La Spezia Carnival traditions
Gulf of the PoetsBatiston, the guy who pined for being the king of the La Spezia carnival. A brief history of the traditional mask. Naples has Pulcinella, Venice has Pantalone and Colombina, Viareggio has Burlamacco, Bologna has Balanzone, Arlecchino is from Bergamo and Gianduia from Turin, Baciccia goes around Genoa and La Spezia? What is the typical mask […]
Madonna Bianca: a miracle in Portovenere
Gulf of the PoetsThe feast of the Madonna Bianca that every year on August 17 animates the village of Portovenere, has ancient origins. The birth of the Marian devotion in Portovenere dates back to a summer night in 1399 when the house of one Luciardo occurred a miracle “August 16, 1399, the voice goes around from street to street:” […]
The numbers of the Palio del Golfo
Gulf of the PoetsA journey through the Palio del Golfo and its history by the numbers that have built a great tradition. The competition between the fishing villages that today, August 4 2019 takes place in the waters of the Morin walk of La Spezia is certainly one of the most lively and felt traditions of La Spezia […]
The san Giuseppe Fair Explained explained to non-locals
Gulf of the PoetsWho was not born in La Spezia struggles to understand the “fair of San Giuseppe” phenomenon, three days in which La Spezia goes mad and banquets are assaulted even by people who do not care about shopping. Here’s how to explain what happens to the city around March 19th. The San Giuseppe Fair is an […]
Farinata: gold that doesn’t shine!
Gulf of the PoetsLa farinata, queen of poor yet reach in flavor cuisine Don’t call it “cecina”, nor “torta”, or “caldacalda”: there are manydishes made from chickpea flour throughout Italy, but here it is called Farinata (fainà). And here it is much more than a simple dish: in La Spezia cooking, farinata is a real landmark, a piece of […]
Le Rosse, Carabbean allure in the small beach of Albana
Cinque Terre, MiscellaneousDifficult to reach on foot (and swimming), so popular among those who cruise around the Gulf by boat: le Rosse beach enchants swimmers and sailors. If you look at the coast of La Spezia from the panoramic terrace of San Pietro in Porto Venere or during a boat trip to the Cinque Terre, Le Rosse […]
Rice cake sweet or savory? No, it’s stupid!
LunigianaA very typical La Spezia’s local food is the torta di riso – the rice cake, in two, or even three possible versions. If you look at it from Liguria, the rice cake isthat savory one; if you come from Carrara it’s sweet (although also in La Spezia there are sweet rice cakes variants). And […]
Margaret, the ship sleeping leaning to the dam
Gulf of the PoetsSank on the 2nd December 2005, the Georgian ship is still lying against the dam of La Spezia. Virtually invisible to the eyes, hiding its story under the sea On the night of December 2, 2005 was a stormy night. The Gulf of Poets, usually very sheltered, has wrought a force 5 sea with a violent […]
Three ways to fall in love with the Cinque Terre (again)
Cinque TerreToo crowded in the high season, the Cinque Terre still show their soul to those who want to find out. Here are three ways to do it. Japanese photographers taking photos of the Germans with sandals, american blondes with squeaky white teeth, crowded trains. Many people who “have been there, have done that” as they […]
Tellaro: how an octopus saved one of the most beautiful hamlets of Italy
Cinque Terre, Gulf of the PoetsEast end of the Gulf of Poets, Tellaro is on the list of most beautiful villages in Italy drawn up by the Italian Touring Club. The legend says that it was a bell-ringer octopus to save the village from a pirate invasion