Velvet and the seaside promenade
Between Rapallo and Chiavari, in the Gulf of Tigullio, Zoagli is a small seaside village with colourful houses at the mouth of a narrow valley, overlooking the sea, crossed by the railway on a high viaduct. Its fame is linked to an ancient and precious craft: the weaving of silk velvet. Since the Middle Ages and especially in the Renaissance, the weavers of Zoagli worked on hand looms in their homes, producing velvets and damasks of extraordinary quality, smooth or with relief designs, for the noble families of Genoa, the courts of Europe and the churches, so much so that "velluto di Zoagli" was known everywhere.
Still today, a few family workshops continue this tradition, using historic wooden hand looms, some of which are over a century old, with ancient techniques and slow, meticulous work: a skilled weaver can produce only a few tens of centimetres of velvet a day. Some workshops, such as the historic Seterie of the village, can be visited to see the looms in action and buy silk ties, scarves, fabrics and cushions. Zoagli is also loved for its seaside promenade, a path carved into the rock above the sea that runs along the cliffs, linking the small beaches and coves of the village, with panoramic views of the Tigullio, from Portofino to Sestri Levante. Small pebble beaches and rocks between the cliffs offer quiet places for swimming. In the surroundings, paths climb towards the hamlets and the sanctuaries of the hills.
Tip: visit a silk workshop to see the looms in action; walk the seaside promenade at sunset.
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