The first trip of the season is to the Italian Riviera. I've had my nose in the DK Eyewitness travel guide book for the whole of the Easter holidays. So far my top 5 things I'm looking forward to are:
1. Watching dolphins, sperm whales and marine turtles off the coast of Cinque Terra
2. Soaking up taggiasca oil with chunks of crusty foccacia, preferably at a rickety table under the shade of an olive tree.
3. Opening the window of the my bedroom in the Grande Albergo in the evening and taking in a lung full of fresh salty Sestri Levante air
4. Striding the Via dell'Amore ("Path of Love") along the top of the cliffs linking Manarola and Riomaggiore. This is where the book has said we'll find some of the best seafood restaurants in the area. Getting closer and being able to smell local dishes like cuippin, a pureed soup made from fish, shellfish, tomatoes, parsley, wine and garlic, or gently braised dried salt cod, baccala, a Ligurian passion dating back to the Viking traders according to my guide book. ~(did I cheat was that more than one? sorry got a bit carried away - I think this blog might end up a little food heavy)
5. Listening to the halyards of pretty boats clinking and chattering in the harbour of Portofino.
Call me a romantic!
logistical planning starts in ernest this weekend!
