Laigueglia and Alassio

Laigueglia

Laigueglia is a fairly quiet small coastal town that has kept its fisherman’s village feel, unlike many places on the coast. It has sandy beaches and trails leading into the pretty hills. The historic centre reaches down to the beach, from which rise the two large bell towers of the main church, along with pretty narrow streets and small squares.
On the beautiful beach, the small Saracen tower of 1564 stands on the sand, accompanied by fishing boats, and in the waters boats sheltered by the jetty.
A little-known local curiosity is the presence of the grave of the Norwegian Kon-Tiki navigator, Thor Heyerdahl, near the charming hamlet of Colla Micheri.
The church of San Matteo with its two bell towers was built starting in the 18th century, on a very ancient sanctuary, renovated after the 1887 earthquake. It preserves beautiful works of art. Beside it, the oratory of Saint Mary Magdalene dates from the early 17th century and also preserves works from the same period.
From the Via Aurelia, a staircase leads to the solitary Madonna delle Penne on the promontory of Cap Mele, built by Catalan coral fishermen in the 17th century, still bearing the name from the inscription that was at the base of a statuette: Nostra Señora de la peña (Our Lady of the Rock).

Alassio

Alassio is a seaside resort, with beautiful coastlines and sandy beaches. It also has its own heritage, including the streets of the historic centre, its shops, its gastronomy, or the Muretto d’Alassio (Wall of Alassio) decorated with many ceramic tiles signed by celebrities from around the world.
The main street of the centre, the “Budello”, is of medieval origin and parallel to the coast, with its cobblestones and arches. The gardens of the Villa della Pergola, laid out in the late 19th century, offer a lovely view over the Gulf of Alassio and the island of Gallinara, preserving beautiful botanical collections with rare species.
The island of Gallinara has become a nature reserve, home in particular to birds.
The Caffè Balzola, founded in 1902, is a local institution, producing in particular pastries such as the “Bacio di Alassio”. The Saracen tower dates from the 16th century, located towards the east.
There are many popular sandy beaches, including the 4-kilometre-long Alassio beach.

Map

Information

• Laigueglia: en.wikipedia.org, quilaigueglia.it, www.inviaggioconmonica.it, www.inviaggioconselena.it
• Alassio: en.wikipedia.org, www.visitalassio.com