Cinque Terre - Day 1

We were up at 4:00am and out of the house by 4:30, heading to Heathrow in the dark. Thankfully, the car drop-off was smooth and security was no hassle at all. As usual, we managed to grab some breakfast before the flight—something comforting about that little ritual.

There was a slight delay taking off, but the pilot made up the time in the air and we landed pretty much on schedule. Tash had done her homework on how to get from the airport, which made things a lot easier. We took the Metro to Pisa train station, then managed to get tickets for the train to La Spezia. There was a moment of mild panic when our first train option was fully booked, but we sorted it in the end.

While waiting, we tucked into pizza and beer in a local place overlooking the road and traffic - and of course, posted about it on Facebook! The train journey to La Spezia was just over an hour. We were both so tired that we ended up dozing rather than admiring the Italian countryside, but the rest was much needed.

At La Spezia, we got our bus tickets to Porto Venere. There was a bit of confusion about which stop we needed, but it all worked out. Porto Venere itself was absolutely beautiful. We found our accommodation easily enough, and our host Fabio—a lovely old man—was very welcoming. We saw him a few times wandering about the village, always with a smile.

After getting ourselves sorted, we headed out for a wander. The village was bustling with tourists at first, but then the coaches left and it felt like the place emptied in minutes. We explored the winding paths and found the little church perched on the cliffs, with stunning views over the sea—just breath-taking.

Back in town, we stopped at a local bar for a couple of beers, soaking up the relaxed atmosphere. Then we found the restaurant that Fabio had recommended. It was completely empty when we arrived, and still empty when we left—but the food was excellent. Stuffed mussels to start, which were really good, followed by tuna that was even better. A lovely bottle of wine completed the meal, and we were both really happy with our choice.

We finished the evening with a few more drinks at another bar before heading to bed. It’s been a great first day—so good to be here, and even nicer to be just the two of us. We really do enjoy our own company.