Portofino Regional Park

A 3.5 Km long headland overlooking the Ligurian sea, therefore creating the basis for unbelievable vegetation contrasts. More than 1000 different species of plants are growing in this area
You may find typical North European species growing next to the vegetation of the Mediterranean maquis in a breathtaking scenery, a landscape characterised by rugged, rocky slopes to the south and gentle slopes to the North.
The Marine Reserve was recently formed to protect the sea bottom below the headland; the Abbeys of San Fruttuoso e San Nicolò di Capodimonte, and the surroundings framing it to the North up to Chiavari make this Park every year an attraction for thousands of nature-loving visitors and scuba-divers, who may admire all the aspects of this marvellous naturalistic laboratory.

Aveto Regional Park

This imposing Park of the Apennines, where you can go hiking, while remaining in view of the sea, is almost unknown despite its enormous environmental value: not to mention The Integral Oriented Reserve of Agoraie and Maggetto including 16 small lakes of glacial origin, its numerous alpine endemisms, some of which are being considered as real glacial relicts, as for instance some insectivorous plants. As everywhere else in the Apennines, Wolves have come back in this Park and you may trail their spoors with the aid of an expert guide. This park has a firm rural rooting with the splendid Borzone Abbey built in the VIII Century A.D., with its outstanding geological ophiolites, its ancient glacial cirques, its old mines in Val Graveglia bordering the Park but not less important.

An almost unknown valley representing for many people a true discovery. This valley remained for long almost without roads, that were later built thanks to the imposing copper and manganese mining activities. This valley has also an agricultural tradition based on the production of some typical Ligurian wines such as “Vermentino” and “Bianchetta”. Because of its vine-growing tradition and the qualitative level achieved, Val Graveglia has now been listed among the few DOC wine producing zones of Liguria. The only steam based distillery of “grappa” (eau-de-vie) existing in Liguria is also located in this valley. The numerous restaurants listed in this Catalogue offer an excellent local cuisine. You will also find great evidence of the past, such as the mediaeval villages, in particular Cassagna, ancient summer pastures in the mountain and tower-houses. The Mining Museum in Gambatesa will soon be accessible, you will be able to visit a mine that has been active for more than one hundred years partly on a small train and partly on foot. At Reppia you may already visit, on request, the Mineral Museum, inaugurated in June 1999 where you may see a small collection of minerals and ore mined in this valley which stands out for its renown geology, studied by international scientists.