Piazza Dante

Geometrically circular, the square is a kind of focal point of Oneglia between the streets that, in particular via Bonfante, line the shops for shopping. The Puttini holding frolicking dolphins surround and enliven the fountain in the square, while the porticoes invite you to take a seat at the Piccardo Café, listed among the Historic Places of Italy and run by the owners for over a century. Murano glass lamps, a green marble counter and Art Nouveau décor have over time been witness to thousands of large and small business meetings, who knows how many in the olive oil trade, and conversations attended by the likes of Luciano Berio, Italo Calvino, and Sandro Pertini from Savona. The main attraction of the place is the stroscia, a crumbly cake made with flour, olive oil, sugar, a twist of lemon and vermouth or Marsala: it comes from Pietrabruna in its immediate hinterland but has been adopted by the people of Imperia, just as the chocolate-covered 'pinguini' have probably been adopted from Piedmont.

The porticoes of the square continue along Via Bonfante. The second pedestrianised side street, Via S. Giovanni, takes its name from the St John the Baptist Basilica, the city centre's highest religious element.