L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano S ituated between F r a n c e t o t h e n o r t h a n d t h e L i g u r i a n S e a t o the south, Impe- ria is a mountainous and hilly province part of the Ligurian region. It shares its name with the coastal capital city that was created in 1923. Because of its prox- imity with France, its coast- line has often been referred to being part of the "Riv- iera." The first major city on the F r e n c h - I t a l i a n b o r d e r i s V e n t i m i g l i a , e a s i l y reached by flying into Nice, a 45 minute train ride away, or by arriving from Genoa, somewhat further away, by a beautiful car or train ride of about an hour or so. The Romans latinized its original name of Albium Intimilium, the capital of the ancient L i g u r i a n I n t e m e l i i t r i b e finally conquered in 115 BC, to Vintimilia. The Romans a l s o c o n s t r u c t e d t h e V i a Aurelia, the main coastline road, as well as an open the- ater and walls around the city, whose name has been conflated with the Italian w o r d f o r " t w e n t y m i l e s " because of its being exactly t w e n t y m i l e s f r o m t h e French border. But the city has witnessed a long struggle for its pos- session. After the Romans, it w a s r a v a g e d b y G o t h s , Byzantines, Lombards and, i n t h e 1 0 t h c e n t u r y , b y Saracens. Finally becoming an independent commune, its podestà Luca Grimaldi was captured in 1271 and the city passed under the rule of t h e h o u s e s o f S a v o y a n d Naples. In 1505, it became p a r t o f t h e G e n o e s e Republic until the early 19 th c e n t u r y w h e n N a p o l e o n annexed the area, naming it t h e F r e n c h " L i g u r i a n Republic." After his fall from power, the province reverted back to the House of Savoy a n d t h e n t o t h e I t a l i a n Kingdom. But today, a different sort of people invades the city w h e n , o n T h u r s d a y s / F r i d a y s , V e n t i m i g l i a b e c o m e s a n o p e n s t r e e t m a r k e t f o r crowds that arrive by bus from all over northern Italy a n d s o u t h e r n F r a n c e t o search through all kinds of items, from food to clothing and other wares, that can be found there at lower prices than average. This is true also for the delicious olive o i l t h a t i s p r e s s e d i n t h e city's frantoio Gaziello, near t h e e n t r a n c e t o t h e autostrada. Taking the highway West, visitors will easily reach the famous tropical and sub- tropical Hanbury Gardens o v e r l o o k i n g t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n , o r t o t h e first good-sized French city of Menton, well worth visit- ing for its fine beaches, open s t r e e t m a r k e t s , t h e J e a n C o c t e a u M u s e u m , a n d , i f visited during the last two w e e k s o f F e b r u a r y , Menton's fabulous Lemon Feast. B u t g o i n g E a s t f r o m Ventimiglia, one also quick- ly arrives at the charming coast town of Bordighera, w h i c h w a s t h e f a v o r i t e haunt of royals like Queen Margherita and personali- ties like Claude Monet. After dining at one of the m a n y e x q u i s i t e s e a s i d e restaurants to be found in these wonderful sites, the more ambitious visitors can continue on, by short car or bus excursions, to several other charming towns in the surrounding area. One of these is Bussana. This town goes back to the 9 th century and throughout i t s h i s t o r y h a s b e e n scourged by disasters; first by medieval Saracen raiders and then, in 1887, by a hor- rendous earthquake. The ruins of its watch towers and devastated buildings com- prise what is known today as Bussana Vecchia. While the Italian government has continuously forbidden any- one to live there (as recently as last March), the Ghost Town has nevertheless sur- vived thanks to the Sicilian p a i n t e r V a n n i G i u f f r è THOMAS VESCE The commercial port of Imperia Oneglia (Photo: Claudio Camilli/Dreamstime) Continued to page 26 F a s c i n a t i n g b o r d e r t o w n s i n Imperia province ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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