In Loano, the taste of tradition also passes through the markets
Every Friday morning, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the downtown streets - Manzoni Street, Caselle Street and Valerga Square - come alive with the weekly market, full of colors, scents and opportunities.
From Monday to Saturday, again from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., St. Francis Square instead holds the fruit and vegetable market, where local farmers offer their produce.
And for those who wish to bring the freshest fish from our sea to the table, there is the fish market at Loano Marina: every morning, on the dedicated quay, fishermen sell directly the fruits of their night's labor. Anchovies, sardines, mullet, squid, gilthead sea bream, sea bass: an unmissable event for those who love good food and want to meet people who every day, with passion, carry on a traditional activity rooted in the Loano coastline.
For those seeking food and wine products from the area, a must-see is the Shrine of Mount Carmel: manual labor has always been part of the monastic tradition, and from this legacy came theMonte Carmelo Farm.
In keeping with Ligurian custom, vines, olives, citrus fruits and vegetables are grown here alongside beekeeping. The vineyard, laid out on the characteristic Ligurian strips, enjoys ideal sun exposure for the production of the Vermentino DOC Riviera Ligure di Ponente, dry, fragrant white wine, perfect in combination with seafood dishes.
No less valuable is thetaggiasca extra virgin olive oil, the result of manual harvesting and cold pressing within 24 hours, which preserves its fragrance and purity.
The fruits and vegetables are grown using organic and environmentally friendly methods, without the use of chemicals, and processed by hand in jams, marmalades and syrups that respect ancient convent recipes. All these specialties can be discovered and purchased at the Orti del Carmelo store, adjacent to the church.
