Leivi is not a village but a spread hilly area, instituted as municipality, just at the back of Chiavari.
Bend after bend, suddenly the sea appears a long way out and with it the emotion of an abrupt change of the landscape. The blue of the sea matches with the perennial green of the olive trees, of the pines, of the still flowering bushes, with the vegetable gardens still rich in lettuce, chards, artichokes, and among them the yellow, the orange and the red of the citrus trees burdened with their fruits. The smell of the sea wind mingles with the scent of the lemons, of the pines, of the eucalyptus; if we are there before noon in a cloudless day, hardly we have to convince ourselves that spring is still so far.
Less than 1.2 ml from Chiavari [*], Leivi, as we said, is not a town in the traditional sense but a cluster of small groups of houses, gardens and villas, scattered on the hillside. Just because it has not a real town centre (the town hall is a palace in the countryside) it has a peculiar charm: it looks like a sort of web of “carruggi” (narrow roads surfaced by stones and bricks), radiating around the principal carriageable road leading to the hilltop and from there to the highest mountain tops that encircle Liguria and protect it from the northern chilly winds.
Leivi is one of the best preserved examples of that “landscape of villa” so typical of the EastLigurianCoast since time immemorial.
Even five churches are present in the municipality, and among them the majestic Saint Bartholomew with its polychrome parvis, typical expression of the architectural style of the EastLigurianCoast.
To choose Leivi as a destination for a holiday presents many advantages and first of all that of being in close contact with the Ligurian nature.
All you have to do is leave home and walk along the paths, among woods and olive groves.
[*] to visit. |
In every season it is possible to go on a trip on foot or by bicycle along Leivi paths, crossing hills, olive groves and gardens towards the first wooden rises.
The municipality of Leivi shows and provides a series of very interesting maps.
Among them we bring to your attention the “Five towers path”, certainly the most complete and suggestive one, because it joins the four bell towers of the churches and the medieval tower that stand over these hills.
There is no lack of good restaurants.
On the other hand the cooking of the area is refined by the Leivi oil, an exceptional product which ha received and is receiving several awards for its lightness and quality.
A suggestion from Borgo Italia staff: a restaurant certainly worth a visit to taste the local specialities is the San Rufino restaurant at Leivi.
And to stay: the B&B Costasecca, managed by Mrs. Anna and the B&B Collevento, managed by Mrs. Claudia. |