An enchanted villa among the miracles of the Tigullio: a weekend in Chiavari

It was 2 July 1610, and in the Gulf of Tigullio it was scorchingly hot. While in the port the usual picturesque coming and going of sailing ships and the gozzi of the merchants continued, a few hundred metres from the coast, just outside the heart of the village of Chiavari, several peasants were working in the vegetable garden. Among them was Sebastiano Descalzo, who at a certain point decided to say a prayer in front of a pilone placed nearby, depicting the Madonna with saints Sebastian and Roch. As he said his prayer, at a certain point he saw a great light and within it a very beautiful woman: it was a Marian apparition. To tell the truth, on the same spot the Madonna had already appeared about six months earlier, to the midwife Geronima Turrio.

Our walk in Chiavari begins right from this place, where the imposing Sanctuary of Nostra Signora dell'Orto stands, one of the most famous Ligurian sanctuaries, in which the image of the Madonna with the blessing Child is venerated. According to tradition that painting was commissioned from the painter Benedetto Borzone by donna Maria de' Guerci, known as Turchina, in thanks to the Virgin for having preserved her from the plague of 1493. At the time the image was placed in a niche in the wall of a vegetable garden, hence the name. According to one interpretation of the place name Chiavari, which would derive from "clavaro", this lovely city is the "key" at the outlet of the Fontanabuona, Sturla, Graveglia and Val d'Aveto valleys.

Certainly its position, and also the development of maritime trade that had begun to flourish here back in the 14th century, really made it the "key" of this territory. Besides the seafaring culture, craftsmanship also flourished in Chiavari, with numerous workshops in the very central Via Ravascheri, as well as in the Caruggio Dritto, the patrician streets of the time. Wandering among these beautiful colourful caruggi, we discover that Chiavari has been famous for centuries for the production of the chairs called chiavarine. It is a very light chair, in cherry wood, white maple, and with thin willow threads woven in a herringbone pattern. During our walk we visit several of the many wonderful religious buildings, including the parish Church of San Giovanni Battista, founded in 1181, and the Church and monastery of the Poor Clares, dedicated to San Bernardino da Siena.

According to a manuscript, nearby stood the first Franciscan convent founded in 1216 by Saint Francis of Assisi and called Cadè, House of God. In the centre we also admire several sumptuous palaces, including the Palazzo Bianco, the seat of the Town Hall, and afterwards we also go to visit the Castle of Chiavari, set on a hill and erected in the 12th century by the Republic of Genoa to counter the Fieschi of nearby Lavagna. After a walk under the palm trees of the seafront, we reach our lodging for this weekend: the Villa degli Incantesimi, on via Gonnelli Cioni. We leave the car in the convenient car park and begin to enjoy the relaxing atmospheres of an inn from other times at the Villa. We settle into two of the six rooms, all finely renovated and furnished: the spacious Family and the Green, a triple with a charming country touch.

We are in the heart of Chiavari, and yet it feels as though we are in a fairy-tale world, far from the frenzy. "With our management the Villa has regained its former splendour, becoming a restaurant, pizzeria and also braceria," Mr Marino tells us, who has run the property since the start of the summer together with his partner Anna and her daughter, Elisa. We sit in the very large outdoor area and begin with a warm soup of mussels and clams, the old-style octopus, the tuna tartare and with the baby octopus drowned with aromatic croutons. We also taste the stuffed squid, while our friends who prefer dishes of the land delight in the courgette and basil sformatino with Asiago fondue, and the grilled tomino with speck and balsamic cream.

After this rich appetiser we taste some taglierini alla brezza di mare, the paccheri di Gragnano all'isolana, the potato gnocchetti mare e monti with porcini and clams, and the taglierini with mushrooms and black truffle. We continue with the seared tuna tagliata with sesame and poppy seeds and with the fillet of fresh catch with the flavours and scents of Liguria. We also taste the fantastic Catalan-style king prawns, and the fried prawns and squid. Many in our group, however, choose the succulent specialities of the open-view braceria, ranging between the great meat grill, the Irish beef entrecôte, the garronese fillet and the scottadito lamb chops. The sea lovers, on the other hand, taste an exquisite large mixed fish grill, the tuna fillet and the swordfish steak, as well as the great dish of king prawns.

After this fabulous dinner we are sure to return to Chiavari soon, also on the occasion of the next cultural events, including an art exhibition that will be set up at the Villa degli Incantesimi.

Francesca Bertha

PER INFORMAZIONI:

Villa degli Incantesimi Cia Gonnelli Cioni, 1 Chiavari (GE) Tel.: 0185/303878