Levanto

by Ian C.
http://www.stop.at/cinqueterre

A lot of people have heard about the Cinque Terre, although few people I spoke to before I went there had any idea where "Liguria" was, or even Levanto, so I went with an open mind.

Levanto is the natural place to stay to experience all the beauty of the whole area because it is so easy to get around from there.

And Levanto itself is a really lovely town, with stretches of city wall and a medieval church and bell tower.

One of the remarkable achievement of the people who live there is that despite the high numbers of visitors it has not turned into Disneyland.

I admit we were there in April, well before the tourist season kicks in, but there is a softness and tranquillity to the place that immediately makes you slip into low gear.

What's the rush? You don't need to be a super fit mountain climber either to enjoy the walks along the seashore between the famous villages.

You can take as long as you want, and some of the paths are actually paved. Each of the 5 villages is different, but they all share a breathtaking location and outlook over the Mediterranean.

Your camera batteries will give up if you photograph everything you want to remember

So, what is there to do? This is Italy, so the food is delicious, the wine is superb and the people are wonderful. It helps if you speak a little Italian, but it's not essential.

There are great street markets in Levanto and other villages for bargain shopping and of course there are bars and restaurants everywhere.

It is not possible to get a bad coffee in Italy.

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