The beautiful garden of “Villa Durazzo” overlooking the sea, is the charming scenery of “Erba Persa”, an exhibition that takes place in Santa Margherita Ligure during Eastern Time. The name of the exhibition comes from the popular name of marjoram, the aromatic herb widely used in the Ligurian cuisine, that is commonly indicated in the Ligurian dialect “persa”( that means coming from Persia, Oriental, even if the real origin of this herb is South Africa). “Erba Persa” exhibition is dedicated to flowers, aromatic herbs and their derivatives. Old roses for collection, succulent plants, bulbs, bonsais, citrus trees, extra virgin olive oil, honey and cosmetics, soaps and natural essence, artistic works, small women hats, perfumes and aromatic herbs, so precious in the Ligurian cuisine.

The appointment with the traditional “Sagra del Pesce” is in Camogli, every second Sunday of May, on the occasion of the feast dedicated to San Fortunato. More than 30 quintals of fish are fried and handed out for nothing to celebrate the patron Saint. The “Sagra del Pesce” of Camogli is famous for its huge frying pan (the one used at present weights 26 quintals. Its handle weights 3 quintals and its diameter is of 3,80 meters). The “Sagra del Pesce” started on 1952 thanks to the idea of a group of fishermen that decided to fry the fish and to distribute it to celebrate the patron Saint. The success was so great that they had to fry fish all the day long. The following year they organized the “Sagra” again. Lorenzo Viacava, named “O Napoli”, famous fisherman of Camogli, decided to built the huge frying pan, that immediately became the main attraction of the “Sagra”. The event was reported by the New York Herald Tribune and stirred up the interest of eminent personalities such as King Baldwin of Belgium, up to the point of gaining a TV Eurovision on 1955. The “Sagra del Pesce” is also an important promotional occasion for the small town of Camogli, attracting every year more than 100.000 persons and distributing 30.000 portions of fresh fried fish. A great number of collateral initiatives take place during the days preceding the “Sagra del Pesce”, such as the “Camogli Prize”, that every year is awarded to those citizens of Camogli that has increased the value of the name of their town in Italy and abroad or the contest “Un manifesto per la Sagra del Pesce”, the traditional bonfire, or the spectacular Fireworks on the beach.

Leivi is considered one of the most important centers for oil production and it is known in the Ligurian Riviera as “olive oil village”, strongly devoted to promote extra virgin olive oil production. Since the end of XVIII century Leivi has been famous in the area for the quality of its olive oil. In 1924 Giacomo Oneto’s oil won the prize in a District Exhibition which took place in Chiavari. In 1930 Tommaso Croce, from San Bartolomeo di Leivi, ranked at the second place at the first National Olive Oil Exhibition in Spoleto. During that period Leivi had 86 operant oil-mills, second only to Chiavari with its 113. Since 2007 Leivi is deservedly included in the 250 Italian “Città dell’Olio”.
The “Leivi Prize” for the best extra virgin olive oil in the provinces of Genoa and La Spezia, conceived in 1995, is now the most important oil contest in the Liguria Region which in 1997 obtained the so called “DOP Riviera Ligure”, a prestigious certification for its extra virgin olive oils. (DOP Riviera Ligure is divided into three lower areas: Riviera dei Fiori - in the province of Imperia, Riviera del Ponente Savonese - in the province of Savona, Riviera di Levante - in the provinces of Genoa and La Spezia). The prize giving takes place every year in the last Sunday of July during the “Festa dell’Olio”. This is a good occasion to taste and buy local extra virgin olive oil, to enjoy traditional gastronomy dishes during some evenings devoted to the pleasure of good eating and fun.

Riva Trigoso, in the neighbourhood of Sestri Levante, is a pleasant village with a large beach, located in a small gulf between Punta Manara and Punta Baffe, close to Moneglia. The village is divided into two parts by the river Petronio. It is a typical fishermen village and a place of the big shipyards. For over than 40 years, during the third weekend of July, Riva Trigoso organizes an unmissable event for traditional seafood kitchen lovers. The “Sagra del Bagnun” is a rite, a great moment of feast lasting three days and culminating with a free distribution of thousands of “Bagnun” dishes, the typical anchovies soup. The origin of this “sagra”, dating back to 1960, is due to Edoardo Bo, in cooperation with the local Red Cross section, some fishermen, former ship-cooks and shipyard workers. Since then the success of the “Sagra del Bagnun” has been always great, and this event earned an international renown.

Renown of Recco as gastronomic capital of the Riviera has far-back gone beyond the national frontiers, thanks to its local extraordinary specialty: the “Focaccia col formaggio”. This product has obtained, in 1997, the seal of protection “Autentica Focaccia col Formaggio di Recco”. Since 1976, Recco offers the best of its gastronomy on the occasion of the renowned “Serate Gastronomiche Recchesi”, organized by the “Consortium Recco Gastronomica”. This seasonal event has the merit of rediscovering Ligurian traditional recipes offering them to the public with an “all included” tasting menu formula. Thanks to the great success of this event Recco has become the Ligurian Capital of Gastronomy.

During the second weekend of October the historical centre of Lavagna is the scenery for the exhibition “Pesto e Dintorni”, dedicated to the pre-eminently Ligurian sauce : the Pesto Sauce. The aim of this event is to set off “pesto”, Ligurian olive oil and Genoese basil (from which the appellation “pesto”) along with other typical local products (from which the appellation “dintorni” = surroundings). More than 100 exhibitors present the best of food and fishing of Liguria Region. “Pesto e Dintorni” offers a rich calendar of side events during which gastronomy fans will try to prepare Pesto, or attend to traditional gourmet conferences.
The exhibition “Pesto e Dintorni” is promoted by Liguria Region, Ligurian UNIONCAMERE, Province of Genoa, Chamber of Commerce of Genoa and Municipality of Lavagna in cooperation with Professional Organizations in the field such as C.I.A., Coldiretti and Confagricoltura.