A relaxing day at the pools, between art and good food: a trip to San Sebastiano Curone

While travelling around Italy and Europe you may admire the frescoes in the Town Hall and the Pinacoteca of Forlì, the interior decorations of Palazzo Milzetti in Faenza, the decorative cycle of Palazzo Sirotti Gaudenzi in Cesena, but also the ornaments of the Napoleonic apartment at the Quirinale and the decorations of the Napoleonic Rooms at the Malmaison in Paris: these are just a few of the many palaces you can visit and, in doing so, ideally take a journey through San Sebastiano Curone too, the birthplace of the famous Neoclassical painter Felice Giani, whose works are found in many cities. This time we decided to spend a lovely day right in this pretty little town in the Curone Valley, a favourite destination for lovers of nature and artistic beauty, also known for the Artinfiera event, which every year draws a large number of art and craft enthusiasts here.

A short stroll through the charming medieval old town is enough to discover that the memory of Felice Giani is still very much alive: reproductions of his works adorn the walls of some buildings and, alongside them, are displayed brightly coloured drawings made by the village children, in which these budding artists have reimagined some of Giani's works. The great artist was also known for his special intellectual bond with his pupils, with whom he organised gatherings called the 'Accademia dei Pensieri', during which the master placed no limits on the boys' artistic imagination and indeed encouraged them to dare. This also gave rise to fun and sometimes irreverent drawings, such as the one depicting Dante and Beatrice witnessing a bacchanal.

Besides art, the tradition of craftsmanship is also very important in San Sebastiano Curone, playing a leading role among the Artinfiera initiatives thanks to courses, trade fairs and the events of Artinborgo, during which the village's old workshops reopen. Strolling through the alleys of the centre, it is easy to relive the times when those workshops were still the beating heart of the village: on the walls of many houses are photographs of craftsmen from a few decades ago: there is Dinei, the cobbler who was a virtuoso of the violin, Gina the seamstress, and also Giulia, portrayed with her freshly baked spring cakes. Among the beauties of the village we admire the 17th-century church of San Sebastiano, which overlooks a small square of extraordinary charm, adorned with magnificent, brightly coloured buildings.

Of particular value is the Art Nouveau building of Palazzo Mazza Galanti, home to the Town Hall. A little further on we also reach Castello Giani, which retains its medieval forms despite having been renovated in the 1930s by Ulderico Giani. We also visit the beautiful church of the Holy Trinity and the two oratories, of the whites and of the reds, with their interesting Baroque façades. After this lovely trip through the old town, we treat ourselves to a few hours of relaxation at the outdoor pools of the Ristorante Il Boschetto, in via Telecco. It is a very pleasant oasis set in greenery where, from May to September, since the venue is an affiliated Coni point, there are tennis, swimming and dance instructors and even archery. Bathers are also looked after by qualified assistants and lifeguards.

The nice thing about doing a bit of sport by the pool is that it also works up a great appetite, so from the poolside we 'move' into the spacious, bright dining room of the restaurant, where we are welcomed very kindly by Mr Emilio Albertazzi, the owner. We soon discover we have come to the ideal place to enjoy a dinner based on the authentic flavours of the area, prepared with always very fresh ingredients, often made in-house, as in the case of the cold cuts. 'Our salami, which they say is better than the one from Varzi, is produced by us, but the chicken, the rabbit and the meat for the boiled dishes also come from our farm. Every weekend we have fresh fish that we buy in Milan, and in season we use fresh mushrooms and truffles, even on the pizzas.

On the occasion of the national truffle fair and market, which takes place every year in the third week of November, we prepare a themed menu,' Mr Emilio tells us; he created this lovely restaurant in 2004. 'In June it was exactly ten years since we opened. In 2002, when we arrived, there were just four shacks here,' he recalls. We begin our dinner with a rich board of house cold cuts: salami, lardo, pancetta, coppa and cooked salami with tasty nibbles. We also taste the carne all'albese, while some of our friends prefer the warm seafood fantasy and the salt cod and potato salad. Part of our group continues with the pizzas, available in a great many flavours, while those who prefer restaurant specialities delight in the first courses of fresh homemade pasta, including gnocchi al Montebore and tagliatelle al Boschetto with leeks, lean sausage and porcini mushrooms.

We wash down these treats with excellent selected local wines and, among the dishes, we enjoy a fine grilled beef fillet, available with either green or pink peppercorns, but we cannot resist the mixed grill of meat either. Our friends who prefer fish, on the other hand, delight in a big fritto 'Il Boschetto', with prawns, squid, red mullet and sardines. Finally, we gladly give in to the sweet temptations prepared for us by Mrs Caterina, the owner's mother: slices of cakes of various flavours, the bavarese and the typical Piedmontese dessert, the bunet, arrive on our plates. After this lovely day we head back to the city, almost amazed that a journey of just over an hour is enough to forget your stress and rediscover a pleasant, human-scale way of living. We will certainly be happy to come back here, perhaps for the next events linked to Artinfiera.

Francesca Bertha

FOR INFORMATION:

Ristorante Il Boschetto Via Telecco, 11 San Sebastiano Curone (AL) Tel.: 0131/788009