L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano Camogli seems satisfied to remain the sedate, old- s c h o o l h a u n t o f t h e P o r t o f i n o p e n i n s u l a . A n o b v i o u s l a c k o f d e s i g n e r shops and see-and-be-seen l o c a l e s w i t h , i n s t e a d , a steady selection of ordinary markets, numerous restau- rants and cafés, and bench after bench along the above- beach promenade just beg- ging to be used for whiling away moments – or hours – soaking up the slow-paced life here. The grey-pebbled water- front is like two separate microcosms. Divided by a rocky jut of land that sup- ports the picturesque XII c e n t u r y c h u r c h o f S a n t a Maria Assunta, the southern p o r t i o n o f t h e t o w n ' s f r o n t a g e i s a l l a b o u t t h e beach. At the height of the season, colorful beach chairs and umbrellas intertwine into a mosaic of bright hues, rivaling the famous colors of C a m o g l i ' s b u i l d i n g s . T h e cool calm waters have been a sought-after vacation spot for Italians and northern E u r o p e a n ' s f o r d e c a d e s . Other nationalities visit, of course, but the draw of more famous nearby sites seem to keep this little gem protect- ed from the rigors of over- tourism. Lying to the north of the r o c k y p r o m o n t o r y i s t h e town's harbor. Packed as t i g h t a s t h e a n c h o v i e s they're famous for harvest- ing, fishing skiffs bob on placid water. Smaller leisure craft wriggle in alongside, as well as a handful of water ferries awaiting their sched- ules to sport people up and down the coast. And if the heat of the water's reflection becomes too much, a few steps in towards the village leads up a to labyrinth of cool stairwells that bend and turn as they coax one i n t o t h e h i d d e n i n n e r streets. I t w o u l d b e m o r e t h a n easy to spend every moment in Camogli lounging along t h e w a t e r f r o n t s i p p i n g Prosecco while waiting for the next divine meal of just- c a u g h t s e a f o o d , f r e s h l y baked focaccia, or another alluring plate of lasagnette a l p e s t o — s i n f u l l y w i d e sheets of fresh, paper-thin p a s t a c o v e r e d i n g r e e n Ligurian pesto. The food alone is swoon-worthy, but when dining with a seaside sunset as your backdrop it b e c o m e s t h e s t u f f o f dreams. Hiking along the Ligurian coast is a stunning experi- ence not to be missed while in Camogli. But unlike the ant trails of tourists travers- ing the five village trails of Cinque Terre, the Portofino promontory offers an exten- sive system of well-marked trails where one can feel vir- tually alone even during the busiest of times. From the easy 30-minute hike up to S a n R o c c o t h r o u g h v i n e - yards and olive groves, to t h e s t r e n u o u s b u t d o a b l e hike to Portofino, stunning views and memorable expe- r i e n c e s a r e t h e p r i z e rewards. An active ferry schedule offers additional means for getting to locations along the coast if foot travel isn't your style. Or as I did, take a boat one direction, hike back the other! Beauty is practically syn- onymous with almost any location along the Ligurian coastline. Camogli, however, j u s t m i g h t b e t h e m o s t charming spot in every sense of the word…the quintessen- tial combination of a perfect Italian beach get-away! LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE A lovely view of Camogli and its marina (Photo: Dreamstime) Continued from page 22 Camogli is still very much a fishermen's village (Photo: Dreamstime)

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