A day in the city of lovers: a trip to Alassio

The first of the by now very many coloured tiles, signed by figures from the worlds of art, entertainment and sport, to be placed on the famous Muretto of Alassio, was that of Ernest Hemingway. It was 1951 and at the time, as the Alassio painter Mario Berrino recalls, the little wall of Via Dante was just a rustic low wall bordering the public garden. So the artist had the idea of decorating it with tiles recalling the many VIPs who enlivened the dolce vita of the place. The great American writer was enthusiastic about the idea. His tile was followed by that of the Quartetto Cetra and many others. Our walk in this splendid town of the Ligurian Riviera di Ponente begins right at the Muretto, famous also for the Miss Muretto beauty contest, as well as for being a lucky place for lovers.

On St Valentine's Day, in fact, couples meet under the famous work of the "amoreux" by Raymond Peynet, leaving their love letters in the post box placed next to the sculpture of the lovers by Eros Pellini. Besides, even the place name Alassio is linked to a great love story: that between Aleramo del Monferrato and the daughter of Emperor Otto I of Saxony, Adelasia, from whose name the term Alassio would derive. It was Aleramo himself who was the first owner of the very ancient Torre di Vegliasco, depicted in the town's coat of arms. Once, the watchtowers built on the seafront, like the Torrione Saraceno in Borgo Coscia, were extremely important in defending the coast from the frequent raids of pirates. Between the end of the nineteenth century and the early twentieth, Alassio became one of the favourite tourist destinations of the English, who built splendid villas here.

Among the most illustrious English who had lived in Alassio, the Hanbury family stands out; they created the botanical gardens of the same name in Ventimiglia, as does the painter Richard Whateley West, after whom the Pinacoteca located at the Library of Viale Hanbury is named. The town is also very rich in beautiful churches, including the Parish Church of Sant'Ambrogio, originally from the 11th century. On Monte Tirasso, on the ruins of a very ancient castle, stands the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Guardia, built in 1200. To admire the breathtaking panorama of Alassio from above, we reach the ancient Roman panoramic road in the Santa Croce district, where the church of the same name is located, built in the 11th century by Benedictine monks from the nearby Gallinara Island.

From the viewpoint a wonderful view opens up over the island surrounded by the blue of the sea, while on the coast you can make out the ruins of a tower and the little chapel on the Luca Ferrari marina. After this lovely walk we retrace the footsteps of the famous English, reaching the Osteria dei Matetti on viale Hanbury. Entering, the family atmosphere and the kindness of the owners immediately put us at ease. We also discover that we can even "become children again" for an evening: "In dialect the matetti are the children, and our menu is different every day, just as families used to do in the past. Here you taste the flavours of the Ligurian tradition as when we were children," Mr Giovanni and Giorgio, the two friends who have run this characteristic place for sixteen years now, explain.

Taking our seats at the table, we notice on the walls many period photographs of school classes, thanks to which we eat surrounded by the smiles of children. The menu too looks as if the schoolchildren had written it: next to the names of the dishes, given in dialect, we find nice little drawings, and the specialities of the day are also written on a blackboard. We start with the house snacks, octopus carpaccio and Russian salad. We continue with exquisite first courses of homemade pasta, such as the gasse (butterflies) with pesto and potatoes, the fish ravioli, the taiarin al tocco, the typical Ligurian sauce, and the pansotti "da mamà". We also taste a nice plate of "zemin de cexi", that is, chickpeas in zimino.

We wash these goodies down with excellent local wines and continue with the stockfish in buridda, the "accomodato" octopus, as well as a lovely fried fish, the octopus with potatoes and the great grilled squid. We also taste the typical cundiun, with tomatoes, olives, basil and musciame, the part of the fish that was once given to the Ligurian fishermen who worked in the Sicilian and Sardinian tuna fisheries. We finish the dinner tasting the tasty house desserts, including apple and pear tarts and jam tarts, the bunet, the tiramisù and the crème caramel, as well as peaches and strawberries with wine. Finally, we delight in the traditional fritters (friscioi), to be eaten strictly with your hands. After this lovely day we feel a little like the artists of the early twentieth century: Alassio has won our hearts.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Osteria dei Matetti Viale Hanbury, 132 Alassio (SV) Tel.: 0182/646680