Palmaria - Guardian of Portovenere

Portovenere from Palmaria Island.

Palmaria is one of the treasures of Liguria, and you can't escape her. When you visit the sights around the Gulf of the Poets, you'll see her in the distance. She's in every sunset from Lerici, a gray shape on every foggy winter morning in Tellaro, and she will watch you inspect the colorful waterfront of Portovenere. When you cross the channel to court her, you'll see the beauty she sees: the hillside tumble called Portovenere, the juxtaposition of tiny sail boats and giant tankers, the cliffs of the Cinque Terre coast, wild goats under umbrella pines, and views you'll never forget.

Palmaria Sunset from Tellaro.                                Brian Dunt

    Read Below 

    A Hike Around Palmaria.
           Aside: Mediterranean Ecosystem.
           Aside: Portoro Marble.
    Getting There.
    More Information.

Palmaria (pal-MAR-i-a) lies across the  narrow channel of Portovenere on the western side of the Gulf of La Spezia. Due to its strategic position at the entrance of the great natural harbor of La Spezia, military considerations have always determined its history, and this has left the island largely undeveloped - there are still only 54 residents. The island, along with the Cinque Terre and Portovenere, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The two beach areas on Palmaria, Terrizzo and Pozzale, draw a great many visitors in the summer - who wouldn't like the clean water and grand vistas? Year round, hikers and nature lovers visit to enjoy the cliffs, the wild habitats, and the easy solitude given by the wind and sun. However, don't worry about crowded trails. On a beautiful autumn day, we said Salve exactly twice in 3 hours.

Trail signage, Palmaria

A Hike Around Palmaria.  Everything begins from the ferry landing at Terrizzo, just across the channel from Portovenere (see Getting There below). There's a signboard with a map here - and at numerous places on the island - to help you get oriented. We're describing a hike of moderate difficulty, mostly around the perimeter of the island in a clockwise direction. The walk will take about 3 hours including a short picnic. It's not the easiest route, but the most varied, and going clockwise places the sun at your back as you descend the steep section with the best views of Portovenere and the coastline (if you're only interested in those views, head west instead (seaward) along the shore trail). Begin our hike by heading east, toward the mainland.

The first landmark is Fort Umberto I, The Fortress of the Sea.  Built around the time of Italy's Unification, it's one of a long series of military fortifications in the area, each trying to defend against the newest weapons of the period. Despite the importance, there not much to see but abandoned buildings and a locked gate. The advantage of the position is obvious, since the passage to La Spezia harbor is close at hand.  From the gate, climb the path on the embankment to the right. It's not marked but it rejoins to trail just as you'd expect. Our path then climbs a bit and comes near to  the asphalt road that is the easiest way across the island and leads to Fort Cavour in the interior.

We walk in a southerly direction along the eastern side of the island and eventually and gradually turn westward. The path leads upward as the landscape changes to Mediterranean macchia with views of the island of Tinto just offshore.

Macchia on Palmaria near Portovenere, Tino Island in the background. 

A Mediterranean Ecosystem. Many areas of Palmaria comprise a distinct native ecosystem referred to as Mediterranean Macchia. It may look  like an overgrown field, but it's an intricate environment of plant components which can survive in the rocky soil and withstand the dry, hot summer as well as the intense autumn rains. It is clear that Nature is experimenting because there are many different types of superficially similar grassy clusters and woody shrubs. Similar perhaps for us humans, but don't tell that to the birds, rabbits, and goats. Some plants typically present are arbutus, the ground cover myrtle, buckthorn, holm oak, mastic tree, and locust. Always present is our favorite - ginestra (broom). It is so sparse, so utilitarian in design with its spiky greenery and little blossoms – yet, almost in apology, it gives us its bright yellow flowers for much of the year. The air carries a memorable scent in the macchia, but it's subtle since the plants can't budget much evaporation. The most aromatic plants found will likely be laurel (bay leaf) and rosemary . For the botanically inclined, the Italian Wikipedia Macchia article has nice reference photos. For comprehensive information and photos of the region's plants and animals, see Escursioni Apuane Flora & Fauna.

Broom flower (Ginestra)

As you climb, the macchia gives way to terraced fields showing different levels of cultivation, past and present, and there are now more trees. Soon the trail to the beach at Pozzale branches off left (for a longer hike, adding about 90 minutes, walk down to Pozzale and then Capo dell'Isola and then back up to rejoin our route). Our path climbs to the right toward the seaward western shore of Palmaria. When the views open up, the trail turns northward to parallel the coastline.

We are now heading up to the former Batteria del Semaforo (lighthouse/cannon battery) now the Centro di Educazione Ambientale (Center of Environmental Education or CEA). The trail is generally across bare rock skirting the steep slopes that mark this side of the island. Unseen below you, midway, is the Grotta dei Columba (access by ladder) where archaeologists have found tools and other evidence of human habitation from the Neolithic era ( that's like 5,000 years ago!). As you gain height you'll see several large Portoro marble quarries cut into distant cliff faces. These modern quarries were active until the early 1980's and were located here to take advantage of water transportation, attractive veining, and lack of fracturing.

A rich Portoro Marble example from Palmaria (Portovenere).

Portoro Marble  Portoro has been famous since antiquity. Also known as black-and-gold marble, it is a distinctive black limestone with gold flourishes and white veining. Unpolished, the stone looks gray (Byron's Grotto in Portovenere is Portoro) but when polished by stoneworkers or thousands of feet, it is black. It was quarried from Palmaria by the Romans and used widely - in imperial buildings and villas, as well as in the pavement and amphitheater of nearby Luni. Subsequently the Roman stone was appropriated for use in churches, and, for example, it can be found in Rome in the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. In the 1600's the Roman quarries were reopened and an industry developed for the precious marble in Italy - often as church balustrades and columns (Sant'Andrea church in Sarzana). With Napoleonic control of the area, Portoro began to be used in fine buildings in northern Europe, such as Versailles, often as wall paneling and as a component of fine furniture (the word portoro is an Italian derivative of the French term, porte d'or). Palmaria was the most notable source over the centuries, with at least five quarries above and below ground, including Terrizzo and Pozzale. There were a few other quarries on the mainland including the mountainous area (Il Muzzerone) behind Portovenere, where there's still at least one working quarry today.

Palmaria's 500 foot cliffs are a favorite backdrop for sailboats.

The CEA is the high point of the island at 186 meters. This is the higher end of the asphalt road, and it's a shady spot to rest. When you're ready, continue along the western side of the island, past yet another old military building. Here the trail is often shaded, and it's the prettiest part of the hike, but also has the steepest section. This is where we encountered the wild goats of Palmaria. We met about a dozen, all of different colors with a variety of distinctive markings and somewhat stunted bodies – earning them the diminutive caprette in Italian. They were very curious about encroaching bipeds, and - just like goats - stubbornly refused to pose for photos. The goats left a distinct chevre odor as they ran down the trail – perhaps not the most appetizing path to lunch. They are an invasive species – a relic of the island's agricultural past, and the Comune would very much like to remove them, but so far the goats are winning the popularity contest.

A Palmaria Goat.  Click to enlarge.

There's an attractive mix of fields and trees here and the trail comes closer to the cliffs, providing wonderful and scary views of sailing ships and sheer drops. These cliffs are 400-500 feet high – so it's little wonder the boats favor this setting - imagine the view they have. There are plenty of picnic places here with Maritime pines (a/k/a Umbrella pines) and Aleppo pines providing lots of deep shade. Some of the cliff flowers occur only here in these unique conditions.

St. Peter's, Portovenere. 'every near hour is ancient' wrote Montal.

Without a preview the trail starts to drop, and here attention is required. Parts of this side of the island were used in the lizzatura, the lowering of marble blocks down the hill, and it can resemble a coal chute in places. The slope becomes steep and the combination of loose rocks and pine needles and tree leaves don't provide the good footing you need. Kind volunteers have provided rope handholds in some sections, in other areas, you'll need to be a tree hugger. The very steep section is only about 200 meters long, so go slow, there's a reward at the end.

As the trail passes through a rocky excavated area, you start to get glimpses of Portovenere. Here you see the colorful slender buildings, and then there's the Church of St.Peter on its rocky point. The church's location is poetry and philosophy - as Montale said of it, "Here you are at the origins / and deciding is foolish." You will admire and you will walk and as soon as you take one photo, you'll walk 50 feet and there's an even better one. In the distance is the fantastic coastline leading to the Cinque Terre. Little wonder those villages were isolated!

The trail descends and curves to parallel the channel. It follows the shoreline past a variety of bad beach architecture to the ferry landing at Terrizzo. Have you tried an Aperol spritz?

The Cinque Terre / Portovenere Coast from Palmaria.

Getting There.

First, get yourself to Portovenere, and for that we have a detailed article: Getting To Portovenere 

The boat for Palmaria leaves Portovenere from Molo Doria, which is the first pier from the road (there's a little ticket booth nearby) and it costs 4.50 Euro RT. In high season which is June 15 to September 14, there are many trips so you just show up between 9am and 7pm. 


In low season, September 15 to June 14, there are at least 9 trips daily. The schedule times posted on Nov. 2012) were  6:15 7:15 10:00 12:00 13:15 14:15 16:15 18:00 and 20:00 (the return is 10 minutes later). 

There are also affordable water taxi services available in Portovenere, see the Getting to Portovenere link above or inquire locally. They are useful if you have a group, would like to be picked up across the Gulf, or want a customized hike.

All of this is subject to change and to rough weather.  In high season, there may be a boat that stops at Pozzale while on a tour of the islands, but we couldn't verify it - inquire locally if that's of interest.

More Information.
Pro Loco Portovenere is a pretty good website for a small town.

Parco Naturale Portovenere The park website has Palmaria history and trail descriptions (under 'tracks') in English.

Restaurants. There are two on the island. Il Pozzale in Pozzale on the far side of the island, and Locanda Lorena in Terrizzo which also has rooms and will send a motoboat to pick you up.

Liguria Guide Another description of the Palmaria trails with a map.

A blogger's trip to Palmaria described on the independent travel site No Crowds

A Summer Place in Tuscany - 1508.

The Alpeggio of Formentara

It didn't seem like a time machine, this little Fiat Punto, but we couldn't ignore the changes. We left coastal Liguria where the purple iris were past and and the flowering wisteria was a memory, but when we reached Pontremoli 30 minutes later they had magically rebloomed. Climbing from there on a winding road up the Zeri valley in Tuscan Lunigiana, the fragrant white blossoms of false acacia reached across the road - refreshing a weeks old memory of their Ligurian show. Rising more toward Zum Zeri, we parked at an altitude of 1,100 meters, and the clock had been turned back a full four weeks. New violets hid in the grass, and tree leaves were no bigger than a child's ear.

The seasonal mountain village of Formentara, high above Pontremoli in Lunigiana, Tuscany.

Home with dry laid stone walls, 'pietra a secca'. Formentara.

After a pleasant 15 minute walk, we reached the high mountain village of Formentara, and now the clock had been turned back again - by centuries. This abandoned villaggio alpestre was once used during the alpeggio - the seasonal agricultural/pastoral activities in high terrain. Formentara was established and utilized by people from the villages of Patigno and Noce, which are located about a 2 hour walk downhill and 400 meters lower. It was established at least 500 years ago, since the first mention is in 1508, and it's probably much older since use of the high mountains for grazing has been documented in Italy as early as 3,000 B.C. Although this village has been deserted for over one hundred years, it's relatively well preserved - considering. It has about thirty very evocative buildings located on both sides of a small mountain stream, as well as the Oratorio of San Bartolomeo from 1776.  The habitation is on a south facing slope, but below the summit and away from the north wind, and seemingly near the tree line - that is the altitude where weather conditions inhibit tree growth.

House at Formentara used during the Alpeggio.

The walls are constructed 'pietra a secco' or 'muratura a secco' known similarly in English as 'dry laid' walls. Stones are laid on one another without mortar or clay to bind them together. This takes advantage of the flat stone available here (more below), but it is more vulnerable to foundation settlement, earthquakes, and it allows air passage - for better or worse. Many of the buildings share common walls, both for economy and structural integrity. The roofs are constructed of heavy beams topped with large flat stones overlapping one another - and that's all! This is known as 'in piagne' and this was the predominant roofing material in Lunigiana until railroads arrived*. Curiously, although we looked in quite a number of buildings, we didn't see any fireplaces or chimneys.

Roof of overlapped rock, 'tetto in piagne'. Formentara village.

Imagine - there was enough value derived from these slopes in just 5 or 6 months to make a whole village worthwhile! Starting in late spring and lasting until mid-autumn, the village houses would be occupied with extended families. The biggest attraction of the higher slopes was pasture for sheep and goats. This was the base for the predominent activity - milking the herd and making cheese for use in winter and for trading. Many types of cereals and vegetables were also cultivated, but only those that could be raised within the shorter seasons of higher altitudes. Late in the season, chestnuts were hugely important. Gathered and roasted and shelled and ground to a flour, they provided a vital staple. While chestnuts were deficient in protein, resulting in stunted growth, they nonetheless provided sustenance.

The village was abandoned in the 2nd half of the nineteenth century as social and technological change altered the economy and thus the way of life in the mountains of Italy. The same trains that brought tegole (roof tiles) to replace the flat stone brought competition and opportunity, but manifestly not in equal measure.  The alpeggio -based on cattle - is still practiced further north in the Italian Alps, and hikers can visit seasonal refuges in a program called ERSAF Lombardia, and similar programs in Piedmont and the Trentino.  It's remarkable that Formentara has lasted as well as it has, for the building methods are inherently fragile, and surely it is unlikely to be restored. We're grateful that we could walk among these vestiges of a poor but knowledgeable people and be reminded that mankind forgets roughly as fast as it learns.

'This public oratorio was built Anno Domini 1776.'
Oratorio of San Bartolomeo,  Formentara (Lunigiana) Tuscany

After looking around the village - prudently we hope - we recommend following the marked trail uphill about a further 200 meters. Here's a world class picnic spot, at the summit of the hill there are views for more than 270 degrees. To the south you can see the highest peaks of the Alpi Apuane that are Carrara and Aulla's backdrop, as well as the convoluted folded hills that form the Zeri Valley. The mountain breezes are welcome, even if they steal your napkin. Nearby, there's a large old quarry which you can recognize by the steep, smooth, tilted rock wall.

Pietra Arenaria, grey sandstone, quarry in Zeri, Lunigiana.

This was a quarry for Pietra Arenaria, gray sandstone, used for centuries by local sculptors for ancient stele,  decorative doorways, and statues, including the mysterious local figures called facion. However, this rock outcrop would have been used for building stone since it would only yield relatively thin pieces, and it probably provided much of the rock you saw in Formentara. Here's a bit of geology: the sand of this future sandstone was deposited via water, and sometimes, when the water was low and brackish, mud was deposited as well. When the whole mass was squished into rock, the sand made a solid part and the mud made a crumbly part. If you look at the exposed cross section, you can see a 2 inch solid layer, a thin weak layer, a 6 inch solid layer, a thin weak layer, etc. Medieval stone workers would have taken advantage of this to break out sizes convenient for building, such as the thin but large roof pieces in the village. Our guess is that this quarry was also worked in modern times as well, since the waste stone has been moved aside. This quarry was worked a lot: the hill here has been moved back a good 50 meters.

Getting There
Exit the A15 Autostrada (Parma-La Spezia) at the Pontremoli exit, and turn right. Follow signs toward Pontremoli through several roundabouts and as you near Pontremoli, you'll see a sign to Zeri (via SP37). From there, it will take you about 30 minutes on a small, curvy, hilly road. Follow signs to Zeri, then to Zum Zeri (a ski area) and the Passo dei Due Santi and Formentara. We parked at the turn from the Zum Zeri road toward Formentara, but you can go by car about a kilometer further to another sign and another turn where the road becomes impassable to a car.

More Info (in Italian)
Formentara article Turismo In Lunigiana
Blog Zeri  Storia Sulla Formentara
Ruralpini A site with history, types of cheese, types of animal - everything about the alpeggio.
*Piagne information: Pietra di Lunigiana, Impresa di Costruzioni.

A Charming Lunch in Charming Sarzana

Osteria Panzallegra in Sarzana, Liguria.

Even in the nicest spring weather, it rains sometimes. When it does, that's the perfect excuse (or the latest excuse) to go out to lunch. The small city of Sarzana is interesting in  many ways – historically, artistically, socially, and, more usefully, gastronomically. It serves as the informal capital of lower Lunigiana, that is the lower Magra Valley, and we are there twice a week for sure. There are more than a dozen decent restaurants in this town of about 20,000, and on a Sunday in April we finally got to try one of the places that’s been on our list for years – Panzallegra.

This last Sunday in April was the last day of Atri Fioriti, an annual Sarzana event in which the atriums of about a dozen historical palazzi are open to the public, with floral displays to enhance them.  It’s a simple kind of civic event and each site has informative signage and a few volunteer teens of differing levels of commitment.  One of the palazzi was the childhood home of the 14th century Pope Nicolo V, one of a famous local sculptor, Carlo Fontana, and it’s always fun.  We visited four or five atriums, and then started to look for lunch.  When we saw that Panzallegra was open for its last Sunday lunch of the season, we were in heaven - the handwritten menu outside was a Ligurian dream.

Ravioloni di Mare at Osteria Panzallegra in Sarzana.

Typically an Italian meal has four parts: Antipasto, Primo, Secondo, Dolce. Thirty years ago, one would have them all. Today, the diner has what they feel like, even to the extent of sharing portions. We would have loved to have the antipasto – there were 8 or 9 tiny exquisite ‘tastes’ on the plate, including marinated sardines, timbal of cauliflower, flan of onions, and so on…but our capacity is limited, so we started with primi piatti: lasagna al forno with pecorino and artichoke, and ravioli di mare, with cernia* and gamberi.  What can a speechless writer say? They were perfect. The lasagna had three layers of pasta, the pecorino was slightly aged but not tart, the artichokes smooth but with their characteristic bitiness.  No cheating here, everything freshly cooked, perfectly balanced.  The ravioli were even better, if that’s possible.  Four large ravioloni, so-called, filled with a finely chopped and delicately seasoned spoonful of fish, topped with a fresh tomato sauce with all the tastes of the sea in it.

Our second dishes lived up to the first. On one side, a plate of lightly breaded fried local lamb chops, served with lemon and a bitter palate-cleansing little pile of radicchio and lettuce. On the other side, a lovely fan of tiny fresh zucchini halves, stuffed with baccala mantecato and accompanied with a little berm of bechamel, flavored with a touch of fresh garlic and a little garnish of reduced balsamic vinegar.  Both dishes were terrific.

Baccala Mantecato at Osteria Panzallegra in Sarzana.

The service was attentive and friendly, and the owner explained each dish in understandable Italian. When I went to pay, I asked for a business card, and Maurizio introduced himself and beckoned Paola out of the kitchen.  I asked if these were her own recipes, and she said yes, all hers.  When I complimented them – particularly the puree of baccala, which was unforgettable – she said that their policy was freshness, purity, and simplicity.  They are one of the few restaurants in Lunigiana who qualify for the Slow Foods emblem of quality, well earned.


By the way, the price for this unique experience was modest and competitive in this area.  Two primi, two secondi, house wine and water came to 58 Euro.

Osteria Panzallegra  Via Mascardi, 21  Sarzana. Reservations advised. Telephone 338 2595915. See the website or call for opening times. They are open mostly in the evening from Wednesday through Sunday, and for lunch on Sunday from October through April.

Bed and Breakfast  Luci sul Golfo  Via delle Ville, 48A   Arcola (La Spezia) 338.2595915.
Maurizio gave me both the card to the restaurant and the card to the bed and breakfast that they run in Arcola.  At the level of welcome, cleanliness, and attention to detail that they show at the restaurant, I would stay there gladly. It is located on the outskirts of La Spezia in a quiet, hilly suburban neighborhood.

Baccala Mantecato Here's a nice recipe from an independent travel blogger, living VENICE

*Cernia is a fish called Dusky Grouper in English. We tediously debate the degree to which we ought to translate the terms. Our current arbitrary test: translate if the term would be unknown to a smarty pants on their third trip to Italy. Feel free to add your opinion.

The People of Italy - Versilia

If you come to Italy for the never-ending treasures of art and architecture and food and landscapes, you'll have a magnificent time. And you can do it again and again, as thousands of Italophiles, ourselves included, can't resist doing. For our part however, we seek the experiences that can't be repeated and can't be predicted and can't be forgotten: meeting the Italian people. Gracious, intelligent, hard working, relaxed, unpredictable are the qualities that first come to mind in describing them. Sure, you may have a vexing experience, but that ticket for a ZTL traffic violation will be forgotten long before you forget the folks you meet.

Here are some of our favorite people photos from our recent visit to Versilia. This is the Tuscan region around Viareggio, which is west of Lucca and Florence, and north of Pisa. It's well known for its fabulous clean beaches, but that's just the beginning.

Massarosa

This is Francesco, our tour guide at Massaciuccoli Romano the archaeological site on the shores of the lake of the same long name. It's the excavation of a very large Roman villa on the shores of Lake Massaciuccoli in the town of Massarosa near Viareggio. Francesco is a highly trained archaeologist who knows everything about the Romans, and who is dressed in a toga for the visit of 12 bloggers who dressed in modern costume - theoretically. You can bet your last penny that the toga is historically accurate. He apparently learned his English mostly from books since it was idiosyncratic (holy came out holly), but anyone who has tried to learn a foreign language would stand in awe. The professor talked slowly and deliberately for two hours on a technical subject and answered every question possible.

Camaiore

I'm out in the street with Grandmother
When a camera clicks open its shutter.
Who wouldn't be proud,
For crying out loud
To see that we look like each other!

Viareggio

This Italian couple was studying the real estate listings along the promenade (passeggiata a mare) in Viareggio. You'll think boardwalk, but that would be underestimating the grandeur, both past and present. The promenade starts in Viareggio and goes up the coast for about 30 miles. In the settled areas, it has many architectural marvels, as well as some limited touristy junk, as well as some stores where we wondered why the price tags didn't burst into flame. When I showed the photo to this couple, they were delighted and the woman laughed and laughed. I couldn't figure out why, so the joke's on me.







This boy seemed glum since he was in this 'Thinker' pose before and after I approached. I showed him the photo and he just shrugged. What's wrong with youth these days when being photographed by a balding old foreigner doesn't provoke derisive mockery?

Seafood and gluten-free expert Federica Santini of La Posteria, Viareggio.

You're right, this was a set up. We ate great food at Ristorante La Posteria operated by Chef Federica  Santini. This is one remarkable cook as she knows fish better than Poseidon, and also has substantial gluten-free, vegetarian  and vegan offerings. We watched her clean and filet about six kinds of fish, with a running commentary on which fin was where and what these gucky things did and how to remove them and make a delicious sauce. The highlight for me was when the pretty woman cut a slice down the back of a large and ugly fish and ripped off the flesh with her bare hands. It doesn't get better than that. Federica posed for pictures like a movie star, and had a smile like Sarah Silverman, which caused some bloggers to have impure thoughts.


We'd like to thank Serena Giovannoni of WishVersilia, numerous local small businesses, the initiative Donna e Web, and the Province of Lucca for the Versilia Blog Tour 2013. They are supporting independent travel websites such as this one who provide a different and hopefully appealing perspective on the area.




Please follow us. It means more than you think, and we're not the types to clutter your e-mail inbox or RSS reader. Look for the follow method of your choice along the right margin. Thanks.

T