the right side of town for Alassio; but there are more flights to Nice. Ryanair flies direct to Genoa from London Stansted and if you book far enough ahead flights can be had for £40 return including taxes The other airlines serving Genoa (Air France Lufthansa) require a flight change somewhere; prices start at around £200 return Easyjet has nine flights a day to Nice from a variety of London airports, as well as direct flights from Bristol, Liverpool and Newcastle. Book well ahead and tickets will set you back around £50 return. BA also offers eight flights a day to Nice Where to stay: There are around 100 hotels and pensione in Alassio though many close from the end of October to Easter Double rooms can be had from 50 euros out of season or 100 euros in high summer - though don't necessarily expect a sea view at this price Personal favourites include the Savoia. It has 20-odd rooms right on the beach and does lovely doubles for 140-240 euros depending on the season. The Milano and has wonderful views along the beach; you'll pay 105 euros for a double room overlooking the sea in winter alassio.net and alassio.info are both good for hotel bookings; or contact the tourist office; (Tel: 39 0182 647027) to find out what's open off-season When to go: Don't even think of coming in high summer unless you're looking for the Italian sardine experience From mid-September to early June the beach is free uncrowded and perfect - and even in the middle of winter it's usually fine and warm Quattro prove svolte Giuseppe Giuffré (Campione del Mondo ed Europeo 2014 di vela d’altura con l’M37 Low Noise) potrà anche cambiare barca L’Italia Yachts 9.98 Low Noise 2 è stato il grande protagonista della Settimana Internazionale di Vela d’Altura di Alassio (Savona) tradizionale appuntamento organizzato dal Circolo Nautico al Mare valido come regata di qualificazione del Campionato Italiano 2015 vincendo a man bassa il raggruppamento più numeroso Una serie di successi che prosegue da quando l’editore milanese ha varato il progetto custom di Matteo Polli Along the coast through Liguria to the French border our slow travel expert enjoys the mix of tunnels and dramatic coastal views Nature has its way of derailing travel plans A landslide in August 2023 in the French Alps blocked the main railway just west of the Mont Cenis tunnel This route is used by all trains from Italy to Lyon and Paris The sleek French TGVs and the even sleeker Italian Frecciarossa trains competing on the lucrative link from Milan to the French capital were stopped in their tracks Many passengers bound for Paris and London from Italy rerouted through Switzerland while others devised creative itineraries via the Riviera using the historic railway running west from Genoa which became one of the first two routes crossing the frontier from Italy into France The Mont Cenis route still hasn’t reopened so I opt for a dose of Ligurian sunshine and take the train via Genoa following the coast west from there into France myrtle and broom drenched in yellow flowers and the salty tang of the seaThis is a stretch of coast my partner and I know well we see just how challenging the terrain can be and you quickly encounter a tangle of thorny shrub and fierce ravines myrtle and broom drenched in yellow flowers and the salty tang of the sea and there are the scents of Liguria: lavender make the Riviera di Ponente (the coast west of Genoa) so captivating The route flows around headlands at points Photograph: Prisma by Dukas Presseagentur GmbH/AlamyNone of the romance of Liguria is remotely evident on a busy Monday morning at Genoa Piazza Principe The station’s elaborate neoclassical facade sports a fine crest of Saint George a reminder that Genoa was paying homage long before England claimed the dragon slayer as its patron The station’s striking entrance hall combines modern Italian chic with retro nods to history I make my way through morning commuter crowds and locate the train to Ventimiglia looking forward to the journey of about 90 miles (145km) that lies ahead slipping by crumbling palazzi and out through the edgelands of Genoa passing quaysides and a fine parade of cranes there’s a view through a canyon of containers to a distant cruise ship but already an announcement has relayed detailed instructions on how to file a complaint if everything on this journey is not perfectly to our liking There is a fine view of the ArcelorMittal steelworks to the left and a pause at a signal givies us time to imagine the possible itinerary of the Liberian-registered crude oil tanker moored nearby Genoa’s Piazza Principe railway station with the port beyond Photograph: Craig Hastings/Getty ImagesThis is another world from the Liguria of tourist brochures – not pretty there were fierce debates over whether its main purpose was to encourage tourism or promote the industrial development of coastal communities but the trains helped bring visitors to the region too The decision to route the railway right along the coast served those intent on developing ports and harbours but annoyed tourism promoters keen to see grand seafront promenades avenues of palms and fine hotels to rival the French Riviera The story of this two-hour journey along the Ligurian coast revolves around these competing interests The first half hour from Genoa west to Savona has an industrial demeanour but later there are gorgeous glimpses of rocky promontories distant hilltop villages and some very distinguished tourist resorts the original railway broadly followed the line of the ancient Roman Via Julia Augusta But in recent decades the line has been almost entirely rebuilt The centre of the lovely resort of Sanremo with its feast of belle époque architecture was long separated from the sea by the railway Then the trains were routed far inland via a long tunnel with a new subterranean station serving Sanremo The train line runs just behind the port of Alassio as it nears Ventimiglia Photograph: Matteo Marcehesini/AlamyThe wholesale rebuilding of the railway may sound antithetical to the interests of train travellers wanting to see Ligurian landscape but in fact brings a new drama to the route But along the entire route there are also dozens of short tunnels from each of which our train emerges into bright sunshine with views of sea and mountains but before I manage to register quite where we are we are back in darkness for a few seconds as the train dives into another tunnel This journey is remarkable for its moments of stroboscopic wonder with myriad fractured glimpses of the Ligurian coast and its hinterland After more tunnels we are back in daylight swimming pools and palm-fringed gardensAt Diano we pause at a station that occupies a very short open-air stretch between two tunnels where the station platforms straddle a river dividing the communities of Oneglia and Porto Maurizio which a hundred years ago were forcibly conjoined by Mussolini to create Imperia There are places where the railway has not entirely forsaken the coast and here the route to Ventimiglia is every bit as dramatic as the seaside line through Dawlish in Devon Sanremo Photograph: Lara_Uhryn/Getty ImagesThe principal beneficiaries of the decision to nudge the railway inland and into tunnels have been walkers and cyclists reflects the vision of the resort’s early promoters My journey to Ventimiglia took just two hours but the visual snapshots glimpsed along the way will last for many years Trains to Ventimiglia leave Genova Piazza Principe hourly on weekdays and slightly less frequently at weekends The journey takes between 1hr 55mins and 2hrs 45mins On regional trains the fare is always €17.10 (£14.56) while for the faster Intercity trains the fare varies according to demand which no longer charges fees for tickets paid for in pounds there are regular onward trains running to Menton (20 mins) Nicky Gardner lives in Berlin. She is co-author of Europe by Rail: the Definitive Guide (Hidden Europe, £18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy of the 17th edition from guardianbookshop.com “Where?” chimed our friends before we set off We’ve decided to head west towards the French coast to the Riviera di Ponente (“of the setting sun”) to the Riviera di Levante (“of the rising sun”)."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"When we first visited the wildly rugged coastline of eastern Liguria 20 years ago — with its glorious Unesco-protected Cinque Terre five small fishing villages connected by a narrow cliff-side trail — it was more or less a secret But now there’s talk of ticketing tourists to restrict the number of visitors restaurants and hotels pretty much all year round."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Riviera di Ponente meanwhile,"},"children":[]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" is relatively quiet colonised during July and August largely by Italian holidaymakers from Turin and Milan."},"children":[]}]}]},{"name":"paywall","children":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"So here we are stress-free after a relaxing train journey (at about €2 sipping Aperol Spritz on the terrace of our hotel which overlooks the town’s shingle beach and oozes old-school charm."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"It was the tall sun-bleached terracotta buildings with their dark-green shutters lined up along picturesque bays that lured us to Liguria in the first place — and the food of course."}}]},{"name":"ad","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"It wasn’t the bankers or the spice merchants of the regional capital but the sailors of its great maritime fleet mashed into a paste with a mortar and pestle."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"It was all that we could think about on the train here and it was the first thing we ate at Castelletto Beach Restaurant twisted pasta with slivers of green beans and pieces of potato folded into pesto sauce."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"It’s only ten minutes by cab to the historic fishing village of Noli which during the Middle Ages was one of several maritime republics There’s a Romanesque church that we want to see — San Paragorio — and Vescovado a notable restaurant in the old Bishop’s Palace which lords over the town facing out to sea But first we’ve come to see a man about a fish."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Unusually for an Italian coastline you won’t see much in the way of fishing going on here But on Noli’s fine shingle beach you will find Ligurian "}},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"gozzo "}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"(wooden boats) kitted out with nets that fishermen throw into the water by hand where you’ll meet the fishing co-operative president who may even share the odd recipe or two — we managed to extract his favourite red mullet with tomatoes."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"We enjoyed red mullet that night with a courgette jelly and saffron rice powder Alassio is the Saint-Tropez of the Ligurian coast At the height of the summer you can’t move for the beau monde who gravitate to this chic spot on the coastline’s best sandy beach But bag a room here in mid-September and you’ll get much of it to yourself."}}]},{"name":"inlineAd1","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Neighbouring Cervo is the reason we headed east 17th-century houses tumbling down to the sea As it didn’t seem to have anywhere appealing to stay just a half-hour bus ride away."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Apart from the shortage of smart hotels a club-free beach and a handful of good restaurants where I discovered several things: that life’s not too short to stuff an anchovy; a tangle of medieval streets in which to lose yourselves; and a stunning national park with hiking trails We did in fact stumble across a great place to stay — Englishwoman Denise Rossi’s four-room B&B Corallini which includes a room with a rooftop terrace that has views along the coast we have another train to catch."}}]},{"name":"image","attributes":{"id":"cf230364-301a-41f7-9195-e762c6b69a36","display":"primary","caption":"The beach at Finale Ligure on the Riviera di Ponente (“of the setting sun”)","title":"Italy Fuýanle Ligure","credits":"GETTY IMAGES","url":"https://www.thetimes.com/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F8283b9c8-0d9e-11e8-9ed2-93cf9d74a2fe.jpg?crop=5010%2C3340%2C0%2C0","ratio":"1500:1000","relativeHorizontalOffset":null,"relativeVerticalOffset":null,"relativeWidth":null,"relativeHeight":null},"children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"It’s only another half-hour to San Remo This is the Monte Carlo of Liguria; its art-nouveau casino flanked by banana trees marks it as a year-round resort one that has been undergoing a renaissance."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"But it’s the prawns that we’ve come for The legendary French chef Alain Ducasse celebrates the San Remo prawn on the menu at his three Michelin-starred Monaco eatery and it’s on the menu in all the top restaurants here too — eaten raw fished in a stretch of deep water about six miles off the coast."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"We tried the coveted shellfish at Ittiturismo Patrizia which operates one of the last prawn-fishing boats here where we washed them down with a peachy local white made from the pigato grape at the Michelin-starred gem Paolo e Barbara."}}]},{"name":"inlineAd2","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"San Remo is also famous for cycling The city hosts the world’s longest professional one-day cycling race and it opened a 15-mile stretch of cycle track on the old railway line that runs on the seafront to San Lorenzo al Mare and eventually to Imperia."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"So when San Remo isn’t eating prawns or so it seems as we follow the flow west to explore the smaller resorts along the coast abandoned because of an earthquake in 1887 and now quirkily colonised by artists."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"There’s a restaurant in Bussana Mare called Gente di Mare that came highly recommended by friends who holiday in the hills above so we decided to press on along the palm-fringed coast where pretty pastel towns merge into each other offering a glimpse of another life."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Our favourite of these townships was the laid-back Arma di Taggia where we pulled up a couple of chairs at the butchers-cum-restaurant Crudo & Cotto for a plate of “Ligurian-style” rabbit before ordering a selection of its vacuum-packed salumi to take with us saving the biggest haul for the market in Genoa before our flight home."}}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"A €12 two-hour train ride deposited us back where we started and we went straight to Genoa’s ambitious Mercato Orientale a market trader who sells superior jars of the stuff and I realise that I’ve been doing it all wrong."}}]},{"name":"inlineAd3","children":[]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"My mortar should be marble only add the cheese (which must be Sardinian pecorino “And add the oil gradually — like stock to risotto — it makes the pesto much creamier,” Spanedda instructs "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"www.nolobici.it"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://www.nolobici.it/index.aspx"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") Pesto masterclasses cost from €40pp ("}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"artes.travel/pesto-calling"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://www.artes.travel/pesto-calling/"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":") has double rooms from €180 (00 39 01 96 00 611 "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"puntaest.com"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://www.puntaest.com/"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":")."}},{"name":"break","children":[]},{"name":"bold","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Alassio"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" Grand Hotel Alassio has Oceanfront doubles that cost from €260 (00 39 01 82 648 778 "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"grandhotelalassio.it"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://grandhotelalassio.it/ita/grand-hotel-alassio.html"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":")."}},{"name":"break","children":[]},{"name":"bold","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"San Remo "}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"At Hotel de Paris only the junior suites have sea views "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"hoteldeparissanremo.it"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://www.hoteldeparissanremo.it/albergo/#popup"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":")."}},{"name":"break","children":[]},{"name":"bold","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"Genoa"}}]},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":" Grand Hotel Savoia may have marble and chandeliers but it also has a surprisingly hipster edge to it "}},{"name":"link","children":[{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":"grandhotelsavoiagenova.it"}}],"attributes":{"href":"http://www.grandhotelsavoiagenova.it/"}},{"name":"text","children":[],"attributes":{"value":")."}}]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":200})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"It is an hour on the train from Genoa to Finale Ligure My foodie tour of Liguria","id":"ed961e00-11ad-11e8-aa39-e7299ff3a5e8","label":"ITALY","publicationName":"TIMES","publishedTime":"2018-02-17T00:01:00.000Z","updatedTime":"2018-02-17T00:01:33.000Z","section":"weekend","shortIdentifier":"0h8gtkz5s","shortHeadline":"Bellissimo My foodie tour of Liguria","seoDescription":"It is an hour on the train from Genoa to Finale Ligure My foodie tour of LiguriaHead to the Riviera di Ponente on Italy’s northwest coast for colourful towns and great regional dishesFiona SimsSaturday February 17 2018 The TimesThe faded pastel 17th-century houses of Cervo’s picturesque seafrontGETTY IMAGESFiona SimsSaturday February 17 2018 The TimesIt is an hour on the train from Genoa to Finale Ligure to the Riviera di Levante (“of the rising sun”) When we first visited the wildly rugged coastline of eastern Liguria 20 years ago — with its glorious Unesco-protected Cinque Terre restaurants and hotels pretty much all year round colonised during July and August largely by Italian holidaymakers from Turin and Milan which overlooks the town’s shingle beach and oozes old-school charm It wasn’t the bankers or the spice merchants of the regional capital mashed into a paste with a mortar and pestle It was all that we could think about on the train here and it was the first thing we ate at Castelletto Beach Restaurant twisted pasta with slivers of green beans and pieces of potato folded into pesto sauce It’s only ten minutes by cab to the historic fishing village of Noli But first we’ve come to see a man about a fish But on Noli’s fine shingle beach you will find Ligurian gozzo (wooden boats) But bag a room here in mid-September and you’ll get much of it to yourself Neighbouring Cervo is the reason we headed east We did in fact stumble across a great place to stay — Englishwoman Denise Rossi’s four-room B&B Corallini The beach at Finale Ligure on the Riviera di Ponente (“of the setting sun”)GETTY IMAGESIt’s only another half-hour to San Remo one that has been undergoing a renaissance fished in a stretch of deep water about six miles off the coast We tried the coveted shellfish at Ittiturismo Patrizia at the Michelin-starred gem Paolo e Barbara abandoned because of an earthquake in 1887 and now quirkily colonised by artists There’s a restaurant in Bussana Mare called Gente di Mare that came highly recommended by friends who holiday in the hills above Our favourite of these townships was the laid-back Arma di Taggia where we pulled up a couple of chairs at the butchers-cum-restaurant Crudo & Cotto for a plate of “Ligurian-style” rabbit saving the biggest haul for the market in Genoa before our flight home and I realise that I’ve been doing it all wrong In 1872 the avid Victorian gardener Sir Thomas Hanbury bought a plot of land in an obscure coastal village called Alassio in Liguria which until that point had been linked to the outside world by roads full of potholes For affluent Britons in the 19th century — pioneering continental tourism for the first time — there were new discoveries to be made along with the rugged Italian coastal towns elsewhere on the Mediterranean and the hills behind were about to be transformed by British tourists and expatriates helped by visits from Queen Victoria and her retinue Britons swiftly built Alassio’s Anglican church (now a community centre) (ANS– Alassio) – 21 Salesians (18 priests and 3 brothers) and a priest from the Confederation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri met for the third edition of the seminar on the centrality of the Eucharist in the Salesian charism from 23 to 26 July 2023 at the Salesian work in Alassio It was based on the writings and testimony of the Servant of God Vera Grita whose centenary of birth is celebrated this year (Rome 28 January 1923) Postulator General for the Causes of Saints of the Salesian Family concluded the online initiative to explore the 28th General Chapter of the Congregation "on the urgent need to make the ‘Da mihi animas cetera tolle’ a reality in the proclamation of the Gospel" organised by the "Work of Living Tabernacles" Study Centre and the Conference of Salesian Provinces of Italy (CISI) Formation sector Two sessions of a profound theological and spiritual level on Monday 24 July encouraged us to explore Vera Grita's message from the point of view of formation professor of Systematic Theology and Theological Anthropology at the UPS Faculty of Theology - Turin section at the Crocetta presented the theme "Eucharist and education: for a pedagogy of grace" he illustrated Christian pedagogy as a pedagogy of grace and Easter pedagogy concluding with some points of attention found in the spirituality of the Living Tabernacles spoke instead of the "Formation of the Salesians in the light of ‘Take me with you’: theological Tuesday the 25th featured a pilgrimage to the places where Vera Grita lived who presented the connection of these places with Vera Grita's life and mission where the main celebrant was the Bishop of Noli in the parish of Mary Help of Christians in Savona This was where her vocation as a Salesian Cooperator came to fruition on 19 September 1967 and where her mystical experience began the bishop presented Vera Grita's life as the life of a woman who despite her fragility allowed herself to be shaped by the action of the Spirit becoming an instrument of grace and blessing This was followed by a visit to the "Vera Grita e don Gabriello Zucconi sdb Opera dei Tabernacoli Viventi" Foundation involving the Movement of Living Tabernacles on the centenary of the birth of the Servant of God Vera Grita The third stop was at the Gallery in Via Paleocapa where the Servant of God was run over and trampled by the fleeing crowd during the air raid on the city of Savona on 4 July 1944 at the Diocesan Archives of Savona we were able to see the 13 handwritten notebooks that contain the Work of the Living Tabernacles where the grave of the Servant of God is located the group moved on to the Salesian Oratory in Varazze where they got to know an interesting oratory experience led by Ivano and Claudia Perata who animate the Salesian presence in the area with a group of collaborators where Vera Grita spent the last year of her life as a teacher and where she received some of the most significant messages Vicar of the Central Italy Circumscription (ICC) presented "The call of the Salesians of Don Bosco to renew the spirit of the founder" drawing on the Work of the Living Tabernacles the will to live an experience of fraternal communion  as Salesians that puts the Eucharist at the centre was manifested in the conviction that the theological and spiritual understanding of the Eucharist through the meditation of the messages of Jesus to Vera Grita helps to internalise the Eucharistic spirituality lived by Don Bosco The seminar ended with the Eucharistic celebration at the shrine of Our Lady of Pens where Don Bosco celebrated Mass on 25 August 1881 and where the following year An ancient Roman shipwreck containing 3,000 jars of fish sauce has been discovered off the coast of Italy Archaeologists have spent the last two years searching for the wreck off the coast of Alassio was being transported along a sailing route between Italy The sauce was made from fermenting salted fish intestines and was a staple food across the Roman Empire Researchers became aware of a shipwreck in the region in 2012 when fisherman came across clay jars that had been on board the boat when it sank around 2,000 years ago, The Local reports. Garum was a mainstay of banqueting tables and street food stands across the Roman empire "It's an exceptional find that dates to the first or second century AD," team leader Simonluca Trigona told the website "It's one of just five 'deep sea' Roman vessels ever to be found in the Mediterranean and the first one to be found off the coast of Liguria We know it was carrying a large cargo of garum when it sank." The 25m wreck was sitting around 200m beneath the surface of the water and researchers spent the two years searching the seabed before finally discovering it in October the clay jars it had been stored in remained Trigona continued: "After we filmed the wreck and analysed an amphora [clay jar] and some fragments that a robotic craft brought back to the surface we realized the ship was carrying a huge quantity of fish sauce when it sank The amphora are almost all of a certain type they also found jars used to transport wine to the Iberian peninsula This provided the team with a good idea of where the ill-fated ship was headed "It's a nice find because it means we are almost sure about the route this ship was on," Trugona said "She most likely sailed out of Rome along the Tiber and sank a couple of weeks later while making the return journey quiet but interesting Italian coastal town in September with good public transport links including half-board and flights from Gatwick where a double with sea view costs about £185 B&B Q We would like to spend two weeks in Greece in May or July next year; one week learning Greek as beginners and a second week chilling in a beautiful resort or villa near the sea I’ve seen very few places where we can learn Greek for only one week Our budget is £2,500 maximum for the two of us.Sam Rogers A To make the most of your budget you should travel in May rather than July — and avoid half-term week. Chania in Crete has lots of language schools and one of them, Kleis Workshop for Greek Language and Culture (kleis.gr/en) offers a week’s intensive course for beginners for £195pp It can also help to arrange accommodation in reasonably priced hotels within walking distance You could then move on to stylish Ikaros Beach Q My husband and I had a wonderful time in Sri Lanka which was spoilt by our return journey on Sri Lankan Airlines being delayed by more than four hours I have tried to claim compensation from the airline for the inconvenience and treatment that we experienced but was told that compensation is only applicable for flights departing from an EU airport or travelling on an airline based in an EU member state Surely any airline using Heathrow has a base here in the EU A I’m afraid it doesn’t quite work like that An EU base means headquarters and unfortunately non-EU airlines are not obliged to compensate passengers for delays on return flights to the UK while care and assistance will vary according to the airline’s own terms and conditions.Julia Brookes is the Travel Doctor DON’T PUT UP WITH THISNo wheelchair access was provided at port I am a wheelchair user and travelled on the Queen Victoria on a Spain and Portugal wine cruise the stop in Lisbon (the whole reason we had booked the cruise) was cancelled and replaced with La Rochelle I rang customer services and was assured there would be full wheelchair access there The night before we were due to arrive in La Rochelle we found a note on our bed saying unfortunately they couldn’t provide an accessible shuttle bus The next morning my mother asked if there were any alternative arrangements and was told she could try and book a taxi and Cunard would cover the cost when she asked for accessible taxi numbers they didn’t have any nor could they help her to ring a taxi company At no stage did we receive an official apology or offer of compensation to acknowledge that our holiday had been extremely disrupted.Esther Fox The itinerary on this cruise was changed at the last minute because of a Portuguese strike but helping you to enjoy a day in La Rochelle rather than languishing on the ship really wasn’t A Cunard spokesperson said: “While we did have adaptable transport available there were some delays and miscommunication between Mrs Fox and purser desk staff For this we would like to offer Mrs Fox our sincere apologies.” You and your mother have now each been offered £200 as a goodwill gesture for the inconvenience you “may have been caused” Contact us . . .If you have a gripe, suggestion or question about holiday travel, write to Travel Doctor, The Times Travel Desk, 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF, or email traveldoctor@thetimes.co.uk If you have a dispute with a travel company Unfortunately we cannot reply to every inquiry In the charming setting of the pearl of the Western Riviera the much-anticipated event dedicated to the use of edible flowers in the kitchen returns a festival conceived and organized by the Palette Restaurants Association under the auspices of the Municipality of Alassio with the support of Gesco and the Alassio Marina Alassio: 5th National Flower Cuisine Festival from April 12 to 15 adv-66 Edible flowers in the kitchen The aim of the festival is to promote the knowledge and use of flowers in cooking enhancing the nutritional properties and gastronomic potential of these ingredients The event is aimed at both professional chefs and cooking enthusiasts offering them the opportunity to discover new culinary creations and be inspired by the latest trends in the industry Highlights of this edition The Festival will kick off on Friday at the “Giancardi Galilei Aicardi” Hospitality Institute with a contest reserved for hospitality institutes in Alassio the festival will move to various locations in the city: the Alassio Marina Porto Luca Ferrari where interesting and tasty culinary experiences with flowers will take place there will be tastings and show cooking in Piazza Durante adv-142 An interesting workshop will focus on the theme of flowers and local catch which will be curated in this edition by the “Acciugotto” fishery with chef Renato Grasso Porto Luca Ferrari will also host the “Yacht&Flowers” initiative an original contest that combines the pleasure of sailing with that of good food professional and amateur chefs will prepare a dish judged by a specialized jury chaired by Patrizio Roversi who has confirmed his presence in this edition as well Guided walks with environmental hiking guides along the paths of the Alassio hills to discover wildflowers and the beauties of nature and the opening of the gardens of Villa della Pergola which will showcase the most beautiful spring blooms during those days there will be stands with tastings of fresh and processed edible flowers along with workshops and show cooking by renowned chefs such as Gianfranco Calidonna and Filippo Sinisgalli The twinning with the competition “Un fiore nel piatto” from Darfo Boario Terme is confirmed with the presence of chef Francesco D’Amico The library will host the conference “The tradition of edible flowers around the world and innovative uses,” organized by CREA there will be a lecture on “Flowers and Health” by Dr and the presentation of the book “I fiori hanno sempre ragione” (Flowers are Always Right) by Roberta Schira Among the novelties is the innovative project “Street Flowers LAB,” supported by Fidapa Alassio an emotional citizenship workshop curated by Renata Cantamessa involving schools in the city in creating and installing signs on Forex with key edible flowers The presentation will also feature etiquette expert Barbara Ronchi della Rocca Gourmet moments include the Saturday dinner at Hotel Savoia with a menu created by chefs Loris Greggio and the Sunday brunch with an original menu accompanied by storytelling and sensory games providing participants with a unique experience with orthocentric chef Claudio Di Dio and storyteller Monica Panzieri on Monday with a Master class “Cucina con i fiori” (Cooking with Flowers) featuring star chefs Giorgio Servetto and Enrico Derflingher Giancardi Galilei Aicardi Hospitality Institute 11:00 AM Final of the gastronomic contest with hospitality institutes from Alassio (SV) and Clusane Iseo (VA) 3:00 PM Award ceremony Grollero Walk Bench dedicated to Centro Pannunzio 6:00 PM “From Mario Soldati to Franco Gallea in memory of love for Alassio Followed by the presentation of a cocktail dedicated to Mario Soldati by the Giancardi Institute of Alassio From 3:00 PM distribution of kits with edible flowers for boats registered in the “Yacht&Flowers” contest 9:30 AM: Excursion with “edible flower botanical recognition” by Herbaria and GAE Laura Brattel Excursion with mandatory reservation on the visitalassio.com/it portal To reach the start of the trail from the city center a free shuttle is available by reservation 9:00 AM-11:00 AM Garden tour reserved for journalists Alassio Marina Porto Luca Ferrari 10:00 AM Departure for the “Yacht&Flowers” sailing trip 11:30 AM Show cooking by chef Renato Grasso at Ittiturismo Acciugotto 12:00 PM “Sail and Flowers” contest jury 1:30 PM “Yacht&Flowers” contest awards by Marina di Alassio Civic Library 2:30 PM Workshop: “The tradition of edible flowers around the world and innovative uses” by CREA (Council for Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics) On the agenda: “Edible flowers around the world and traditional recipes” with Andrea Copetta (CREA) “Cultivation of edible flowers in soilless and vertical farming” with Silvana Nicola (UNITORINO) “Non-alcoholic drinks based on flowers” with Lilian Barros (University of Braganza Portugal); “Innovative products for artisanal and industrial production” with Marco Ravera (Raverabio) 4:30 PM Flowers and health 5:00 PM Presentation of the “Street Flowers LAB” project by Renata Cantamessa with Barbara Ronchi della Rocca President of Fidapa Alassio Section 5:30 PM Presentation of the book “I fiori hanno sempre ragione” by Roberta Schira curated by Patrizio Roversi Piazza Durante From 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM stands with fresh and processed edible flowers by Raverabio 11:00 AM “Journey among the petals”: a tasting curated by gelateria Perlecò 3:30 PM “Street Flowers LAB,” emotional citizenship workshop aka Fata Zucchina 5:00 PM “Floral Symphony”: discover the unique flavors of flowers in an unforgettable tasting experience curated by Tastee.it 6:30 PM Presentation of the new De.Co (Denominazione Comunale) – Begonia Gelato from Alassio with Councilor Franca Giannotta 8:30 PM “Flowers Dinner Experience” Flowers on the plate: a menu with edible flowers by chefs Loris Greggio and Nicolò Monticelli with storytelling by Patrizio Roversi and Claudio Porchia Phone number: 0182640277 (from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM) For info: segreteria@ristorantidellatavolozza.it 9:30 AM: Naturalistic photographic trek on the hills of Alassio with photographer and GAE Gabriele Cristiani 10:30 AM “Blooming Garden” show cooking by chef Gianfranco Calidonna 11:30 AM “A Flower on the Plate” – Twinning with the Competition from Darfo Boario Terme conceived by Loretta Tabarini with show cooking by chef Francesco D’Amico – Ristorante Bella Iseo di Iseo in collaboration with Campo dell’Oste company 5:00 PM “Floral Symphony,” the unique flavors of flowers in an unforgettable tasting experience 12:30 PM Street Flowers Food: narrative and floral orthocentric cuisine An aperitif and with orthocentric chef Claudio Di Dio who will prepare two vegetable finger foods and a main dish with edible flowers Reservations by April 10 at phone number 0182.640296 (from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM) For information: segreteria@ristorantidellatavolozza.it 2:00 PM Presentation of the gastronomic contest “Il fascino dell’Asparago e dei Fiori eduli” (The Charm of Asparagus and Edible Flowers) promoted by Ristoranti della Tavolozza with the Asparagus Producers Association of Santena and the Terre del Pianalto From 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Master class “Cucina con i fiori” (Cooking with Flowers) and star chefs Giorgio Servetto and Enrico Derflingher a participation certificate will be issued by the Palette Restaurants Association and CREA Sanremo The free course is open to the public with mandatory reservation by April 12 via email at segreteria@ristorantidellatavolozza.it Switch to the dark mode that's kinder on your eyes at night time Switch to the light mode that's kinder on your eyes at day time A beach chair with umbrella on the Italian coast will cost an average of 10% more this year than in 2021 'Anger on the beach due to the new price increases' was therefore titled La Repubblica last week But a comparative study by consumer organization Altroconsumo also shows that there are major differences per region you pay more in the north of the country than in the south It is therefore certainly worth informing yourself before you settle down on any Italian beach the increases are inevitable due to inflation high energy costs and the absence of the Russians But it is also possible that they fear losing the goose that lays the golden eggs and therefore want to take the money quickly the Italian state has leased most of its coastline to private individuals who in return rake in and fill their patch of sandy soil with hundreds of neatly arranged umbrellas The rent established in the distant past is usually ridiculously low the earnings are good and the concessions are automatically renewed so that the same families always benefit But their position has been threatened for years by the so-called 'directive' Bolkestein† This is a measure designed by the then Dutch European Commissioner and adopted by the European Parliament in 2006 for free competition in the services sector This also includes the balneari, the beach operators Their concessions should no longer be automatically renewed but reissued every few years and awarded to whoever makes the best offer the concessions were simply extended until in 2016 the European Court of Justice declared the continuation illegal promised that the directive would also be implemented in Italy This resulted in a reprimand from the European Commission in 2020 followed at the end of last year by a judgment by the Italian Council of State which annulled the government decision of 2018 because it violated Italian law which came in second place in the media after the war in Ukraine and in which even the survival of the Draghi government seemed threatened whereby the concessions will come on the market in 2 and the losers will be compensated For those who are still getting rich while sleeping that is a good reason to invest thoroughly now or to grab while you still can In both cases it costs money and the consumer notices that After this somewhat lengthy introduction, now the main data from Altroconsumo's report. One of the most expensive beaches is that of Alassio in Liguria There you can pay 380 euros for a sun lounger with umbrella in the first week of August and if you come with the two of you You can get a lot cheaper in the small southern regions of Molise and Basilicata In Termoli on the Adriatic coast you pay 100 euros and Policoro on the Tyrrhenian Sea 98 That the southern tip of Apulia has become expensive where a week's chair plus umbrella costs 280 euros and in Calabria you can also be expensive if you are not careful The Adriatic coast is generally less expensive Lignano Sabbiadoro (€142) and Cattolica (€166) And the saying that the islands would be cheaper certainly does not apply to top tourist locations such as Taormina in Sicily and the Sardinian San Teodoro you have to keep in mind that these figures are certainly not universally valid the beaches promise to be packed and operators can ask what the hell they care about It will also be possible to find more attractively priced locations in the expensive places although in that respect the operators show mutual solidarity Then the location of your seat and the day you use it also make a difference: Altroconsumo cites the example of the Veneto region there is the alternative of the free beaches although you often have to walk for them and bring your own parasol where you only spend money on the parking attendant and the owners earn money with beach restaurants where you can eat and drink not cheap but good The beach of the fashionable Capalbio on the Tuscan coast once the domain of the snobbish left from Rome is in the list of Altroconsumo at 280 euros You can find them in most seaside resorts – the municipalities are legally obliged to keep a few open – but they are often overcrowded not very carefully cleaned and sometimes next to the outflow of indefinable colored streams 2022expensivebeaches Historian who has lived in Italy for more than 30 years 20 of which as a journalist and 12 as a press and political officer at the Dutch embassy in Rome Has been working as a journalist again since May 2022 the gourmet group of the foreign press association in Rome This is Italy is a web magazine by and for Italy lovers learn the Italian language with free and paid courses be inspired by Italian cuisine and culture Here you will also find everything about Italian regions the landscape of Italy and the famous Italian lakes Read more >> © 2009-2025 This is Italy is published by DYC media