Page 200 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Italian Riviera

198  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

SHOPPING

Shopping is an enjoyable experience in there are some great markets to visit.
Liguria, as it is throughout Italy. Genoa and Most towns have a market every week, while
San Remo are the places to go to buy choice larger towns such as Genoa, Ventimiglia and
or designer clothes, though the large resorts Rapallo, have one every day. Most visitors
have plenty of boutiques, too. In terms of may not consider taking any of Liguria’s
crafts, Liguria is a good place in which to buy famous fresh flowers home, but San Remo’s
ceramics, an ancient craft associated with flower market, the largest in Europe, is well
Albisola and Savona. Good-quality glass worth a visit.
(Altare), lace (Rapallo and Portofino), Throughout this region, there are shops
macramé and woodcarving (Chiavari) can selling local olive oil and wine, as well as
also be found. As in other regions of Italy, Liguria’s other gastronomic delights.
Antiques
regions in the field of
Before you start shopping for horticulture: nurseries and
antiques (or modern art, in fact), glasshouses housing everything
you should be aware that if you from camellias to citrus trees
want to take any such object under one roof seem to
out of the country you will domi nate the landscape
need to apply to the Italian in some areas, and flower
Department of Exports for an shops abound. Bonsai trees
export licence (for which (including miniature olive trees)
you will have to pay). Any are popular buys, as are cacti,
reputable antiques succulents and orchids.
dealer will be able to All sorts of tropical
give you the details. plants are
Antique shops available, too.
proliferate in Liguria,
above all in the large Plants and flowers, the
towns, and some are pride of Liguria Olive Oil
of an excellent A natural product
standard. Items for sale range that is of great importance to
Throwing a pot – a tradition with a long from objets d’art to books the region’s economy is the
history in Liguria and prints, furniture, statues, olive, and also the oil made
jewellery and antique posters. from it. No one knows who first
Ceramics
Model ships and other seafaring planted olives along this coast
This is one of the oldest memorabilia, such as shipboard but, in the Middle Ages, the
handicrafts practised in Liguria. furniture, instruments and even monasteries played an
Evidence of ceramic production figureheads, are particularly important role in developing
dates back to at least the sought after. the art of olive-pressing.
15th century. Several important Olives are cultivated all along
The twin city of Albisola, the antiques fairs are held
main ceramics centre in Liguria, in the region, including
has been a town of potters “Antiqua” and
since the Renaissance. Here “Tuttantico” in Genoa,
you can find all sorts of objects and the annual fair held
made from the local clay, in August in Sarzana.
(typically coloured blue and There is also a monthly
white), from decorative tiles antiques market in
to old pharmacy jars. Genoa’s Palazzo Ducale.
In nearby Savona, pots are Wherever you shop,
also traditionally painted blue always ask for evidence
and white, though there are of the authenticity of
more modern designs and your purchase.
other colours, as well as figures
from nativity scenes (presepi). Plants and Flowers
You can buy ceramics either
in specialist shops and art Thanks to its mild
galleries or, sometimes, from climate, Liguria is one
the potter’s own workshops. of Italy’s foremost Shops on the main street of Vernazza, Cinque Terre

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