Deer, Liguria: a mosaic between heaven and earth

Deer, a mosaic between sea and sky.

For years certified among the ‘Most Beautiful Villages in Italy,’ Cervo overlooks the Gulf of Diana, Liguria. A true historical-architectural jewel perched on a strategic spur just above the sea, it stands out against the blue sky and offers a view of the entire area that is breathtaking.

Il nucleo storico di Cervo è stato completamente ristrutturato salvaguardando le caratteristiche originarie di un borgo medievale sul mare, protetto da torri e mura cinquecentesche e circondato da verdi colline.

Il centro storico è praticabile solo a piedi ed è stato conservato con i suoi edifici, vecchi di secoli, e i suoi vicoletti acciottolati dove sorgono botteghe di artisti e artigiani.

Domina Cervo un castello medievale, antica dimora dei Marchesi Clavesana, che oggi ospita mostre d’arte e il permanente Museo etnografico del Ponente Ligure.

In the village, ancient noble palaces open their gates onto the carruggi.

In the churchyard of the same name, the majestic Baroque church of St. John the Baptist known as ‘dei Corallini’ because it was built with the proceeds of coral fishing companies from the seas of Corsica and Sardinia offers its original concave facade, the town’s distinctive image, overlooking a wide arm of the sea to great scenic effect, especially in the evening, when its bell tower appears like a lighthouse pointing out the landing to sailors.

In the circle of the walls, walking along Balleydier Street you will come across the palace of the same name, a beautiful 18th-century building frescoed by Carrega (1706-1781).

On the Roman road, on the other hand, one encounters the Oratory of St. Catherine, choked in every part by buildings that in medieval times for shortage of space and defense reasons were leaned against each other.

Built of exposed stone around the 12th-13th centuries, the oratory is a classic example of a Romanesque structure originally in the shape of a Latin cross. In fact, there are many manor houses that testify to the past wealth of the population and induce visitors to wander the carruggi with their eyes upward: that of the Meridiana, the Merla, and the 18th-century Viale, De Simoni, Alassio, and Arimondo palaces.

It is above all the village in its entirety, however, that excites: the play of shadows among the narrow alleys, the high arches, the breathtaking ups and downs, the arrangements of pine and olive trees in the background, the cliff caressed by the transparent sea, the almond tree in bloom and the scent of thyme.

The coastline is characterized by the presence of small bathing establishments; sandy shores and cliffs, on the other hand, are free and unobtrusive, and no voice other than that of the sea is heard.

The water is always clear, with bottoms rich in algae and fish.

Upstream from the village, around ruins of bygone eras, the hills are rich with pine forests and olive groves, crisscrossed by quiet paths where you can breathe fresh air.

For fans of the genre, remember that since 1964 Cervo has hosted the International Chamber Music Festival, now one of Liguria’s leading cultural events, established worldwide, where Europe’s leading artists offer moonlit concerts to be experienced in rapt silence.

As a corollary to the festival, the music academies organize several important events. Every year many students of different ages and nationalities come to Deer with their instruments and fill the streets of the village with their notes, making it a place of great enchantment.

Towns and cities in the surroundings

On this page I have given you just a taste of the things you can experience and visit during your stay in Deer.

I am preparing for you pages dedicated to other villages and cities in the area, to offer you even more ideas and suggestions that only those who live in this area have always known

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