Excursions
Walks and Paths and Parks... Wonderful paths leading to the Regional Natural Park of Portovenere and the National Park of Cinque Terre (UNESCO World Heritage Site) can be reached on foot via a panoramic path starting directly from our hotel. A wide range of walks are available for all levels – from the easy “Via dell’Amore” between Riomaggiore and Manarola to more difficult walks like the one between Corniglia and Vernazza or longer, more tiring walks lasting several hours. Even Montemarcello and the Apuan Alps (belonging respectively to the Regional Park of Magra-Montemarcello and the Tuscany Regional Park of Apuan Alps), which can be seen from the balconies of our rooms, offer wonderful excursions along mountain paths, abseiling and rock climbing. Links: www.parconazionale5terre.it www.parcomagra.it www.parcapuane.toscana.it   For those who love natural landscapes of exceptional beauty... Nearby Portovenere, a small former fishing village, still unspoiled by mass tourism, offers boat trips to various beauty spots like the Cinque Terre (World Heritage site), Portofino (exclusive holiday destination), Lerici (another beautiful coastal village on the other side of the Gulf) and the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Capraia. www.navigazionegolfodeipoeti.it www.barcaioliportovenere.com The Marble Quarries of Carrara, where the famous white marble is extracted, can be visited with a guide and visitors can see for themselves this century-old tradition. For those who love clear blue seas, the islands of Palmaria and Tino, opposite Portovenere, are the perfect place for swimming and for peaceful walks in beautiful landscape. In Cadimare, a stone’s throw away from us, scuba diving lessons are available for all levels. The Acquario di Genova, one of the biggest aquariums in Europe, offers visitors the chance to see tropical fish and sharks in a natural environment. Organic and Traditional Products and Cuisine… The surrounding areas offer typical dishes from the Lunigiana area, fish dishes in the sea villages of the Cinque Terre, Lerici and Portovenere, all accompanied by high-quality wines like the rare Sciacchetrà (a sweet wine of the Cinque Terre). Val di Vara, in the hillside of the inland area, is renowned for its organic and healthy produce with some beautiful landscapes which are a reminder of its historical past, like the circular village of Varese Ligure. The Origins of Man… Luni, an ancient Roman settlement, allows us to get a glimpse of the past in this area. The Stele Statues of Lunigiana, housed in the Museo Civico of La Spezia, testify the existence of civilisation here even before Roman times. Tourists can also visit the Naval Museum in the Military Arsenal of La Spezia and numerous other museums which the town houses. Links: www.castagna.it/musei/mal www.castagna.it/musei/sangiorgio/Home.htm www.castagna.it/musei/museodelsigillo  www.comune.sp.it/citta/guida/palarti.htm www.comune.sp.it/citta/camec/camec.html www.comune.sp.it/citta/guida/podenzana.htm www.museotecniconavale.it www.museonazionaletrasporti.it In the Castle of Lerici you will find the Geopaleontologic Museum, www.castellodilerici.it. On the Isle Palmaria, in front of Portovenere, you can visit the “Centro di Cultura della Civiltà del Mare” (Cultural Centre for Sea Civilisation), www.fondazionemarenostrum.it. Furthermore, historic cities like Genova, Pisa, Lucca and Florence are all easily accessible.