A Mediterranean Excursion

 Today was certainly a treat as we took a bus to La Spezia, a port city on the Mediterranean Sea, then boarded a ferry to explore the coastal areas of Cinque terre.

The experience was amazing.  The boat ride was quite smooth and to be quite honest, it was like viewing a series of postcards as we made our way along the Mediterranean Coast. 

From leaving the port

to passing by villages on the way

it seemed as if there was a unique vista each step of the way.

At this point, we headed around the tip of the peninsula and began making our way north.

We disembarked in Venazza, where we had less than two hours to explore the village

and find something delectable to eat, which was not the least bit difficult to achieve!  We decided to try the local specialty of Pesto Focaccia.  It was amazing!  

Then, we boarded a second ferry and traveled a short distance 

before disembarking in Monterosso.  

Once again, we had two hours to explore the town.   Our travels found us popping into a beautiful church nestled among the narrow streets, 

and we settled in a small alcove to enjoy a spritz (this time Lemon) and a caprese salad. (no worries....I shared.)

And the best part of the visit was the awesome gelato! 

All refreshed, we headed to our meeting place to begin the trek to the train station. 

As you can see, the weather was pristine, and there were plenty of sunbathers enjoying those rays and warm temperatures!

We boarded the high speed train which led us back to La Spezia.  But we needed to walk close to a mile to get to the bus, and I do have to admit that I found it quite stressful on the knee trying to keep up with the fast pace of our tour guide, Christina.  When we finally made it to the bus, I collapsed in a seat, and breathed a sigh of relief. 

On the way back to Montecatini Terme, Joanna pointed out the marble quarries on the hill.  What you think looks like snow is actually white marble.  How cool is that? 

The drive back seemed so very long after the full day that we had experienced, but we finally made it back to our hotel where we had a few minutes to relax before heading back out again. We decided to join three of our newfound friends, all of whom were eager to visit Montecatini Alto via the Funicolar. 

So, we made the trek to the top where we once again enjoyed great company, outside in the beautiful piazza. 

And the ride down certainly did not disappoint!

Thanks for following along! 

Until next time...