Camogli

I cannot resist telling you about this enchanting, ridiculously picturesque seaside village. Not unlike the trains that connect the five villages of the Cinque Terre in 3-4 minutes, the train from Santa Margherita to Camogli is a five minute journey. Often overlooked for its famous close neighbours - Portofino and the Cinque Terre - the cluster of bright houses painted in Liguria’s classic colour palette and the harbour filled with fishing boats is photographic heaven, a place you just want to linger to capture the beauty.

The name, Camogli, is a story in itself. A contraction of the Italian words “casa” (house) and “moglie” (wife/wives) gives us Ca-moglie - the “house of wives”. Trade in Camogli has always centred around its port, its sailors, and its fishermen who were often at sea for months on end. While the men were away, the women ran the affairs of the town.

Hard to imagine, but this town of less than 5,000 people was once known as the “city of 1,000 white sailing ships”. In the 19th century, the city was one of the greatest powers of the merchant navy of the peninsula. In fact, in 1856 Camogli owned a fleet of 700 ships compared to Hamburg’s 560 vessels, a city that was considered one of the most important ports in Europe at that time. The Gio Bono Ferrari Martime Museum is a treasure chest containing paintings, instruments, documents and memories that have been donated by all the Camogli families.

As you may have read in the newsletter titled “Italian Riviera’s painted houses”, the decorative art of trompe-l’oeil features strongly in Camogli. The painted facades are original works painted directly on the buildings. There are false windows to complete architectural order and rhythm, shutters, curtains, flowered balconies, pets, and scenes from daily life. The colourful houses helped the fishermen to identify their own house while still far out at sea.

There’s a lot going on in this small seaside village

To the hasty day-tripper, Camogli may seem a very quiet place, but the village has a vivid and rich soul. All year long there are many different events and celebrations about gastronomy and religion, arts and culture one after another that make Camogli an attraction for everybody, especially the romantic. This is a town you want to be in to celebrate Valentine’s Day, not just on February 14th, but for days because the festivities last for days!

Every year, there is a public contest to design an image which will be printed on a collector’s plate and distributed by restaurants throughout the town which offer special menus for couples to celebrate the occasion. The streets are adorned with poems and love letters and a variety of romantic events are planned. Everyone falls in love in Camogli . . . and with Camogli.

On the second Sunday of May, in honour of St. Fortunate’s feast day, Camogli organises the Fish Festival, a spectacular event known and loved all over Europe. A giant frying pan with a diameter of four metres is the star of the show, where several tons of fish are fried and offered to the public.

The festival originated in 1952, when a group of fishermen from the town of Camogli decided to offer free fresh fried fish to tourists and locals. Much easier to say that in Italian - pesce fresco fritto gratuito!

Accolades

Camogli has won the Blue Flag which is international recognition for the beach and its approach to tourism, distinguished for the highest water quality and the respect it has for the environment. It has also won the Lilac Flag for the welcome it extends to less able tourists, thanks to the removal of many architectural barriers to mobility, a recognition for which the town is particularly proud.

Starting in April, the ferries depart from Camogli and travel along the coastline visiting places like San Fruttuoso, only thirty minutes away. The bay of San Fruttuoso of Capodimonte, the gem of The Park of Portofino, can only be reached on foot or by boat. Surrounded by a few houses, the ancient Abbey dating back to 1000 AD was donated to the National Trust for Italy by the Doria Pamphilj family, one of the oldest and most powerful Genovese families in history. In 1200, the tombs of some of the Doria family were placed in the crypt near the cloister.

On the seabed in front of San Fruttuoso beach at a depth of 17 metres there is a giant statue of Christ of the Abyss, the masterpiece by Guido Galletti. It was commissioned in 1954 by Duilio Marcante, the father of Italian scuba diving, to honour those who lost their lives at sea. Once a year at the end of July, a candlelight procession of boats and scuba divers moves from the abbey to the Christ of the Abyss statue where a priest blesses the waters.

Ci vediamo la prossima settimana.

Deb