Camogli, Province of GENOVA<BR><BR>
Lying in the Golfo Paradiso to the west of Portofino promontory,
this is one of the best known seaside towns on the Eastern Riviera.
Above all, visitors are struck by the lively colours and decorations
on the façades of the buildings lining the old wharf,
which was built under the Republic of Genoa in the eighteenth
century. The imposing style of the buildings bears witness to
a prosperity that is much more ancient than the prosperity that
now owes itself to the modern-day tourist trade: until last century,
Camogli was not only a fishing village but also the home of shipbuilders
who were famous worldwide. The handicraft production of model
ships is a curious leftover of this glorious past. There are
still many fishermen even today: you can see them at work, for
example, if you follow them by boat to the tunney-fishing area
off Punta Chiappa. On the second Sunday in May you can see the
largest fry-up in the world: fish is fried in enormous frying-pans
for the feast of San Fortunato, who is joint patron saint of
the town together with San Prospero. This is also a good time
to taste the local rum and cream pastries called "camogliesi".
The mortal remains of San Fortunato and some relics of San Prospero
are kept in the parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in
the twelfth century on a small promontory that is also the original
town centre. Next to this stands the castle of Dragona, which
dates from the same period and has been destroyed and rebuilt
on several occasions. Portofino Nature Park has flora of rare
natural beauty, as you will see if you take the road to the Abbey
of San Fruttuoso. This can be reached either by means of a path
that takes you past the church of San Rocco or by boat, which
rounds the promontory of Punta Chiappa and goes through the Cala
dell'Oro. According to tradition, this eight-century abbey was
built to house the remains of the martyr San Fruttuoso. The fishing
village, however, is much older, going back to at least the second
or third century AD. The abbey was built in the thirteenth century
at the behest of the Doria family, many of whom were buried here.
If you go diving, you will be able to admire the celebrated "Cristo
degli Abissi", a statue by Guido Galletti, which was let
down into the sea in 1954 for the protection of sailors.<BR><BR>
Note: The above is an extracts
taken from the official web-site of the Regione Ligure, Agriculture
and tourism department - Tourist section. |