The itinerary:
Milano: You should reserve at least two days to visit Milan,
interesting is also the visit on
foot to the center of Milan.
Leaving Milan by the Ticinese Gate, we come, after a short 17 miles, to one
of the most famous monuments in Italy, standing by itself in the open
countryside: the CERTOSA DI PAVIA (charterhouse), founded by Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1396) as a fatuity
mausoleum and completed during the Renaissance, which here reaches the
loftiest expression it was to achieve in all of Lombardy.
A visit to the
church, to the charming small cloister, to the large cloister, the Library,
the many beautiful statuary groups (among them the tomb of Ludovico il Moro
and Beatrice Sforza) and the paintings (by Perugino, Borgognone, Luini) will
take up part of the morning.
Pavia: we continue then to Pavia, where we visit
the city. |
Milan Duomo at night - Photo © Flor3 |
We leave Pavia, crossing the Ticino by the Covered Bridge
(1354), rebuilt after the damage suffered during the last War. After some 13
miles, we reach Voghera, with its 14th century Castello Visconteo. At Tortona
(24 miles), we take the Autostrada for Genoa and quickly cross the
Apennines, following the valley of the Scrivia. Instead of going straight on
to Genoa we will turn off at Busalla in order to extend our excursion to
include the Giovi Pass and the towns of Casella, Laccia, and Carasco, and
reach the Ligurian coast between Lavagna and Chiavari (42,5 miles from the
Autostrada). And so we begin the third part of our trip, in the pleasant
company of the cliffs and beaches which alternate along the Riviera di
Levante. Standing on the hill north of Lavagna are the Gothic Basilica of
San Salvatore di Cogorno, with its firm-set tower, and the 13th century Pisan-Gothic
Palazzo dei Fieschi.
Passing Chiavari, we come upon a succession of limestone
rocks and cliffs, interrupted by the lovely little beach of Zoagli. We are
now at the outskirts of RAPALLO. From Rapallo, one of the most fatuous
holiday towns on the Riviera, we can take the funicular railway up to see
the magnificent view from the Madonna di Montallegro, or go (2 miles) and
visit the romantic ruins of the Monastery of Santa Maria in Valle Christi.
Portofino - Photo © Kenai |
The next day of our tour will be devoted to a relaxing trip around the
lovely Tigullio Gulf. We shall stop at the Sanctuary of San Michele di
Pagana, where there is a beautiful canvas by Van Dyck. Then by way of Santa
Margherita we shall come to Portofino,
a place of rare and famous beauty, with its fine natural harbor, the crystal
clarity of its water, the variety of its vegetation and the constantly
shifting range of its scenery.
After a leisurely visit, we shall leave
Portofino and continue our journey westward, visiting San Lorenzo della
Costa (superb Flemish Triptych in the Parrocchiale) and the entrancing
little beach of San Fruttuoso (Abbey
with an ancient cloister an the Tomb of the Dorias).
Genova: After passing through the seaside towns of Camogli and Recco, with their quaint fishermen's houses, we reach Quarto
dei Mille, and finally: Genova,
the extremely ancient city of the Ligurians, those shepherd tribes who
turned to the sea because of their geographic position. |
It then became a
Roman city, suffered the barbarian invasion and finally set itself up as a
free city and a maritime republic. Stretching in half circle round the
shores of its gulf, on a narrow strip of hill land, it is both a sea and a
hill town, aristocratic and democratic, filled with narrow streets and
magnificent palaces.
Savona: The next morning, the last of our tour, we shall go along the Riviera di
Ponente to Savona (29 miles). Passing through Pegli (Villa Rostan of the 16th
century), Voltri (18th century Villa of the Duchessa di Galliera), Arenzano,
with its broad beach. Varazze, a famous bathing resort with outstanding
churches (Collegiata di S. Ambrogio, San Domenico), Celle Ligure, and
Albisola (with the 18th century Villa Della Rovere) we finally reach Savona.
From Savona take the autostrada to Fossano, interesting
for the 14th century Castle of the Princes of Acaia. Along this stretch of
autostrada, already called the SavonaTurin note Ceva, Mondovi and Vicoforte
with its famous Sanctuary (dome by Gallo); from Fossano, pass through Bra to
ALBA with its beautiful Gothic Cathedral (wonderful inlaid work in the
choir). From Alba, after 37 miles of road winding through attractive hill
country, we reach Moncalieri, with its beautiful Royal Castle, and so back
to Turin.
Itinerary in part courtesy of ENIT
Travel Italy
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