Camogli, Italy; Sagra del Pesce, Charter Itinerary Ligurian Coast
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Chartering is not only about enjoying being on the water, with great food and a great crew; it is also about enjoying the area in which your charter takes place. At Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters, we like to include in our suggested charter itinerary information, the extra special local activities an area offers, like the annual Sagra del Pesce (Feast of Fish) in Camogli, Italy
Camogli Fishing Boats
I really enjoyed the Sagra del Pesce in Camogli, Italy, which takes place the second weekend in May every year. Camogli is a very attractive fishing village, just on the northern end of the Cinqueterre, on the Ligurian Coast of Italy. If thinking about a charter in May along the Liqurian Coast, the Sagra del Pesce is not to be missed.
Celebrating the Feast Day of San Fortunato the Patron Saint of all fishermen, which is the second Sunday in May, this celebration is now a weekend long Festival, culminating in a huge fish fry organized by the fishermen of Camogli on Sunday, the Feast Day, with fresh fried fish passed out to everyone attending.
The whole town turns out and organizes for the Festival, including decorations, music, and little hand carts selling food and souvenirs. The buildings are strung with some of the oldest strings of colored lights that I have ever seen. On Saturday there is a procession and the day ends with a fireworks display right overhead illuminating the Basilica and Castle. Meanwhile on the beach, large effigies have been created out of Paper Mache around a yearly determined theme, and I mean large, requiring ladders to complete. After the fireworks display, the Paper Mache effigies are all lit on fire to the sound of great cheering, and the huge bonfires light up the beachfront.
On Sunday, the festivities center around a huge skillet set up over the harbor. Almost as famous as the Feast itself, is the frying pan in which the fish are cooked. This frying pan is 5 meters across with a 7 meter handle and is filled with 3000 liters of oil to cook 4000 kilograms of blue fish. First is the blessing of the harbor, fishermen, frying pan and fish for the Feast Day of San Fortunato. Then under the auspices of the Camogli fishermen, the fish is dipped in flour and fried with long tongs and paddles. The local children gather around the frying pan and it is their job to pass the fresh fried fish out to everyone gathered in the piazza.
The Sagra del Pesce must certainly be the largest fish fry in the world, and while the Guinness Book of World Records should be checked, may include the use of the largest frying pan in the world.
Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters supplies a full suggested itinerary for this location, as well as, itineraries for other locations of Italy, and as we are very knowledgeable about the cruising locations, we also like to supply this type of additional location information to add a special highlight to your charter experience.
Labels: boat, charter, chartering, sailing, Western Mediterranean - Italy, yacht
