The star that shines in the skies of Liguria: A day in Stella, Italy

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In an age of satellite navigation systems planning a trip outside studying an ancient atlas has a special charm. Even more, if those maps depicting one of the most beautiful areas of Northern Italy, Liguria. The Atlas Ligustico, built in 1774 by Francesco Maria Accinelli, portrays the Ligurian, which in addition to the current Liguria, at the time stretched from Gaul to the end of Etruria. And 'right with this broader vision of the historical region that we decide to abandon the usual convenient highway route leading to the sea, and embarking on a longer, more exciting, but also through the curves that lead from Acqui Terme in Savona, passing for the wonderful country immersed in a dark green color of the dense woods of the National Park Beigua. One of the nicest towns encountered is Stella, actually made up of five stars, or five ancient villages, each dedicated to a saint. The first to arrive from the North is Santa Giustina, in medieval times was a possession of the monks of Sezzadio, the country where he probably was born Aleramo of Monferrato. The bright colors of the bell tower of the parish church of Santa Giustina notice from afar, as if to guide the journey towards this place. Inside, as well as two wooden statues of St. Justina and St. James, we also note a curious portrait of fossils collected by Don Deogratias Perrando, self-taught naturalist and geologist, and the village priest in the nineteenth century. The items collected by him are now in Genoa, as well as at the Museum of Sassello Perrando. The second star, not to the right as the song goes, but going straight is the largest, the capital city St. John. Famous for being the birthplace of the seventh President of the Republic, Sandro Pertini, the location, as a bit 'all over Stella, was inhabited since prehistoric times. Dominating the center of St. John was once a castle, probably of Byzantine origin, of which today you can visit the ruins, seeing the walls of the pentagonal plan. The nineteenth-century parish church has replaced the old parish church founded by a medieval chapel, which today is the Oratory of San Sebastian.
The westernmost tip of the Great St. Bernard Stella, panoramic resort, also known as Corona, which is actually one of its fractions, whose name probably refers to the crown of the mountains that surround this place. In addition to the beautiful church, rebuilt several times since the sixteenth century and richly decorated inside, St. Bernard is also known for its small karst caves, a real treat for fans. Moving eastward, we reach St. Martin, considered the oldest of Stella, because his church was until 1567 the only parish church of Torre del Mezzano Stella.Visitiamo also said to have been once connected via an underground tunnel , the Castle site in St. John. Certainly the tower was used to check the trail, or to put it with De Andrè, the creuza from Albisola. In San Martino Ligurian also shows the Sun at the time: sundials, found almost 'everywhere, they seem to say that the sun shines for everyone. We thus arrive at the nearest star to the sea, or to Gameragna, known as St. Catherine, which is also dedicated to the Church. Along the road that leads to the ancient source where they say even Napoleon had stopped to water the horses, our gaze caresses the dark blue glimpse of the mountains behind which the sea is Albisola Celle Ligure, which are less than half 'hour's drive. Taking a walk through the alleys of the village, we note with great pleasure the restaurant Ligustico where we decide to stop for dinner. See their pictures on the walls Ligustico Atlas is an emotion that rewards our choice, as well as the kindness of the owners, Robert and Lady who run this quaint restaurant since 1995. We start our dinner filled with the flavor of authentic Ligurian cuisine while enjoying the cottage cheese and olives, sliced ??meats and the delicious shrimp cocktail, before moving to the first as a typical garganelli with shrimp and zucchini, ravioli with fine herbs, Sardinian gnocchi "Sancho Panza" that enhance the Sardinian pecorino cheese produced by farmers who work in Liguria, and the inevitable potato gnocchi with pesto. How to choose a second delicious mixture of grilled meat, and some of us enjoy with pleasure also cut with arugula or mushrooms, the cockerel grilled with mushrooms and onion. We conclude our dinner ligustica with a nice apple pie with meringue and hot chocolate, a dried fruit with honey parfait, panna cotta and warm berries with ice cream.

Bertha Frances

FOR INFORMATION:
www.comune.Stella.sv.it
Restaurant Ligustico
Loc. Gameragna, 2 Stella (SV)
019/706384