Summertime

Mare

It's been so hot lately that you can't step with a bare foot on the sand. You can fry an egg on it, I bet, especially at noon.

Beaches are usually full of people, however not crowded... not yet. But this morning, the beach I normally go to, has been almost empty. The reason: partly cloudy weather. Nice! I wouldn't burn like a toast, I thought...

In such a day I like watching people. You know, the beach is an ideal place since so many different people gather there.

I think the girl and the boy on the left photo were sister and brother. And it seemed to me they were French.  Later on, a group of teenagers, boys and girls, arrived, went directly into the water and started showing off.

The sea in June is warm and excellent for swimming while in May the water is still cool. Besides, you must be cautious for underwater currents. There aren't lifeguards on the public beaches so your safety is your responsibility.

A boy was learning to surf although waves were not so big there. By the matter of fact, waves turn very close to the beach due to the very steep underwater slope, I suppose. The positive thing is there aren't sharks here ☺ At least I haven't seen any...

However, there are whales. If you love to, you can go on whale watching sail to see how they mate (from July to September). Check out this guide for whale watching for season 2013. I want to try it myself!

A very old lady was led to the water by an attendant and she stayed there for quite a long time. The sea is so calming, so romantic and energizing! It's a great place to be at any age. My dream is to live by the sea when I get old or at least beside a lake... But today we don't know what will be tomorrow.

The city center is only one-park far from this beach and you can go there for a walk or you can have a drink on the beach.

Besides, it's also the season of watermelons, there are plenty of them in June and I adore them, especially in the hot afternoons or evenings. A kilogram of watermelon is about 59 cents! It's cheaper and much healthier than an ice-cream ;-) So go for it!

Welcome to Savona and the Italian Riviera

Mare Amare

The season is open, the sun is shining and the sea is inviting. So take on your hat and let's have a bath on the beach!

Last days there was a red flag on the beach but the weather becomes better and better every single day.

The western beach of Savona is narrower than that beside the sea garden but is much much longer. So you can go for a long walk along the sea and pass by beautiful buildings in Art Nouveau style like Villa Zanelli.

You can see rows of long palms behind the beaches which is the reason why Savona is also called Riviera delle Palme. You can sit under their shadow in the sea garden and listen to the waves breaking against the shore.

If you choose the beach by the sea garden you will be very close to the Priamar Fortress and Piazza Garibaldi.

There are lot of bagni along the beach that administrate it and you can rent a place which basically includes a sundeck and umbrella and a wardrobe. You can rent it for a day, a week or the whole season and each bagno (a bath) has a price list with additional extras.

Each bagni has its distinctive color like red, blue or yellow so you can choose.

Bagni Savona

You can sit on the balcony in one of the bars along the beach and take a cup of real Italian espresso or a cocktail and enjoy the view.

Next to the bagni there are public areas and you can have a sunbath, a picnic or whatever and wherever you'd like. Piazza Garibaldi is right above one of the public beaches and will lead you straight to the city center.

So what more to say about this place where the sea is azzurro and full of joy.


You might also want to know:

• How to reach the city of Savona;
• Where to stay in Savona;
• And where to spend some money ☻

The Ligurian Sea

Mare

The spring has officially come this year and the mare is more magical and wavier than ever.

One morning I went on my regular jogging on the beach (we must keep ourselves in a good shape, mustn't we?) only to see that the waves were reaching the sand levees one after another, so I chose a different route for my running time. Besides, I took some time and did several shots of this amazing Ligurian Sea.

As usual, retirees were sitting on the benches at the beach talking about politics or whatever. Workers were preparing bagni di mare (sea baths) which you can see along the beach coupled with nice seaside restaurants.

People are working for the upcoming season and you can really sense Savona's metamorphosis.


Then I went to the breakwater to catch some nice waves crashing against it but I didn't see such amazing November waves as those I admired at Celle Ligure last year. Anyhow, the breakwater seemed to be a favorite place for dog owners to take their pets out on a walk as well as the beach is a popular choice for them, I must add.

The next day I saw a man sitting on a chair on the rocks musing by the sea. Nice.

On my way back I saw two surfers. The shore here is such that waves turn and crash very close to the beach. These are deep waters here and if you can't swim (as myself), you must be cautious.

After this chap got over the wave I walked past and got back home to do some other useful things...


Now when I have to travel for a while, I feel as I am going to miss the sea - a strange feeling that can be explained only by someone who lives by the sea, I believe.

The Rock of Madonnetta

Mare

In a rainy day like today's I want to write about something bright and shine. So, here is a story about a rock in the sea.

Walking along the deep blue Ligurian sea from Savona to Albissola, you will see it, just a few meters from the shore, the Rock of Madonnetta, that is the rock of Virgin Mary.

On the top of the rock, there is a column with a small statue of Virgin Mary in it. The story tells that is was built in the far 1963 by someone Francesco di Nicola Grossi whose identity wasn't determined yet. The Madonna, also called a Star of the sea, is considered a guard of the entrance to the harbor, and is typically honored with many lights on May 21st. I'll try not to miss the event...

Many young people from Savona and Albissola have been baptized at the Rock of Madonnetta. Lots of people come here in the summer and jump from the top of the rock too. The place is ideal for scuba diving even if you are not very experienced.

We made a commitment, we will come back to this place in the summer and dive in those waters (after I learn to swim, of course!).

And there is a small wild beach close to the Madonnetta, an absolutely tranquil place in an out-of-the-season day.

So how to find it. Just walk on the main sea promenade that ties Savona and Albissola, the neighboring town, and you'll see it after a tunnel.


There is only one disturbing thing I read about: a plan for building a marine port around and next to the Rock of Madonnetta. Many civilians protest against this and I should agree with them. The place is so beautiful and appealing because of its wildness. It must stay as it is now ☺

Winter in Savona

Mare

Who says it is sunny Italy?!

This picture was taken this morning from my balcony. There is charm in a beach covered with snow so white. You can see mist on the horizon and the sea is blending into the sky.

I only cannot understand one thing: How can it snow horizontally?! Well, living next to the sea usually goes with everlasting wind.

I was longing to see snow here for so long and eventually my dream has come true ☺ But it is going to last a single day, if I am to believe the forecast.

For some people, though, the snow and the wind are quite a scary scene... An old man from across the block opens the window on every 10 minutes, with a cap and a coat put on, to check the weather conditions outside.

With respect to myself, well, I enjoy my winter day!

The wavy Ligurian Sea

Mare

Do you like the sound of a wavy sea?

Well, after the last evening's experience of four earth tremors, I have decided to go to one of Savona's beaches this morning. And to contemplate at it: the beautiful deep Ligurian Sea.

And everything looked just as usual: windy weather, many people walking their pets on the beach , ducks floating in the nearby channel, fishermen, and ships on the horizon. Yes, a day like any other. Except the fact that there were several small earthquakes last evening. But local people seem undisturbed at all.

Let's clean up our beach

Mare

I'm back to sunny Italy after I spent the winter holidays with my family. And I made a decision: to begin with a beach cleanup.

This is the beach next to which I live - a beautiful and tranquil place. I want it clean. You know, garbage thrown out on the sand is not an uncommon scene. So I decided to take a plastic bag and a pair of gloves every time I go on jogging and do some cleaning.

I was surprised by the variety of plastic bottles, packages, cigarette butts and other sorts of junks I found on the beach. I know that some of them came with the waves. However, if I want a clean beach for me and those close to me and not only for the tourists, then I can just do it.

Thus I can truly enjoy a view like this:

Do you know that Savona has a Blue Flag for the quality of the sea water, seaside services and cultural and sport activities related to the sea? Let's keep its beaches clean. If you like this, you can join me. The only rule is: one bag at a time.

Riviera delle Palme

Mare

They call it Riviera delle Palme - this is Savona, the place I'm living now.



А friend of mine once told me:

Life at a sea! What else would you need!?

Yes, winters could be a bit windy and sometimes it rains cats and dogs, but living by the sea can be a unique experience (I promise to write about mountains some day... perhaps I'll do it in the spring).

So do you know why they call Savona Riviera delle Palme? Logically, it is because there are lots of palm trees in the city. And as any other coastal city, Savona has its own sea garden which is situated next to the beach and close by Priamar Fortress. The garden is full with palms and doves just love to nest in the crowns of the trees. That's why the space around benches is full of pigeon droppings sometimes! You must fare attenzione!

This is the sea promenade that crosses the garden:

A lot of joggers pass by it, especially in the mornings and sometimes in the evenings too. This is a typical view inasmuch as the city is known for being an open-air gym. As a matter of fact, jogging will cost you no money at all. Everything you need is a pair of runners and a strong will to keep on doing it.

The sea promenade is an ideal trace. It goes from the west part of the city to Priamar Fortress. Some people prefer the beach, though, as I do. But it's not so convenient in bad weather.


Jogging on the beach gives you a chance to spot lots of beautiful architectures surrounded by palms and some sort of tree that is typical for the region but unfamiliar to me.

This particular building is situated at the west part of Savona.

And I have to tell you that there are people in all ages running at the beach or the promenade: from high school students in phys class, I come across at the sea garden, to retirees... Well, better running close by the sea than in the school yard.

In the evenings the sea garden is almost empty but there are still some joggers. You won't spot so many passengers then but stray cats. And views like this:

Alright, this is rather a sunset but I really liked it. It looks to a port at Vado Ligure, Bergeggi island and after it, but you cannot see them on the picture, are Spotorno and Noli. There is a small restaurant behind those five palms, right on the cliff. However, most of the seaside restaurants are closed in the autumns and winters with some exceptions where you can buy a takeaway pizza or have a glass of wine. And thus the cold winter days in Riviera delle Palme can also be charming and enjoyable.

Beaches of Liguria - continuing

Mare

I just love breakers crashing against rocks. Like most of you, I believe.

This was one of the most astonishing breakers I had ever enjoyed. We were standing at a rocky breakwater trying not to fall into the sea (I still can't swim), watching how waves were breaking on the wall of the road. I'm telling you, the water is about to undermine its foundation.

The road I'm talking about is SS1, direction: Genova, at Riviera Ligure di Ponente.

This is an awesome way to go. And what's more, you can travel by walk from Savona to here and even farther. Cool, isn't it? You see those two men at the top right corner I accidentally shot on my photo:

Well, they stayed at the embankment next to SS1 which was right above the shore. I also loved the benches at the embankment - you could just sit there, have a drink and enjoy the view (and sounds).



And since the theme is about beaches after all, the one "behind the scene" is Celle Ligure's. The beach was quite narrow at this end and it seemed to me that the waves were trying to flood us. So you walk really carefully and tightly to the wall, which can be fun indeed.☻



If you wonder, Celle is a neighboring town to Savona you can reach by walk. It has gained a Blue Flag which is an indicator for commune's sustainable tourism development, improvement of life quality and care for the ecosystem...

We traveled a bit further and then came back through a tunnel where there was an exhibition of "math artists!" No kidding.

I'll try to illustrate what it was about:

Well, some of the works resembled such kind of number mosaics (but colorful graphics and lithographs, though). Can you guess what this table is?...





Back at the sea promenade we saw a signboard of a surf school. Kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing & sailing are popular sports in the town but I heard that surfing was a bit risky because the spot was located close by a cliff. Waves break in front of it and arrive at the beach. Anyway, if you are fond of it, check out web portals like Windfinder.

So, this is all about Celle Ligure for now. Next time I'll tell you something about Riviera delle Palme. Wait for it!

P.S. By the way you'll hardly find pizza if you visit the town out of the season, especially at lunch time.

Beaches of Liguria

Mare

In a sunny day after the stormy Halloween, we headed toward Spotorno and next to it we found Noli.

So if you dream for long beaches and medieval castles, these small towns in Riviera di Ponente are just for you. Riviera di Ponente or the "Coast of the setting sun" is a Ligurian area between Genoa and the French border.

Besides, the road that crosses it is one of the most beautiful in Europe, I reckon. This is Via Aurelia or SS1 on the road maps. Even just driving on it worth the effort. It goes all the way along the sea and takes you to Sanremo, and is popular for road cycling.

Bike route 542828 - powered by Bikemap 

Check out all bike routes in the region at Bikemap.

There were lots of cars and bicyclers coming and going in both directions. We passed by a bunch of chopper riders on the way surrounded by high vertical cliffs, deep blue sea and medieval towers on the hills - guards of honor. A crooked and winding road - this is Via Aurelia and a dream for every adventurer. I was totally captivated by the roadside views and simply wanted to get off the car and continue by walk but it wasn't possible.

And so we reached Spotorno: a small and poor coastal country in an ancient times, often a subject of bitter disputes between the powerful neighboring municipalities - Savona & Noli, now it is a top tourist destination in the Italian Riviera.

And there is a reason for this: pure water and long beaches, a labyrinth of narrow streets and cozy little shops and cafes. It seemed to me that the whole city life was on the streets - social gatherings, hairdressers, craftsmen. You had the feeling that everyone knows everybody.

Spotorno's life has always been tightly connected to the sea. In the past, boats transported goods like wine, paintings and lemons to Sicily, Sardinia and France. Now a view of fishermen on the beach is a common scene.

This sausage dog, with his back to me, was a little curious creature and I knew the representatives of the breed were brave hunters.

The island on the picture is Bergeggi and on the shore against it you can find one of the purest blue beaches in the region. What's more, you can reach it by walk from Spotorno.

The beach was empty then but I bet it's full with people during the season. However, you must watch out for your dignity: There was a sign on the promenade which informed that walking around the town in a swimsuit is strictly prohibited!

Well...

Here's a greeting from Spotorno friend, full of joy as the city itself:

And then comes Noli: steep streets, gloomy castles, lots of olive trees and uncommonly tranquil place to be in November.

We entered a church there. It was empty and silent, preparing for a service that was going to begin in 30 minutes. A nun passed by and greeted us on the main entrance. The whole place had an aura of something magnificent, romantic and melancholic at the same time (unlike the cheerful Spotorno).

You know, although the temple looked at the beach and a sea alley, and there wasn't any kind of sign to indicate that hanging around in a swimwear was restricted, I couldn't quite imagine to show up in a swimming costume around it...

So we crossed the main street, that was Via Aurelia, and there it was - a choppy dark blue-green sea and big foaming waves! It attracted me like a magnet.

Our Spotorno friend told us afterwards that this was the town with the most peaceful and transparent blue waters around the west coast of Liguria. Yet, that day we saw a splendid wavy sea (due to the autumn weather, my best guess).

If you are curious about the town, the name "Noli" has a Greek origin and means "new city". Its story tells us, and this is a less-known fact, that the village (slightly less than 3000 citizens nowadays) was an ancient maritime republic. It is even considered that Christopher Columbus took "lezioni di mare" (lessons of the sea) here in year 1474!

Mare: You should know that you can easily sink into deep water at the Ligurian beaches for reason of the sea slope. So if you prefer shallow water, then you might want to visit the east coast of Italy.

In order to plan your Vacanza at Liguria, just browse a tour guide like TripAdvisor.

☼

Mediterranean Cruise

Mare

It's sunny again after a stormy Sunday. So why not going cruising in the Mediterranean!
One of the biggest attractions of city of Savona is pleasure boating. Here we go.

Would you like to get on a ship like this? You can cruise around the Mediterranean with it.

You can take Grande offerte in the autumn. Check them out with Costa Crociere, a cruise company which manages the passenger terminal in the port of Savona, or with Corsica Ferries.

Place of departure: Savona. A few words about it.

Happily situated between mountains and sea, divided into old and new city, Savona is part of Liguria Region and the inviting Riviera. Its cruise port, Savona Vado, was expanded in 2008 with a new quay.



One of the symbols of the city is a clock tower which stands at the Old Dock. It is called Torre Leon Pancaldo after the ship navigator. However, the locals just call it "Torretta" - little tower in Italian.

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No grief and no moaning over the passing summer. The autumn is also intriguing and the sea appealing.

The Mare & The Whales

Mare   Amare

Let me tell you about a shore of a sea where whales mate in the summer. The breeding takes place in a region called Pelagos Sanctuary.

The Boats

The Fishermen

They are always there: alone, couples, partying. Fathers and sons.

The Mare & The Wave

                        

They say the sea becomes really stormy in the winter and therefore, raise dikes on the beach in October. I hope levees won't break. ☻

The Play

You can go for a whale watching trip in the summer between July and early September. You can go for a scuba-dive, it's quite deep.

Locals will tell you about an idle beach on the opposite coast against Bergeggi Island where the road leads to San Remo and you can go by bike enjoying the view.

You can fall in love like the bush above.