Blue skies, shining sun, a mild climate on the Riviera, woods and snow-capped mountains a few kilometres away… During the winter months, Liguria, encased between the mountains and sea, makes skiing during the day and an aperitif in the evening among the palm trees and oleander on its Riviera a possibility.
You can ski during the season at Santo Stefano d’Aveto, 50 km from Chiavari (Genoa), at 1,200 metres altitude, at the feet of mounts Maggiorasca and Bue, and at Colle Melosa, at the foot of Monte Torreggio, in the municipality of Pigna, Imperia, 40 km from the coast, 1,542 metres above sea level. Colle Melosa is very close to the sea and so the confluence of the two climates – mountainous and maritime makes for a unique habitat. In addition you can ski in Monesi, near Triora, 1,380 metres on the slopes of Monte Saccarello and in Zum Zeri-Passo due Santi, in the Massa Carrara province, on the boarders of Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and Liguria which is one of the most charming skiing locations in the Apennine mountain range a half-hour drive from da Marina di Carrara.
But what traditionally makes Liguria one of the preferred winter locations for both Italians and Europeans are the mildness of the coastal climate and the beauty of its maritime villages which are even more enjoyable during this season.
There are many fascinating places starting along the east coast from the Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso which are all recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Further along this coast you reach the “Golfo dei Poeti”, Golfo de La Spezia with its enchanting towns of Portovenere and Lerici and a succession of bays, inlets and beaches. The entire Ligurian east coast is rich with famous locations from Rapallo, Camogli and Santa Margherita Ligure, adored by tourists for their natural beauty, unobtrusive vitality and amazing food and wine. Portofino, famed by visits from celebrity couples over the centuries and even today it is still a hotspot for the world’s jet set. You can see famous people in its main square or surrounding restaurants left undisturbed by the locals who are used their presence The Portofino National Park which covers the headland can be explored through many excursions. The Park with its 80 km of paths allow for numerous walks along which you can discover Liguria’s flora and wildlife…a must is the wisteria in blossom at the nearby Abbazia della Cervara, at the end of March.
Christmas season in Genoa
Embedded between the two Rivieras is Genoa, once almost known only as a port and industrial hub, is now achieving growing success as a touristic location. The city attracts tourists all year round and in all weathers: What the city has to offer does not fear the rain or the sun shine. Genoa has one of Europe’s most vast historic centres, the Porto Antico with the Aquarium, museums, exhibitions and shows, for instance at the Palazzo Ducale the “Warhol Pop Society” (21 October 2016 -26 February 2017) or at the Teatro Carlo Felice, La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29 December with the new staging by the Fondazione Teatro Carlo Felice, conducted by Massimo Zanetti – Alvise Casellati, directed by Giorgio Gallione, costumes and scenery by Guido Fiorato. Furthermore, almost every day you can find an interesting show in the Genovese theatres not just at the Carlo Felice.
During the Christmas season Genoa is enriched by numerous artistic nativity scenes. Clay or wood carved painted statues decorated in gold or dressed in poor or opulent clothing, the three wise men, shepherds, farmers, artisans, nobles, pages, merchants and of course the classic characters of any nativity scene are all included: The Genoese tradition of nativity scenes is rich (according to some scholars it is only surpassed by the Neapolitans) and every Christmas scores of churches in the provinces’ capital offer both the faithful and visitors nativity scenes of great historic and artistic value.
Among the most famous nativity scenes are: The Museo dei Beni Culturali Cappuccini of Genoa – Cappuccini Museum of Cultural Heritage, a mechanical nativity scene with 150 statues in reconstructed landscapes of Bethania, Jerusalem and Bethlehem at the time of Jesus Christ; the Museo dell’Accademia Ligustica di Belle Arti – Museum of the Linguistic Accademy of Fine Arts, wax works by J. B.Cetto (XVIII century); the one from the church of SS. Concezione (Padre Santo), with beautiful figurines of shepherds, artisans, the tree wise men in a typical layout inserted into a typical Ligurian landscape; the Church of San Barnaba which has Genoese figurines from the Maragliano school and others (XVIII and XIX century): The nativity scenes of the Santuario of Nostra Signora Assunta di Carbonara-La Madonnetta (the small Madonna) to the Monastero di Clarisse Cappuccine, to the Convento di Nostra Signora del Rifugio in Montecalvario (Suore Brignoline), in the Church of San Desiderio, the Santuario di Nostra Signora del Belvedere, to the Oratory of the Church of Santa Caterina di Begato, Santuario di Nostra Signora delle Grazie.
In Masone (near Genoa), at the Andrea Tubino Civic Museum, the large mechanical nativity scene reconstructs Masone village as it was around the 1930s. Another well-known mechanical nativity scene is in Campo Ligure and covers a surface of 70m2, and includes hundreds of figurines a hundred of which actually move.
Genoa offers another marvel, the Parco di Villa Pallavicini – Villa Pallavicini Park, a large open-air “theatre” conceived as an immense garden climbing up the slopes of the Pegli hills, like a theatrical play, it develops in three acts plus a prologue and an epilogue. Every act has four scenes made up of the architecture, furnishings, streams, fountains, ponds, exotic and indigenous plants chosen for their decorative and evocative characteristics, every scene corresponds to a phase of life according to a philosophical-esoteric conception of masonic inspiration the themes subject is a journey of interior growth.
West Liguria
Another must see, in any season is the Villa Hanbury park near Ventimiglia.
I Giardini Botanici Hanbury – Hanbury Botanical Gardens were created in 1867 when Thomas Hanbury bought the antique Villa Orengo and the land situated on the Capo Mortola headland in order to transform it into a garden for the acclimatisation of exotic plants.
Hanbury’s brother Daniel, a pharmacist and botanist played an important role in the conception and fulfilment of this project. The family homestead of 18 hectares had an olive grove in its central section and in a smaller section a citrus grove and a vineyard laid out on terraces (9 hectares); the peripheral and more sloping areas were and still are covered by natural vegetation made of Aleppo pines, holm oak, and myrtle. The planning and completion of the garden’s architectural structure was strongly influenced by the German gardener and landscaper Ludovico Winter, who was employed in 1868 as head gardener and involved with the garden’s planning. Impressive digging and landfill works began with the construction of containment walls, channelling and cisterns for water storage, avenues and pathways linked to stairs were laid out; an intricate network for the water distribution for irrigation was put into place. Palazzo Orengo was also restructured with the addition of new wings and a small tower. From 1867 Thomas Hanbury
Made contacts with fresh produce establishments from the nearby French Riviera; in the following years the development of the Gardens flourished thanks to continued contact and collaboration with scholars from all over the world. About half of the land was assigned to the cultivation of exotic plants coming from the most diverse countries and selected on the basis of systematic, phytographic, ecologic, aesthetic-landscape criteria; the remaining nine hectares maintained the Mediterranean vegetation.
Over time the gardens were subjected to periods of abandon and degradation. In 1960 the Italian State bought the complex in order to guarantee its conservation for scientific aims. Currently managed by the University of Genova, the gardens are a protected area of the Regione Liguria- Liguria Region since 2000. Among the most important collections are the eucalyptus and acacia as well as bamboo, ice plant, ancient types of citrus fruit, roses, peony, numerous climbing vines on the pergolas. Furthermore a visit to the Perfume Gardens, the Italian Gardens and the Exotic fruit orchard should not be missed.
Moving to the Ponente – West, Liguria can offer a pearl such as Alassio, beautiful, elegant and lively even in winter, beaches like Bergeggi with its little island, Varigotti, the neo-classic Villa Ormond in Sanremo with its garden characterised by rare essence.
