Santuario di Montallegro

Sam C. brings the Ladies who walk and lunch up in the hills. We have past Leivi and the elevated roads are getting narrower. We talk about the road to the house in Santa where Pieter and I started our Italian adventure. Rather high and isolated if you don't like silence.




Our "Walking Guru" Krista came up with the plan to walk on top of the beautiful Ligurian hills to Montallegro high above Rapallo and have lunch at "Il Pellegrino". The trails could be done in 1 hour and 15 minutes. But we enjoy the setting, we sit a bit in the grass, eat excellent homemade muffins and take our time to do this stroll.

It is wonderful to enjoy the beautiful views of sea and mountains, wild anemones along the trails, the praying birds and the sounds of the 'might be very scary' animals under the leaves.

The 16th century pilgrimage church of Santuario di Monte Allegro is open. The door creaks when we open it very careful. On a wooden bench sits a young man to pray, but he seems not to be disturbed by our arrival. Every year on July 2 and 3 the Rapallesi celebrate 'La Festa della Madonna di Montallegro' to remember the apparition of Maria in 1597 here in the hills. Around the Madonna di Montallegro on the left of the church entrance notes, photos and kitschy hearts are left by believers and pilgrims out of gratitude.

By Funivia we go to Rapallo, 600 meters below. It was a wild idea to eat at Il Pellegrino, the restaurant is still in a deep wintersleep. We find a restaurant where we have spaghetti al vongole, fritto misto of fish and profiteroles. We don't bother the calories today. We decide to make our walks to Santuari this season, a nice idea of Joanne. Next time we'll go to the Cinque Terre before 'the too warm to hike summerseason' comes up. I need some previous reading to do, as there is religious art enough to watch.