Taggia: the multi-faceted cultural capital of westernmost Liguria

Taggia

Westernmost Liguria – province of Imperia: welcome in Taggia. Several souls coexist in the territory where the Argentina stream meets the sea. Just upstream, lies the second largest historic centre in Liguria, after Genoa.
Dimensions match exceptional building complexity: houses with walls dating back to the 12th century in the area below the castle (a venue for events), late-medieval and baroque palaces, a monumental central porticoed street, the Pantàn (via Soleri), and city walls - finished 500 years ago - with almost all their original access doors still standing.
Then, a myriad devotional buildings: 4 of them are linked to convents, with valuable art collections, the memory of a small town of European standing; the parish church; the oratories of the still active confraternities, the "Bianchi" and the "Rossi", and a galaxy of other churches and chapels, some of particular charme, such as the “Madonna del Canneto”. Taggia boasts a strategic position. It opens/closes a valley and faces the sea.
Along the coast, the Arma cave. The settlement bearing the same name was abandoned around 700 years ago: it was recovered in the 18th century by fishermen and merchants from Eastern Liguria. Arma further developed as a maritime, industrial and tourist centre.
The plain confirms its long-standing agricultural vocation. It comes as no surprise that the name of the famous Taggiasca olive cultivar means "from Taggia".
 The recent recovery of the most celebrated grape variety in Italian ampelographic history, Moscatello di Taggia, is an extraordinary accomplishment. This niche production is expanding thanks to the commitment of the Producers' Association.
Centuries-old baking traditions keep on: from savoury canestrelli to wild fennel biscutèli, a daily version of the great Easter biscuit prepared by confraternities and a reminder of the flavoured breads of the Middle Ages.

My English abstract of the article as published on LiguriaFood

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