In the land of glassmakers: A weekend to Altare, Liguria region, Italy

content:
photos:
Vote this travel review

The crystal blue of the sea glimpse from the heights like a dream, pink and orange in the center of the typical Ligurian houses, lush green forests surrounding the town: looking at a colorful glass vase, the art object Altare historical glassworks, one gets the impression of seeing the beautiful landscape in which it plunged this town. Altare is located in Val Bormida Savona, exactly where one comes to the Alps and Apennines: the Altare of the nozzle, an important mountain pass known by the Romans, is the point of demarcation between these immense mountain ranges. In the 80s of the nineteenth century forts were built here, now abandoned, as the Forte and Forte Cascinotto Tecchio, the seat of the weather at the time of the earthquake-Fortress Altare.
We arrive in the village through a feature gallery in one lane, with colorful above written: "Welcome to Altare, a city of glass". The first leg of our ride is in fact the Museum of Glass, where we can admire several objects, both artistic and everyday, created in the Altare during the centuries of flourishing craft. From the twelfth century, the Benedictine monks were to devote themselves to art glass, which then spread to the point where many attracting artisans from all over Italy. In the village there are still elders who remember the days when the port of Savona expected landing of raw materials such as dark, and went to the artifacts from distant cities, sometimes even on small galleys for hire. Even when we reflect, we can come up with this charming Ligurian village: in the seventeenth century was indeed the Altaree Bernard Perrot to refine the method of production of mirrors, especially the big ones.
In a town called Altare, could not fail to visit some beautiful churches, first among them the seventeenth-century parish church of St. Eugene. The oldest church in the country, however, is the former parish church of the Santissima Annunziata. Built in the mid-twelfth century by Benedictine monks, was dedicated to Eugene. After half a century of neglect, in 1650 Matthew was the glazier Altaree Buzzoni to rebuild it, dedicating the Annunciation. Another gem of religious life Altaree is the Oratory of San Rocco at the end of the sixteenth century, initially dedicated to the patron saint of glassmakers, St. Philibert Abbot, and was then named after the San Rocco eradicating pests.
Not far from this beautiful church, all white, reach the goal of our delicious evening, the restaurant Quintilio, Via Gramsci, easy to find parking. As we want to spend the second day of our stay in the healthy walks along the paths of the High Street footpath up to the Ligurian mountains from La Spezia to Ventimiglia arrives, we take advantage of the availability of comfortable rooms in the hotel. "At the end of the nineteenth century this was the first postal station in the area, where those who went back from the Riviera to the Piedmont, could find rest. The restaurant Quintilio, today reported on the Red Lobster as the best restaurant in Liguria for value for money, was born in 1930, with the kitchen Grandma Virginia. It was the glazier Quintilio, son-grandmother Virginia, to introduce a variety of dishes on the menu are typical of other regions, which he visited during his business trips, "he says Lorraine, who now manages the restaurant with her husband Luke, grandson of Mrs. Virginia. We start our dinner with the flavor of the cuisine of Liguria-Piedmont tartar fassone all'albese joke knife, with white truffles and foie gras with duck terrine with sauternes marinated peppers and apples made with brioche bread hot. Bran also taste the fish pate de cujun with black olives. We follow these delicacies from the pasta home made noodles with prawns in Sanremo with artichokes Albenga, and ravioli by hand to the "plin" with meat sauce. Some of us choose instead the creamed cheese risotto nano Piedmont avenue. In the selection of wines we do advise Lorraine, who is a sommelier and helps us to orient ourselves among the 380 labels of wines Italian enoteca. We continue with a fillet in a sauce of vinegar fassone traditional Modena and fried sweet milk, but we enjoy even the loin of lamb in a crust of herbs Ligurian artichokes and green, in addition to the Cappon veal with tuna sauce and thin.
The sweet ending dinner with delicious must see us immersed in a pie pastry and custard with caramelized apples and ice cream with cinnamon in the oven, a hot chocolate pudding with ice cream and flowers Walrhona of milk, and ice the cake two chocolates, white and dark chocolate ...

Bertha Frances

FOR INFORMATION:
www.comune.Altare.sv.it
www.museodelvetro.org
www.ristorantequintilio.it
Restaurant Quintilio
Via Gramsci, 23 Altare (SV)
019/58000