Getting to Porto Venere
I took the train from Levanto to La Spezia. La Spezia being a non-recommendation according to my Davide whom I met in Milan. I do agree with him. There are inexpensive buses to Porto Venere. One can also take a boat or taxi. Of course I wanted to try bicycling the distance. It was quite an exhausting stretch with looooong uphills and +30°C. But I kind of triggered by some challenges, as well as a tear free secret crying from other😂.
So off I went. I kind of knew that if I’d get off the bicycle to walk a few steps, I’d break the magic stubborn spell and not being able to get on the bike again. So none of that, until my last down hill when I had to get off to enjoy the view. I’m so proud of my 14 km determination😊.
Hiking & Chilling in Porto Venere
Another pretty touristy destination, but one that attracts lots of Italians. By now I kind of lost track of my days from travelling, and didn’t really know if it was weekend or a regular day of the week. Porto Venere id almost empty when I arrive there, and in the weekend… boom. Full of people, and when they leave again many of the bars and restaurants close down again. Market economy 😊. I was here in the end of June, but I guess by july the place will be bursting of people 7 days a week.
Empty or not, the place is very cosy. If you like a beach, you’ll have to walk a kilometre along the water back towards La Spezia and you’ll find a pebble version. And that beach is also 100% open to the public. Another plus is that it works even for me, who’s terribly scared of weed and sea monsters. I guess the high temperatures does the miracle 😇.
If you don’t like to walk to the beach, and dont suffer from the same kind of phobia I have, you can swim from large rocks in PV. You just have to walk towards the open sea, and pass by the larger boat harbour and all the restaurants, and you’ll find it on your left hand side. The rocks are flat and works excellent for working on your tan lines as well.
There is plenty of possibilities to do some hiking straight out of Porto Venere. I might be a hiker after all 😊. One of the trails starts at the main plaza. And there are others that start along the main road to PV.
Aperol spritz & Aperitivo
Afternoon hangout with an Apersol Spritz and the Italian aperitivos while people watching is so relaxing. Especially after a hot and active day. But… if you’re planning on having dinner… it’ll be a late one if you indulge (yes, indulge) in the Italian generosity. Eventually I had to start saying Thanks, but no thanks to all the tasty things being served with my spritz, or I wouldn’t really eat any real meals.
Nights in Porto Venere
From sunset to the dark nights are so very beautiful. My hostel overlooks the main plaza as well as the harbour, and it’s just magic with all the lights. Porto Venere has a very varying topography. From stairs, and alleys to the hiking trails. It suits my ants in my pants kind’a personality. I love wandering around “town” at night.
