Cinque Terre

Finally…….some swimming in the sea!

After being deprived of smelling the sea air, seeing sea gulls, and having that salt caked feeling on our skin, we got to go swimming in the Med! We were lucky enough to spend a week in the Italian Riviera with Simon and Andrea from NZ.





We flew into Genoa and then caught a train down to Levanto to do the Cinque Terre trail. This is a series of 5 small fishing villages set amongst a UNESCO World Heritage site on the north western coast of Italy. There are well trodden paths cut into the coast leading between the villages and the scenery was amazing as the trails run quite high above the villages.





It was a warm 35 degrees for most of the week meaning we had to break out the shorts and bikini tops (or just shirts off for the blokes) for most of the week. We feel quite spoiled with our lovely golden sandy beaches at home, and can’t quite understand the attraction to sunbathing on the rocks or concrete boat ramps! I guess that what happens when the beaches are all pebbles.





We did a whole lot of walking but the views and charm of each of the villages made it all worth it. We also did a day trip to Portofino –there was an impressive bunch of super yachts anchored in the bay and the only shopping you could do there was at stores such as Gucci, Prada, Hermes or Louis Vuitton! You could also pay NZD$18 for a coke, so needless to say we stuck to the water and a standard pizza.



On our last day we did the biggest walk of all from a little hill top town called Campiglia down to a larger town called Portovenerre. This was a very rocky and less trodden path that was slightly more of a bush walk than a coastal walk. It was pretty hot and tough going, but Simon still managed to truck through with his jandals carrying everything he and Andrea needed for the day in a plastic supermarket bag (we will never cease to be amazed!!). We were rewarded with a dip in the sea off some rocks in a great wee picturesque cove.



We are pretty much pizza, pasta and gelatied out now, and are almost on the homeward journey. Our shipping boxes have arrived (and been packed!) and we have just under 2 weeks left in the UK before we start our 5 week trip home. Watch this space for more news and pics shortly and we will see you soon!