Thursday 9 August

When I come out of the airport in Milan, I look at the sky in dismay. A thick blanket of cloud, heavy with rain, frowns at me and, to add insult to injury, lets a few droplets down. Why? When everybody had told me to expect rain and mud in England, I found sunshine. I left that to come to the seaside in Italy only to find rain!

Massimo soon turns up wearing a compensating bright smile. He welcomes me with a kiss on each cheek in pure Italian fashion. Soon we are heading towards the west coast in his car, which freaks me out until I get used to the idea that they drive on the wrong side of the road! The trip towards the Riviera di Ponente, the southwestern section of the arc-shaped region of Liguria, lasts about two hours.

The coastal highway at times tunnels through the wild, green hills which steeply rise and fall into the Mediterranean; at times flies over the settlements set in the valleys between the hills. I can already see why Liguria is well known for its splendid landscapes of unspoilt nature, panoramic sea-views, characteristic villages and medieval towns.

Soon we turn into Andora, a historic town that developed to double its size in the last 30 years, with several holiday homes for families from northern Italy. Situated on the far southern edge of the Riviera delle Palme – a section of the Riviera di Ponente which extends over the entire province of Savona – Andora offers as much in beaches as in nature walks between the hills bordering it with Cervo in the south and Laigueglia in the north.

Andora is home to Alessandro and Maria, whom I met in India at the same time as Massimo. Accepting their urgent invitation, it will be mine too while I assist them in running a fund-raising stall in Laigueglia in aid of Villa Govinda, a non-profit cultural association which supports an Indian spiritual and humanitarian organisation.

Maria is waiting at the gate. “We were wondering if you would make it... we are so happy you did! Please do feel at home!”

Friday 10 August

I feel like a princess in Alessandro and Maria’s small penthouse apartment with traditional sloping ceilings and windows that open to the blue sky and red-tiled rooftops against a green backdrop. Maria’s home-cooking is to die for and she does not allow me to lift a finger in house chores.

The Aurelia, previously the Roman Julia Augusta coastal road, takes us past a small yacht marina to Laigueglia. This fishing village cum tourist hot-spot is the location for our stall. Three couples run the stall throughout the tourist season since this stretch of the Riviera is very popular with Italian holidaymakers... more so during the busy Ferragosto holiday week, which is why I am here.

I am not particularly useful this first evening at the stall though, until I learn from Maria, Tiziana and Chiara how things are done. The stall is varied, with costume jewellery, semi-precious stones, incense, essential oils, ayurvedic products and books on vegetarian cooking and bhakti yoga. It sure provides an excellent opportunity to interact with the large number of people enjoying the seaside palm-fringed promenade!

Saturday 11 August

A wander around Laigueglia reveals it to be much more than a popular tourist haunt. Sure it has the usual characteristics of a tourist resort including miles of sandy beach with systematically-arranged sunbeds and matching-coloured umbrellas, but I am fascinated as I walk through the historical centre of Laigueglia overlooking the beach.

The characteristic village had its origins as a settlement of Andoran fishermen, sailors and merchants, and later Catalan coral fishermen. The piazzas which then served as open-air market squares are now filled with tables and chairs in typical Italian style, while live music or some form of entertainment keeps the public amused.

Interesting buildings have been converted into hotels and several tiny shops selling something for every taste and whim, from clothes to antiques. They line the narrow, cobbled streets and arched alleyways providing inspiration for the well-to-do people who like to walk around spending their money. The threat from pirates, Corsicans and Saracens accounts for the bastions, within which is the majestic church of San Matteo.

Numerous restaurants offer the great flavours of typical Ligurian cuisine, most of which is based on fresh fish and typical Mediterranean ingredients... although I confess I am irresistibly drawn to the pizza e focaccieria and the gelateria.

After its independence from Andora and subsequent occupations, Laigueglia suffered a lack of commercial activity which was not much improved by the construction of the national highway or the railway. However when the princes of Genoa selected it as their holiday residence, the touristic development began to support the existing historical centre that embraces the coast.

Thanks to the hills which protect the Ligurian coast from the cold atmospheric conditions coming from the north, securing a mild Mediterranean climate all the year round, the entire Riviera delle Palme has become one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in northern Italy.

The most important distinguishing characteristic of Laigueglia though must be the personal way in which its 2,250 inhabitants run their business, making it particularly attractive to visitors from fast-moving cities such as Milan and Turin where that element is often forgotten.

Tuesday 14 August

With her ever-popular motorino, Maria shows me the way from her apartment to the Andora beaches. It will take me just 15 minutes’ ride on a bicycle. The sun is out and hopefully here to stay.

The long stretch of sandy beach is segmented into private sections, each with its own set of matching-coloured umbrellas and sunbeds. I am quite amazed that the beaches are really very busy – it looks like every Italian who lives in-land came to the beach this week! “It is only so busy in this period,” Maria reassures me, understanding my expression.

Thankfully Maria knows a pebble beach which has not been taken over by the sunbed-and-matching-coloured-umbrellas hawkers and I settle quite comfortably. At first I am surprised when the train roars overhead every few minutes but I quickly become used to it. I can imagine how scenic the train ride along these tracks must be though.

I enjoy a glorious swim, pleased that the sea is blue and clear. In Liguria a “blue flag” is the seal of approval for water purity. As I lie to dry enjoying the sun on my skin, I suddenly realise a shadow has blocked it momentarily. Not another cloud, please.

I open my eyes and, to my surprise, an Indian man is smiling down at me, necklaces hanging on one arm and a Perspex display-case in the other, “Madame?” Just like the beach-sellers in south India, only a little bit more sophisticated... it is a funny world!

Wednesday 15 August

Today is Ferragosto so we have lunch with Alessandro’s parents. I am bewildered – how can lasagna with just tomato sauce and cheese taste so good? I am accustomed to one dish so I am shocked at the number of dishes that appear after I have already stuffed myself. Well, it is rude to refuse... and it is all so delicious.

Friday 17 August

I have become friendly with a man who is on holiday with his dog, with the French couple who also run a stall near ours and with the daughter of a restaurant-owner in our piazza. In particular I have formed a special bond with my six colleagues who run the stall. Even within the limited parameters of moving between Andora and Laigueglia, I feel fulfilled.

Monday 20 August

The Riviera dei Fiori – the last limb of Liguria on the border with France’s Cote Azure and near the famous Monte Carlo – boasts its rich hinterland as well as its coast. Where the Riviera delle Palme meets the Riviera dei Fiori, in the Steria Valley, is Cervo, often praised as one of the most charming places on the Ligurian coast.

The tourist rush is over so, relieved from the stall duty, Chiara, Tiziana, Maria and I play our turn at being tourists. The original medieval gates allow pedestrian access to the sea village, which has its origins in Roman times circa 181 BC when it served as a stronghold for the control of the coastal road. At just four square kilometres with a 1,200-strong population, Cervo immediately conveys a unique character.

Circulation on foot within the 16th-century fortifications allows for silent admiration of the high, sculpted buildings bearing wrought-iron windows. The 17th-century aristocratic palazzi and alleys offer an array of artisan workshops: glassblowers, potters, goldsmiths, carvers and more.

Cervo’s highlights certainly include the Ethnographic Museum, as well as the church of San Giovanni Battista and the octagonal church of San Nicola. Can you imagine my surprise to come across one street named after the Knights of Malta? It turns out that they ran a hospice here for the poor and pilgrims dedicated to Sant’Antonio Abate circa 1784 and also ordered the building of the oratory of Santa Caterina.

Cervo offers an entirely different mood to Laigueglia. Mostly the green hills surrounding Cervo are wild with criss-crossing paths revealing a few ruins, pine trees and olive groves. On the coast only minimal sunbed and parasol arrangements are available while most cliffs and beaches are free and not crowded. Furthermore, nearby Diano Marina bay offers coastal cruises while Imperia offers offshore whale- and dolphin-watching tours.

Wednesday 22 August

Chiara takes us for a drive in the hills. Liguria lies between the Maritime Alps, the Apennines and the Ligurian Sea. Although the highest peak, that of Monte Saccarello on the border with France and Piemonte, is at 2,200 metres, most of the hills here do not reach great heights. Yet I still enjoy a view of the coast all the way up to Savona – one of the great port cities of Liguria – with Imperia to the south and Genoa and La Spezia further north.

Thursday 23 August

I pay my last homage to the sea since I will head inland tomorrow.

I gaze out towards Laigueglia and bid goodbye to the giant tortoise near Alassio and Albenga further north – the tiny island of Gallinara, one of five islands off the coast of Liguria. The others are Bergeggi, Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto.

Though I have only become familiar with a small stretch of the 300 kilometres that make up the entire coast of Liguria consisting of this Riviera di Ponente and the Riviera di Levante on the southeast arc of the region, the diversity is remarkable. I suddenly feel excited that tomorrow I catch that scenic train!

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Websites

About Liguria:

http://www.turismoin

liguria.it/lirgw/turismo/ep/

preHome.do

About Riviera delle Palme:

http://www.inforiviera.it/

inglese/index.cfm

About Laiguegila:

http://www.laigueglia.net/

About Cervo:

http://www.cervo.com/

www.melaniedrury.com

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