The spectacle of shooting stars amazes adults and kids and the local tradition of making a wish makes it even more special. For this reason, on the night of 10 August, pack a sweater, if needed, passion and plenty of patience to be ready to spend many hours gazing up at the sky.

But where can you go in Liguria to admire this natural phenomenon in all its splendour?

First of all, artificial light is not good for the stars, so the first tip is to look for poorly lit areas.

This is why the Regional Nature Reserve of Beigua (above Varazze) is one of the ideal places, and they even organise incredible moonlight excursions.

Also, there is the San Romolo Nature Reserve on the western side, close to San Remo at the foot of Monte Bignone. Its stunning meadow covers an area of 5000 square metres where you can lie down and admire the sky.

Only a 20-minute drive away, you can find the beautiful village of Perinaldo, birthplace of Gian Domenico Cassini, a great astronomer who discovered the division of the rings of Saturn, and where there is an important Observatory dedicated to him. While on Mount Langan in Castelvittorio, on the evening of 13 August as well as the 10th, there are stargazing tours on the promenade of Bordighera organised by the Associazione Stellaria.

The coast is in fact full of gorgeous and more secluded beaches where you can see their bright trails, for example, the stretch between Borgio Verezzi and Finale Ligure in the province of Savona or Punta di Marina di Cervo in the province of Imperia.

And for those who want to see this spectacle up close, you can admire it lulled by the waves, thanks to the evening boat trips organised by the Liguria Via Mare Consortium in collaboration with the Astronomical Observatory of Genoa, scheduled for 9, 10 and 16 August from the pier of the Aquarium departing at 21:30.

And if you miss it on the evening of the 10th, do not worry as for this year 2022, most shooting stars will be seen from the 11th August to the 13th of August.  So, keep your eyes open as your magical moment is still possible!

(photo Wassim Chouak)