On the way home from my recent visit to Lerici I stopped at the nearby town of Tellaro.
The town centre is limited zone, which means no driving in, so I found a park above the centre and walked down.
The main piazza was almost empty when I arrived. COVID 19 has severely affected tourism this summer in Italy. This little square should be bustling at this time of the year.
After a coffee at the cafe I walked down this narrow street on my way to the water’s edge.
I went through an arched portal into what looked like the entrance to a castle or fort.
But it was another narrow street.
Through another arched entrance the path became even more narrow.
…until I came to the water’s edge.
The tiny harbour is gorgeous and the water looked clear and welcoming on a hot day.
On the edge of the water is a tunnel, the Soto-ria gallery, with an 18th century wrought iron gate. The tunnel is 70 metres long and 2.20 metres wide. It is what remains of the covered curtain built in the 14th century by the residents as part of the defence system against the Saracen invasions.
The Piazza della Marina, together with the small piazza beside it has always had an important role in the Tellaro community. It is where all the local feasts and meetings are held and where the residents keep their boats. The Festival of Saint George was held here as well as the Festival of St Anthony when people brought their animals, sheep, donkeys, mules, pigs and poultry to be blessed.
There are great views across the water to the towns an villages clinging to the rocky edge of the sea in the Gulf of La Spezia.
This little cactus garden appealed to me on my walk up the hill to the top of the town.
Then another walk past pretty gardens to get to my car.
Tellaro is a lovely village, worthy of a return visit.
It would be fun to see the Sagra del Polpo, Festival of the Octopus. It celebrates a giant octopus who apparently saved the town from a Saracen pirate attack in the Middle Ages. The pirate Gallo d’Arenzano chose a night of a storm to attack the town. The guard in the tower was asleep, but the giant octopus climbed up the church tower and rang the bell, alerting the sleeping residents.
The festival, where you can eat octopus cooked in all manner of ways, usually takes place on the second Sunday of August. That seems an odd way to celebrate octopus. Maybe they should free captured octopus and send them back to the sea, but I’m sure it is a fun event. It was cancelled this year, another casualty of this wretched virus that is ruining so many things.