Gulf of Poets
On the surface La Spezia seems like a typical port however look beyond the commercial harbour and you will find an elegant and bustling town comprising many liberty style palaces with painted facades and a multitude of shops to keep the keenest of shoppers happy. The town holds a weekly market every Friday housing many food and fashion stalls. Following the harbour road south you will arrive at Lerici, defined "the Pearl of the Gulf". Once a small fishing village and now a popular resort, sitting on the edge of a bay, with the beach overlooked by pastel coloured houses. The castle was built by the Pisans and then passed to the Genovese and apparently carved out of the cliff face. The castle houses the museum of Geopalaeontology created after the discovery of prehistoric remains in the area. The museum also houses the virtual reality section and the earthquake simulation room. Lerici is a town that offers, the natural beauty of its architecture, picturesque bays to historical monuments and tourist services. Today Lerici is alive as an exclusive tourist point retaining many of its historic reminders, so loved by so many famous voices of the poetry and contemporary literature. Regular ferries operate from Lerici to Portovenere and the Cinque Terre ( a option worth considering as parking in La Spezia and Portovenere can be difficult in the summer). From Lerici the surrounding countryside is characterised by green hills and lush vegetation, rocky coves small sandy inlets. Further down the coast you will come across the charming Fiascherino and the village of Tellaro, an ancient and evocative village presumably of Etruscan origin, with its picturesque houses, streets and particularly its harbour that has inspired many painters and poets. These are often missed but well worth a visit. The coast features some excellent seafood restaurants making this an excellent choice for an evenings dining watching the sunset.
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