Caves and theatre: a day in Borgio Verezzi

It is well known that Liguria is perhaps the most colourful region in Italy, thanks to its orange, yellow and pink houses, capable of reflecting and amplifying even the weakest ray of sunshine. But you only have to go to Borgio Verezzi to discover that the same characteristic of this splendid land shows itself even underground: in fact, the Caves of Borgio Verezzi, discovered in 1933, the year in which Borgio and Verezzi were united into the same municipality, are the most colourful tourist caves in Italy. This spectacular phenomenon is due to the presence of various minerals that reflect the soft light, giving visitors a kaleidoscope of whites, yellows and reds in a thousand different shades.

Our visit to Borgio Verezzi begins right at the Caves, along the tourist route of about eight hundred metres, during which we admire enormous stalactites with the most curious shapes, soda straws, incredibly thin draperies, and even lakes, formed by the waters of some surface stream, including the Rio Battorezza, swallowed up by the cavities. Although the Caves were never inhabited by man, among their concretions various bone remains of animal origin have been found, datable between 500,000 and 750,000 years ago, and these are certainly not the bones of some unfortunate cat or rabbit: they are instead the remains of rhinoceroses, elephants, tigers, crocodiles, macaques, bears and even mammoths, animals that at that time roamed undisturbed under the Ligurian sun...

Since so much time has passed since then, we continue our walk without fear of meeting any wild beast, and so we reach the beautiful Parish Church of San Pietro, built on the remains of the ancient castle of the Burgum Albinganeum in 1789. Even from the floor of the church it is possible to access a cave, with a lake at its bottom. In Borgio we also visit the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Buon Consiglio. Borgio Verezzi is one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, and this is confirmed by the view over the gulf, which widens curve after curve within a frame of oleanders and bougainvillea, up to the village of Verezzi, which has kept its medieval features intact. In this magical place, and in particular in Piazza Sant'Agostino, the Borgio Verezzi Theatre Festival has been held since 1967, every year in July and August.

In 2011 the prestigious event reached its 45th edition, with as many as eight national premiere performances. In Verezzi we also visit the Church of San Martino and the Sanctuary of Maria Regina Mundi: the two religious buildings stand on the heights, and near them you can also admire a curious Phoenician Mill. Our day all about beauty continues at the Ristorante Il Cappero, located in the very central Via Roma. The setting is one of those that leaves you speechless: two ancient buildings of late medieval origin, standing side by side, house the restaurant and the large American Bar, which extends over a series of interconnected terraces, each with a breathtaking view of the gulf and the surrounding mountains.

"These premises were once used for agricultural work: there was in fact a drying room for wheat and other cereals, an olive press for producing olive oil, but also a henhouse and stables, as well as homes and cellars," Mr Mattia tells us; he created the place together with his wife Angela towards the end of the 1970s, and now runs it with the help of his daughter Francesca. During the renovation the pre-existing architecture was barely modified, preserving and enhancing the rough walls and the atmosphere steeped in history. "We also host weddings and over the years many famous actors have stopped here for dinner after the performances of the Theatre Festival," says Mrs Angela. Eager to taste authentic local specialties, we start with Ligurian-style stuffed vegetables and a small salad of Albenga artichokes with bottarga.

We follow these exquisite starters with trofie with basil cream, green beans and potatoes and with lean pansotti with a little sauce of pine nuts and marjoram. We wash down these delicacies with excellent Ligurian wines, including Vermentino dei Colli di Luni, Pigato della Valle d'Albenga and Rossese di Dolceacqua. We continue with the buridda of squid with pine nuts, olives, potatoes and capers and we also taste Ligurian rabbit with the herbs of the creuza. After also tasting the exquisite house desserts, we go up to the terraces to admire the evocative panorama in the light of the Moon and the stars, sipping cocktails from the American Bar. A mojito, a caipirinha, whose vivid colours blend with the romantic lights of this place, reminding us of the colourful reflections of the caves: the day in Borgio Verezzi was pure magic.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante – American Bar Il Cappero Via Roma, 23 Borgio Verezzi (SV) Tel.: 019/610958