Cinque Terre - Portovenere

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Vicki's health has only marginally improved so we are not walking but catching the ferry to Portovenere. Our first stumbling block is that the ferry today has been cancelled so off to the tourist information centre for advice. Plan B - the train to La Spezia and then catch the ferry from there. A quick train ride and then more advice from a tourist information centre as to how to get to the ferry. Made it in time, bought our tickets and then we set sail for Portovenere. We have been very impressed with the competent and helpful staff at the Tourist information centres in Italy.

After a relaxing ferry ride we arrived at Portovenere. Before checking in we walked around to the castle on the point and a small bay known as Grotta Di Arpaga. There is a dedication to Lord Byron who is said to have swum from here to San Terenzi where he was hosted by his friend Percy Shelley. Shelley himself later drowned while out sailing shortly afterwards.

The village is dominated by a castle overlooking the port and there are many shops in the narrow streets below including a gelateria which provided lunch one day.

Our hotel overlooked the marina and had a great view. We are here for 2 nights so Vicki will be spending the day in our room resting . We ate dinner in our hotel each night entertained by the waiter who really enjoyed his job.

Our Cinque Terre holiday ended with with a ride to La Spezia train station and then off to Pisa and Gatwick.

Enjoyable. Would have been great to be healthy though✈️

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