An ideal centre for visiting Northern Italy
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The Riviera beaches and the gulf of Genoa are only half an hour away.. Several days could be spent in Genova. There are palaces and galleries, lavish from medieval merchant wealth. The huge ‘old town’ is a warren of characteristic tiny streets. The breathtaking Cathedral links back to the Templar knights and the Crusades. The nearest beach is about 35 mins away, at the elegant Riviera resort of Arenzano. – Make sure to visit the park with its peacocks and turtles. Or, in the next bay, quieter and with large free beaches is Cogoleto, many peoples favourite. The aquarium at Genova, the largest in Europe, is located in the renovated old-harbour area, next to the maritime museum, it makes a good central point from which to see the city. Here in Italy, Churches and Cemetries are often full of Art. Whether you are religious or not, they should be seen. Some of them can rival the best galleries in the World. The cemetery at Staglieno, a few hundred metres from ‘Genova Est’ on the motorway, is a fast growing ‘must-see’. – For sculpture, this has to be one of the best that there is! Further down the coast are Portofino, where the millionaires often park their yachts and the famous Cinque Terre. A boat (battello) from Genovo, Recco or Sestri Levante is not overly expensive. When traffic is heavy it can be an exciting and convenient way to see the coast. The Cinque Terre are also very accessible by train, which in fact was for many years one of the few ways to get there! (local trains are also very reasonable) |
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Shops, Design, Sights, just over an hour away
at Milan... |
There are two regional parks nearby. (Smaller versions of National Parks) The nearest is the Parco di Capanne di Marcarolo. About ten minutes from Tagliolo and thirty from Trisobbio. The other park is the Beigua, in the Liguria direction. The view from the ‘Bric del Dente’ (above) is vast and stunning. It is also accessible by car. - Locally - Ovada has an interesting and semi-pedestrianised historic centre. Make sure to visit inside the Cathedral (Duomo). Antique fairs are also held several times a year. There are also general markets on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The swimming pool at the Roman bath town of Acqui-Terme, is one of the largest in Europe. About the size of a football pitch, this open air pool is very popular in the summer. Other attractions are the thermal springs and theraputic hot muds. (15 minutes from Trisobbio).
Many castles in the region are open for visits. Trisobbio castle and tower is usually viewable during restaurant opening hours. For more information on the castles, please ask at the tourist office. The local grapes are Dolcetto, Barbera and the white Cortese. There are many wineries or ‘Cantina’ s that are open for wine tasting, including Tagliolo castle which is open almost every day. Trisobbio is located on an inter-castle footpath network. There is a map at the start to one of the paths, directly outside the Cascina. Trisobbio church dates to the 1300’s with fresco and marble work from the 1500’s. It is of unusually good quality for a small village. A sports and swimming pool complex is only 500mt distant from the farmhouse! There is also similar one at Lerma, which is 5 mins from Tagliolo and a covered pool and gym complex in Ovada. The tourist office in Ovada, in the historic centre, is open in the morning from Tuesday to Saturday and in the afternoons from Wed. to Sat. Copyright : Bruce and Gill Miller, Cascina Aie.
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