Cervo

The center of Cervo is all to explore, but only for those with good legs: starting from the sea, it's all uphill, through steep streets, charming carruggi (typical narrow alleys), tunnels and stairways, reaching the top of the village; here you can reward yourself with a splendid view of the Ligurian Sea. The top of the village is also dominated by the elegant parish church. Dedicated to St. John the Baptist, it is also called "dei Corallini," because it was built between the 17th and 18th centuries thanks to the proceeds from coral fishing, an activity that the villagers have practiced for centuries. Despite the small size of the village, the church is the most important Baroque monument in this part of Liguria, the Riviera di Ponente. Its tall and imposing facade towers over the entire village and makes it recognizable even in the distance.

Cervo is the first municipality of the so-called Riviera dei Fiori, which corresponds to the part of the province of Imperia that faces the sea. In particular, it lies halfway between Imperia itself and the town of Alassio, both of which are worth a visit.

Imperia, lying between the sea and the olive groves of the hinterland, is a city formed by the amalgamation of two separate towns, Oneglia and Porto Maurizio, between which flows the Impero stream, which gave its name to the center. Oneglia stands on a flat area and has medieval and, in part, 19th-century origins. The porticoes of Borgo Peri, of Piedmontese inspiration, are characteristic. Porto Maurizio, too, has a medieval historic center, called "Parasio," but it is perched on a hill overlooking the sea; not to be missed are the loggias of the Convent of Santa Chiara, which give an all in the past, but also wonderful views of the sea. A final gem in Imperia is the incredible Art Nouveau Villa Grock (also called the "Stone Circus"), which houses the world-famous Grock Clown Museum.

Alassio, on the other hand, is located in the province of Savona. Protected by a belt of hills, this town enjoys a pleasant microclimate in all seasons, a characteristic that, together with its sandy beaches, has made it a celebrated seaside resort since the 19th century. Also famous is its center, which is home to two attractions:

• the Budello di Alassio, an atmospheric, paved alleyway that, among elegant buildings and old fishermen's houses, is home to stores, bars and pastry stores;
• the Muretto di Alassio, whose surface is crammed with colorful tiles and plaques that recall historical events or contain phrases and autographs of artists or famous people; here, you can also find the romantic statue of lovers.

Finally, not far from Cervo is a splendid village: it is Dolcedo, which has preserved an atmosphere crystallized in time to decades ago. Old signs, stone and pastel-colored houses, and an old bridge over the river make it truly unique.

The hinterland is dotted with small hills that make for easy nature hikes and offer panoramic views of Cervo and other nearby villages: the Cervo Hill, Castellareto Hill, Dico Hill, and Mea Hill.

The Liguria Trail, an itinerary of 30 stages, totaling 675 km, from Luni to Ventimiglia, allows you to discover the Ligurian coast, with its colors and sea air, and part of the hinterland on foot. Of interest to the municipality of Cervo are stages 24 and 25. Stage 24 starts in Andora, passes through cultivated areas, Mediterranean scrub, a mixed forest and the very green Ciapà Municipal Park before descending toward Cervo. Stage 25, on the other hand, runs completely along the coast and offers spectacular views of the blue sea. The arrival, after about 3 1/2 hours, is at the city of Imperia.

If you love the outdoors, Cervo is home to the Ciapà Trail, a trail running race over three different lengths (one of which is non-competitive), and which can also be tackled with your dog. Here are the three routes:

• short, non-competitive, it takes place almost entirely in the territory of the municipality; despite this, it is very scenic and goes all the way to the Cervo Pass, and then passes through the Ciapà Municipal Park, hence the name;
• medium, competitive, stretching to touch Mount Chiappa, Colle Mea and Cervo Hill;
• long, competitive, almost 30 km, which reaches Tovetto and Tovo Faraldi.

If, on the other hand, biking is your passion, two mountain bike trails insist on Cervo: the first is the Antenne San Rocco route, which lengthens the Antenne enduro trail with the famous "Jump into the Blue," located in a scenic spot of great beauty. Creating a kind of double loop, it retraces the special tests of the 2012 Superenduro Pro.

The second route, on the other hand, is the Diano Terre Blu route, which takes up the route of a 2002 mountain bike granfondo, which covered the entire territory of the Dianese Gulf, that is, the one where Cervo and Diano Marina overlook: hence the first part of the name. "Terre Blu," on the other hand, because the sea can be glimpsed from every point of the route.

Speaking of events and their routes, one cannot fail to mention the long and middle routes of the Dianese Gulf Gravellata 2022. Much of the route is the same, but the shorter one skips some of the Dainese Gulf villages.