Hotel in Savona

Savona is a chief town with a rich history and an important maritime station. The new structure in steel and crystal of the Palacrociere, the windows of the Orsero tower, the recent restoration of the old dock and the fashionable eating and drinking places have given the city new elegance. For years it has been given the prestigious international recognition of the Blue Flag for its beaches and harbours. The city is famous for the Chinotto, a small round citrus fruit with a bright green colour that can be eaten in syrup or candied, chosen as a Slow Food presidium. Chickpea seeds are the primary ingredient of two typical Savona dishes: panissa and farinata (the latter also in the variation with wheat flour). Savona is a city rich in art and history that began with the Bronze Age on the Priamàr hill, which for centuries exploited its dominant position on the coast with a port that made it one of the most florid and competitive towns in the commercial field; it reached its maximum splendour thanks to the pontificates of the Savona men Sixtus IV and Julius II, who made it a pole of attraction for intellectuals and artists. This period was interrupted in 1528, when the dominant Republic of Genoa silted up its harbour and erected the stately Priamàr fort precisely where the sacred buildings stood. Via Pia is an itinerary that winds among fine abodes, while the nearby Corso Italia is a pleasant avenue lined with trees, appreciated for shopping; an important axis of the city is Via Paleocapa, with porticos and patrician buildings. Every two years, on Good Friday, a procession crosses the city with precious “boxes” (sculptural groups) representing scenes from the life of Christ, which members of the old city brotherhoods carry on their shoulders.