Santa - Holiday Highlights 1

Statue on the Pier at Santa Margherita - Sept 2011

I absolutely love this statue we found on the pier at Santa Margherita town, in the region of Liguire, Italy. According to guide books the name of the town is sometimes shortened to Santa by the local people.

There was no English translation available, for the inscription below the statue, but I think she must be St. Margaret of Antiochia, as there is also a Basilica of St. Margaret of Antiochia in the town too. Her worn inscription roughly translates to something about "In your hands is the sacred mission of our salvation the town parish of Santa Margherita" - so I suppose she could also be the Madonna. Possibly more likely given her pose with hands upraised to both receive and to bless the town.

Anyway, whilst that is all very interesting, that's not why I love her. I love how she appears to be throwing up her hands in a joyful gesture, one of surrender....whatever. Now I've read a little bit more maybe it's the air of love and a certain powerfulness that she has. I love the white of her stone against the brilliant blue late September sky.

We stayed for four days in Santa Margherita at the end of their holiday season. We arrived there by accident really, as the town, in fact the whole region, has a history as a tourist resort favoured by the very rich, both English and Italian. This tourist tradition boomed in the Edwardian era, hence the architecture along the sea front which at times vaguely(very) reminded me of an upmarket British seaside resort(with better weather of course and much much prettier). 

S. Margherita Prom - Sept 2011

Santa prom with statue of Columbus - Sept 2011

Paticceria - S.Margherita Sept 2011

Enjoying the clear water and sunshine - S.Margherita Sept 2011

We found it pretty enough and the town does hold a few delights, but for us it was more a base for exploring the beautiful coastline and Portofino Natural Regional Park. In season the frequent ferries can take you for just a few euros as far east as the Poet's Gulf at Portovenere, where Byron was said to have swum across the bay to the amazement of the local fishermen; and on to the Gulf Of Spezia where Shelley lived at the end of his life and where he died when his boat was sunk in a storm. 

Fish Market in Santa Margherita - Sept 2011

Inside the Basilica of St. Margaret of Antiochia

Boats to the east had stopped by the time we arrived looking for cheap and cultural, but ferries run all year to the west from Santa Margherita to Portofino, San Fruittuoso and Camogli. So that's what we did on our first day, sailed off for some sightseeing and walking along the beautiful coast. I can't believe that amazing blue, can you? The sky is pretty blue here in the UK today I'm pleased to say. I feel so blessed to be able to afford(just) to travel maybe once a year and see the world. Please forgive me if my post last week was rather moaning and self-pitying. I do appreciate my life and am blessed and so fortunate in many, many ways.

Tigullio Bay - S.Margherita Sept 2011