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TERRA ITALIA Newsletter No 1 | 2020

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Dear readers and Liguria enthusiasts,

Almost hourly we hear sad news about the spread and consequences of the corona virus and for some time we will be restricted in our freedom of movement and travel.

Nevertheless it is my desire and pleasure to keep you informed about the beautiful region of Liguria, to give you tips and suggestions for your (hopefully soon again unrestricted) stay on the Italian Riviera.

Liguria has always been popular not only with artists and writers, but also with many visitors who are planning their holidays here, a short visit or a lifelong stay. Sometimes different desires cannot be arranged and the result is a ‘patchwork decision’. Compromises and conflicts with your loved ones are not pre-programmed in our beautiful region – if you look for beach and regeneration, disco and new contacts, shopping or museum visits, chic or casual, dawdling and hanging around or physical activity – in Liguria all this can be reconciled. No other time zone but only a different climate without jetlag and you will enjoy everyday life, treat yourself good! Play with the children, visit a restaurant or go dancing, go on trips and excursions, you can photograph or film, sit by the fireplace and look into the fire, observe sunrise and sunset, stars and clouds, wade in the water, climb, cycle or motorbike and much more.

Perhaps you will find in our newsletter, dear readers, valuable tips and suggestions for your search for your dream property? We are here for you, our many years of market knowledge and experience will help you to find tailor-made solutions. We can guarantee a smooth process, whether you come as a holiday guest or as an interested party for a property.

And of course this issue is also welcome to those who already live and work in our beautiful area and how-so-often never stop to discover something new and to love Liguria!

Yours sincerely,

Peggy Peters

SPRING IN LIGURIA

Ludwig Winter and Hanbury Botanical Gardens

Not only compared to Central or Northern Europe, but also compared to the Italian neighbouring regions, the temperatures in Liguria are already pleasant in the first months of the year. Especially the climate in the coastal regions of northern Italy is very mild. In addition, spring begins comparatively early, so that trees and flowers already provide a colourful landscape in February, and warm temperatures are to be expected from March at the latest. Delicate mimosas, fragrant lemons and a flora that we northern Europeans see every time anew as plants from paradise.

The beautiful Hanbury Garden covers the whole headland of Cape Mortola and covers an area of 18 hectares. One half is laid out as a garden, the other half is covered with Aleppo pine. The protection of the high mountains and the numerous hours of sunshine make plants from all over the world feel at home here. The architectural development of the gardens is linked to the personality of Ludwig Winter, a German botanist and garden architect, who became famous for his contribution to the Hanbury Botanical Garden. Here you can also learn a lot about the flora, fauna and cultural history that have shaped this area.

Do you love walking through beautiful parks, exploring small rural gardens, taking a coffee break in a flowering garden, learning about organic horticulture or visiting historic parks in exciting cultural settings? There are also wonderful walks through other gardens laid out by Ludwig Winter: La Madonne della Ruota in Bordighera, Villa Wilmott in Imperia and Vallone del Sasso in San Remo.

Colours, shapes and contrasts are also experimented with in the Pallanca Cactus Garden in Bordighera, Ephrussi de Rothschild Garden in Cap Ferrat, Villa Ormond Park and Garden in San Remo and many more!

Easter

While Good Friday is a normal working day in Italy, Easter Sunday “Santa Pasqua” is celebrated with a good meal and/or an excursion with picnic with family and friends. On this day all shops are closed and food in the restaurant should be booked in advance.

April Good Friday before Easter Vernazza procession in the evening with traditional lighting
http://www.cinqueterreitalia.com/cosa-vedere/

April Good Friday before Easter Manarola Impressive procession at 21 o’clock
http://www.cinqueterreitalia.com/cosa-vedere/

Easter Monday Pasquetta is also a public holiday. Some shops are already open again. Pasquetta, like Easter Sunday, is used by Italians for a picnic in the countryside – with a thick blanket and filled picnic baskets, it’s a great way to enjoy a picnic in the open air!


CULINARY HIGHLIGHTS

Restaurant Recommendations and local Recipes

TERRA ITALIA’s Restaurant Recommendation:

‘Come a Casa’ in Ospedaletti

The ‘Come a Casa’ in Ospedaletti offers countless moments of pleasure to friends of high quality and refined cuisine. Home made bread and desserts that make you happy. Fish and meat, pasta and vegetable are freshly and creatively prepared and have been convincing locals, holidaymakers, gourmets and connoisseurs for years.

You will be welcomed in a warm Italian manner, impeccable service, child-friendly. In the traditional ambience with a beautiful vaulted room with natural stone, the restaurant offers in summer on the outdoor seats a fantastic view over the sea, which rounds off the culinary delights.

Seasonal Recipe to try at Home

„Torta pasqualina“

Easter cake with spinach and eggs – The salty Easter cake with spinach and eggs comes from Liguria and is prepared from a puff pastry-like dough with fresh spring vegetables for Easter.

For 1 cake with 12 pieces we need:

500 g wheat flour type 550/0

4 tbsp olive oil (from Arma di Taggia) plus olive oil for brushing

600 g spinach (from approx. 1000 g fresh, unselected spinach)

500 g ricotta

80 g Parmesan cheese

9 eggs

2EL fresh marjoram

nutmeg

salt and pepper

Knead flour, olive oil and a pinch of salt with lukewarm water (approx. 1/4 l) to a dough.

Divide the dough into 10 pieces of about the same size, form them into balls and place them on a flour-pollinated cloth or baking sheet, cover with a slightly moistened cloth and let rest for 1 hour.

Bring spinach to the boil in salted water for 2 minutes, drain, squeeze well in sieve and let cool, then chop finely and season with salt, pepper and marjoram.

Whisk 2 eggs and mix with spinach, ricotta and grated parmesan, season with salt and pepper and add a little nutmeg.

Sort out the 6 largest dough balls and roll out one as thin as possible with rolling pin.

Place the rolled out dough pancake on the bottom of an oiled 24 cm cake springform pan in the middle so that the walls of the springform pan are covered as much as possible and the edges of the dough are still hanging down approx. 1 cm on the outside. (If the rolled out size does not suffice, do not lay out the flat cakes completely concentrically but slightly offset so that a little dough can be added everywhere).

Lightly coat with oil.

Do the same with another 5 dough balls, but do not coat the last one with oil.

Pour the ricotta spinach mixture into the mould and smooth down.

Press a seventh depression with the back of a spoon in round 6 and in the middle and carefully slide an egg yolk into it.

Roll out the remaining 4 dough balls, spread them with oil and cover them with a layer of oil, making sure that the edges of the dough protrude a little on the outside.

Roll up the overlapping edges to the inside and press them down.

Coat the surface of the dough with oil.

Use a toothpick or similar to carefully pierce a few holes in the surface of the dough so that the steam can escape.

Bake for about 75 minutes at 190 ° C and convection oven on 2nd splint from below.

Serve lukewarm.

A Vermentino from the region with a brilliant straw-yellow colour goes well with this. Happy Easter and bon appetit!

Regional Produce

Asparago Violetto di Albenga – Natural cultivation

Albenga’s purple asparagus is still cultivated according to the traditional rhythms that have shaped the life of Albenga’s asparagus growers for centuries.

Just like a hundred years ago, the harvest begins on 19 March, dedicated to Saint Joseph, and ends on 24 June, when we remember Saint John the Baptist.

The end of the harvest is traditionally celebrated with a great feast.

Violet asparagus tastes very piquant: sweeter, nuttier and spicier than white asparagus. When peeled, purple asparagus also turns white, but the healthy substances remain. In addition to antozian, which protects against cancer, it contains numerous vitamins and minerals. The healthy components are mainly in the tips of the asparagus, so they should not be overcooked. If possible, the asparagus tips should always look out of the water,

A pigato from the area goes with it! The dry white wine captivates with almond aromas with slightly bitter notes.


LEISURE TIPS AND EVENTS

Days out, Sport and Culture

Pure idyll: on shank’s pony

Those who love mild temperatures and the idyll can already enjoy the kilometres of centuries-old paths in spring which make Liguria a popular hiking destination. The contrasting landscape, characterised by wine terraces and olive groves, offers numerous challenges for hikers and mountain bikers.

ALBENGA AND ALASSIO

via Julia Augusta

You will certainly be thrilled by Albenga and Alassio. Both cities can easily be reached by train from Ventimiglia or Genoa and convey a real Italian feeling. To dive even deeper into the beautiful nature of the country, we suggest a leisurely hike along the Via Julia Augusta from Albenga to Alassio (or vice versa).

Albenga was already populated in pre-Christian times and under the Roman domination as well as in the Middle Ages experienced a brilliant time.

WORTH SEEING IN ALENGA

Cattedrale San Michele

The three-nave pillar basilica was largely built between the 11th and 14th centuries.

Battistero

Behind the cathedral stands the oldest sacral building in the city and one of the most important in Liguria: the baptistry from the early 5th century.

Civico Museo Ingauno in the Torre del Comune

Albengas highest dynasty tower houses the small town museum on the ground floor, which mainly shows late antique finds from Albingaunum. The Torre del Comune also provides access to the interior of the Baptistery.

Museo Navale Romano

The “Roman Naval Museum” in Palazzo Peloso Cepolla owes its existence to an archaeological stroke of luck: in the 1st century BC two fully loaded Roman cargo ships sank in the coastal waters of the Riviera di Ponente.

The frescoed museum rooms also house a valuable collection of pharmacist ceramics; the blue and white plates and vessels come from the once renowned Albisola and Savona manufactories.

Museo Diocesano di Arte Sacra

The Diocesan Museum is housed in the Bishop’s Palace, next to the Baptistery, and includes parts of the Cathedral’s treasure, paintings by Genoese artists from the 16th and 17th centuries, Flemish tapestries and some frescoes in more or less good condition.

If you then walk into the centre of the small town, you will pass nice street cafés and restaurants. Here you can definitely endure a hike.

Restaurants in Albenga

Pure idyll: in the motorcycle saddle

In terms of landscape, culture, climate, cuisine and roads, Liguria could not be more diverse – driving fun is guaranteed and there is much to discover!

Pizza, pasta and amore are waiting for you, streets like in a picture book and lots of vrom vrom!

Be prepared for all weather, no fear of heat in the leather suit! Manufacturers are increasingly encountering this with perforations and “Cool Leather”, which thanks to special treatment repels the sun’s rays.

Another trend: hydrophobized leather in combination with an internally applied functional membrane. This also withstands longer castings.

By the way: in case of heavy rain, a good rain cover suit is still the densest of all solutions.

Along the coast there is a large number of overnight accommodations and camping sites.

https://blog.residenceliguria.com/de/itinerari-moto-nella-liguria-ponente/

Pure idyll: a conglomeration of creative artist types

Only 15 km from Imperia there is a beautiful, small, charming mountain village with painted doors (and a small parking lot right in the village) – the very interesting Valloria. Like all Ligurian villages, Valloria has an old church, winding streets and even a small historical museum. For the interested there is a lot to see, Valloria offers painted doors in painting styles of all kinds: realistic and abstract, professional and naive, black and white and magically colorful – a conglomeration that not only offers perfection but also presents the variety of the possible with the different directions!

Our recommendation for a wonderful day trip and a great change to the beach and sea. Excellent olive oil in the small olive mill.

https://www.lamialiguria.it/it/component/content/article/208-riviera-di-ponente/imperia-e-valli-dell-olio/1868-valloria-il-paese-delle-porte-dipinte.html?Itemid=437

MENDATICA

Climbing park

Nestled in the green Ligurian Alps, the complex managed by Pro Loco Mendatica offers children (aged 3 years), teenagers and adults the thrill of adventure in absolute safety: bridges and footpaths, nets, tunnels and obstacles of all kinds suspended up to 12 metres high are on offer for guaranteed fun that can test your mobility in nature and your spirit of discovery.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/parcoavventuramendatica/posts/?ref=page_internal

SHOPPING

Upmarket or rustic Shopping in Liguria

ALASSIO

Shop window with sea view

Fashion is loved and lived in Italy. As a cultural and social phenomenon, Italian fashion is a symbol of the elegance of the Belpaese and a shopping tour in Italy is always a welcome change between museum visits, city tours, beach, sea and mountains.

The textile industry – clothing, leather and shoes – represents a large part of the quality production and Italian fashion brands experience national space in Alassio. Clothes make the man – made by people for people who want to live style and elegance!

Season after season the latest outfit inspirations are conveyed, from wearable and suitable for everyday use to chic and crazy!

The antique alley in the heart of Alassio offers all kinds of shops on both sides of the pavement: from local products with traditional tastes to antiques, chic boutiques, art galleries and displays of bikinis and flip-flops.

Have fun browsing, discovering and shopping for the new spring/summer fashion for 2020.

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