When summer is officially in full swing, there is no better place to spend it than soaking in the sea. We often head to Liguria to do just that.
Santa Margherita/Portofino – We stayed in a great hotel, Lido Palace just across the street from the sea and the view was amazing. We had a huge balcony on the third floor that really allowed us to enjoy the view. We enjoyed our apertivo out on the balcony in the sun. Cash loved it too as he loves to sun bathe. There was a nice selection at the breakfast buffet that was included. There is an American bar in the hotel too, which was nice to relax and have a drink outside. My only complaints about the hotel is that there was no fitness center as the website suggested and the internet stunk but otherwise the hotel was great.
The town was lovely. There is a great boardwalk to stroll from beach to beach, run or walk the dog. The views all along the sea are breathtaking. The water is so clear you can see to the bottom even when deep. The area is in Liguria in a bay so there are no waves or swells so it is perfect to float and relax. There are small shops all around that sell floaties for the kids and adults. We didn’t do much else but soak but you can catch a ferry to head to Portofino. I highly recommend seeing Portofino but parking is VERY difficult so best to come by boat or foot if you can. We walked there in about 45 minutes and it was a beuatiful walk. The town is easy to get around by foot. Everything is close and easy and fun to explore.
As you may have guessed, the food in Santa Margherita is based in fish and seafood. The food is fresh and delicious. We had mussels, seafood pasta, caprese, octopus salad…all delicious! Pesto is also a local favorite as Genoa is nearby. Don’t forget the focaccia too, fresh and in various flavors.
Bonassola – It is just two train stops from Montarosso in the Cinque Terre. It is a tiny little town but it was the perfect summer getaway.
We stayed in an adorable little apartment from Airbnb. It had air conditioning (very needed in mid August) and a small kitchen so we could have dinner at home when we were feeling too lazy to venture out. There is really no bad area to be in Bonassola. The town is so small that you can walk or bike everywhere. The train station is very central too so it is easy and inexpensive to visit the neighboring towns like Levanto or any of the Cinque Terre stops.
Everyday we would swim/soak in the sea at least once for an hour or two a few times a day and we would explore the area in between. The sea is so clear, refreshing and calm. We brought masks so we could snorkel near the rocks and noodles so we could go out past the crowds in the water. We didn’t rent a chair or umbrella as we spent all our time in the water but if you like to lay out there are plenty of chairs if you get to the beach early.
Walking Cash in Bonassola was great. There are plenty of places to explore and paths to follow. And, being that it is Italy, dogs are welcome everywhere. The main street was busy but it wasn’t hard to find a quiet walk especially in the mornings. We particularly loved the walk out to Madonnina della Punta. It is a sacred place so Cash didn’t go all the way to the point but the views are amazing the entire walk. Even in the heat, it was well worth the walk.
One of the coolest and most unique parts of Bonassola is that they have converted the old train tunnels into bike/pedestrian paths. There is about 5km of paths from Levanto to Framura. We rented bikes in Levanto at Cicli Raso and rode all afternoon stopping for pictures and a few quick swims along the way. It is really a beautiful and fun ride. This was by far Dylan’s favorite part of the trip.
One of the other highlights was a train trip to Montarosso, one of the Cinque Terre areas. We had a great lunch at Cantina di Miky. We had great mussels and salmon salad. Really fresh and delicious.
Other recommends:
Caffe delle Rose – a must try for gelato treats and for adults a sorbetto al limone con vodka. It is like a vodka lemon slushie and it’s delicious.
Grocery store – There are two in town. They are directly across the street from one another. One is crazy crowded and closed from 1-4pm. It is tiny but reasonably priced. The other is always open and never crowded because it is hugely overpriced. So you have to either plan ahead or pay more…
Le Megavoglie di Gavazzo – get your fresh pasta and sauce here to heat it up at home. Delicious!
Lungomare – great food. Make a reservation for dinner.
Pippilan – This place is right on the sea and has solid sandwiches, hamburgers and salads for a quick bite between swims.
Focaccia – There is no bad focaccia here. Go anywhere you want but eat it right away as it is best fresh.
