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Celle Ligure
The "caruggi" on the waterfront
Here, the colourful façades of the tall buildings which look out over the narrow "caruggi" or alleyways go to make it one of Liguria's most charming and best-kept seaside villages.
Double rows of centuries-old houses, painted in bright, brilliant colours - enabling the fishermen of old to distinguish their homes from the sea - a long, winding passageway, close to traffic and animated by a thousand-and-one tiny shops, by the hubbub of passers-by.
A long sandy beach lined with multicoloured bathing huts and sunshades stretches off to the east.
But there is more to it than the beaches and "caruggi": the bay of Celle is dominated by the densely-packed cluster pines of the "Pineta Bottini" and of the "Pineta della Natta", woodland parks which are favourite refuge for many of stifling summer afternoons, there are beautiful views over the village from up here on those crystal clear winter days when the sun sets the slate roofs ablaze and shines over the spotless beaches.

The art of prayer pray
Celle has its very own treasury of sacred art, divided the church of the Consolazione, characterised by its white and grey striped bell tower, and the parish church San Michele Arcangelo, with its 16th century crucifix and polyptych and Liguria's oldest processional cassa, a San Michele dated 1481.
Of great historical importance nonetheless is the house in the village of Pecorile, set on the river Carrea, where Francesco Della Rovere was born in 1414, he was appointed Pope Sixtus IV in 1471 and went on to become one of the greatest patrons of the Renaissance.
The ties between Celle Ligure and its religious customs live on in the bonfires of San Giovanni, which are lit on beaches throughout Liguria on the night of 23th June to celebrate the feast day of St. Jhon the Baptist.

Source: APT Riviera delle Palme - Alassio