Hiking in Porto Venere
Strolling around in the few, but cute alleys. Commercial as well as residential. It seems to be very few people living here permanently, and many that rent apartments to domestic tourists. As well as people owning apartments as a vacationing home.
You can also look for red & white marks that will lead you to a real trail 😊. There is one starting right at the main plaza.
Swimming in Porto Venere
There is no real beach at the center of Porto Venere. This doesn’t prevent anyone from enjoying swimming and sunbathing. The large waterfront rocks are filled with oil drenched visitors. The rocks are located in-between the port and the stairs leading up to the fort overlooking the beautiful open sea. Since I’m terrified of weed and sea monsters, no swimming from the rocks for me. But I’m quite envious of the ones without this phobia while I lay down to reinstall some freckles after a long winter in Sweden.
If you, like me prefer a real beach there is a pebble version ca 1 kilometre away. It’s a cosy walk by the waterfront. This walk is nice regardless if you want to swim by a beach or not.
Churces & Co in Porto Venere
At the furthest point of Porto Venere one will find picturesque rock walls, ruins, a fortress like construction and a church. All become extra ordinary beautiful at the sun setting over the ocean. For people having their wedding photos shot here… thank you photoshop 😊.
I used to like churches when travelling in my youth. Calm and often a bit cooling. Today I avoid churches due to all the sad, but active sexism, homophobia and pedophilia in organised religion. I still visit burial sites though. We all die, regardless of what ones faith and values. I find many other countries burial sites to be a lot more exotic than the ones we have at home in Sweden. This due to the frequent images of the lost family member on display by the head stone or urn. Very touching.
The burial site in Porto Venere has the most beautiful location of all the interesting and in other ways beautiful sites. It’s on top of a cliff, overlooking the sparkling open sea. Difficult to beat that as ones last physical place of rest. I highly recommend a visit.
Personally I don’t want to be reborn, or have a physical grave. But IF i would have liked to have a spot this one would definitely have qualified. You’ll find it if you start at the fortress and walk along the ocean on your left side.
Eat & Drink in Porto Venere
Hot weather makes me picky. I have a hard time eating anything at all. But since my days here are so physically active I fall deep into the Aperitivo pit while getting my Coke and Aperitivo spritz in the afternoon. Meaning I have low apetit, but I’m subconsciously hungry and therefore eat all the nuts, all the chips, all the parmesan, all the pizza bites and possibly even the… sausage.
Again, I loose my apetit and the few real meals apart from my healthy breakfast (yoghurt & fruit) are not that tasty. Very touristy menus. So I guess it’s a classic case of It’s not you, it’s me…
It’s only three days of my life, and I really enjoy the late afternoon with my drinks and all the carbs, fat and salt =aperitivo while watching the activity around me.
Daytrip to La Spezia
To much of the pretty and picturesque and a break is necessary. A change of environment and all the pretty is pretty again. I cheat and buy the inexpensive bus ticket for me and Sally the bike. My Italian Guide Davide had dismissed La Spezia, but low expectations sometimes does miracles.
I agree with Davide, La Spezia isn’t that pretty or even exciting. I still appreciate seeing everyday life where I’m at.
Sense of Directions….
Mine has a lot to wish for.
Since my premiere effort bicycling from La Spezia to Porto Venere was fueled by pure stubbornness. A LOT of up- and downhills, and not once did I get off the bicycle. It boosted my bicycling ego even further and I decided to do it again on my way back from La Spezia.
However… It seemed it took way to long to reach any of the downhills I had experienced on my first try. So I decided to look more carefully at the GPS, who told me I had been going 7 km uphill, but in the wrong direction. Angrily laughing at myself…
Pay attention to that all the roads in the area pretty much looks the same if you’re not familiar with the area.
