Located at the border between Liguria, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, the little town has a medieval core enmeshed in the hills of the hinterland of La Spezia, that make it the natural pendant of Lerici and Portovenere.

Obviously as beautiful as only a medieval village can be, Sarzana shines in August with its traditional antique exhibition called “The street attic”, this year on stage from 8th to 23rd August. Walking around in the old streets you can find any kind of object, for collectors and fans (even Gianni Versace loved the market of antique), ranging from vintage furnishing to lithography, from unobtainable books to jewellery.

Besides the main square, where a plate reminds that the village was governed by Guido Cavalcanti, master of the dolce stil novo, and that Dante Alighieri took refuge here from his exile, there is a set of little streets leading to the most representative places of Sarzana, among art galleries dedicated to contemporary art, as the Cardelli & Fontana Gallery, antique shops and tea rooms.

The most evocative is the Patisserie Gemmi, founded in the Napoleonic age and wonderful venue where to taste old home made recipes under a vault full of frescoes, wooden furnishing and big mirrors. In the summer you can enjoy the overarching Il Loggiato, fantastic terrace obtained from the rooms of an old convent of the Sixteenth Century. Here are held tasting and cultural events, excellent tea and cannoli, but also art exhibitions, book exhibitions, debates, a literary award and concerts, enjoying from above he view of the village alive with tourists.

Going on through the “Attic” you reach the Cathedral of Sarzana, famous for preserving in the left apse chapel the most ancient Italian painted cross, the Crucifix of Maestro Guglielmo (1138), and a terracotta of the school of Luca Della Robbia.
A curiosity: on the left side of the façade rose window a careful eye can notice a sward that, according to the legend, is the proof of a battle between armed men to forbid the wedding of a lady.

But love and art taste are part of the genius loci that, after 30 years of tradition, the Associazione Antiquari Sarzanesi, with the contribution of Regione Liguria and of Banca di Credito Cooperativo has selected 50 exhibitors for the 30th Edition of National Antique Exhibition. As for the Attic, the exhibition as well will take place from 8th to 23rd August, from 6pm to 12am, to fully enjoy the atmosphere of the village.

Higjlight of a day in Sarzana is the Fortress of Sarzanello. Built in 1249 thanks to the help of the allied Maritime republic of Pisa, many changes have been made around 80 years later by Castruccio Castracani to be afterwards destroyed and then reconstructed by Lorenzo de’ Medici with the help of the best military architects of Florence, like Giuliano da Sangallo. It is open only on special occasions, like the Festival of the Mind in September, the First European festival dedicated to creativity.

www.sarzanaantiquariato.it
www.festivaldellamente.it

Italian version