Cruising Liguria,the Italian Riviera.
It was only a short hop from Arenzano to Genoa, and being new to entering busy harboursd, we dutifully followerd the laid down procedures and made the appropriate VHF calls to the port control, but got crickets. We pulled in to Porto Antico which is a little tight for manouvring, but really well sited near the old town. Knowing we had a couple of days here to get the Honda outboard looked at after the flipping mishap in Menton, this was a great opportunity to see the city and taste the fare. The places drips history!
First impressions are not great as it presents dirty and maybe a little seedy, but grows on you after a while. We enjoyed a couple of good meals and the shopping in the first big city in a couple of months getting things you can only procure in the big smoke.
The terrific service from the Honda dealer near the airport marina made up for the rude and unhelpful in the nearby superyacht marina. Despite buying a decent load of fuel we were charged 65 euro to be alongside for 30 minutes to pick up the repaired outboard.
Once out of Genoa we headed to Santa Margherita near Rapallo and Portofino. Some may recal the fierce storm that ravaged the harbour at Rapallo destroying some 200 yachts (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmRNESwrnfU).
We were to pick up our first staying guests there, the Fergies. After a fun night we cruised around the super yachts and the bays into the beautiful and totally out of our league, Portofino, then headed down the coast pulling into, or at least doing drive bys of the five towns forming Cinque Terre. They are quite special and a treat to see from the sea. Each is unique, and whilst perhaps considered gaudily painted when described, are perfect in context.
A short stint from there, again with no wind, we motored down to anchor in the bay at Porto Venere for a welcome swim in the beautifully clear, turqoise and refreshing water there. We went ashore to explore and enjoyed an excellent seafood meal and of course copious Aperols. It’s a pretty little seaside village with tourists but not in stupid numbers.
It was another short jaunt around the corner to the pretty La Spezia. Along the way we did what is to become the always happy and fulfilling catch up with ”new”sailing buddies. We ran into Scott and Tina off Always for coffee before heading to a little dock in town. With the Fergies we took a train to Cinque Terre and did a stroll around Manarola, Vernazza and Monterosa. Due to renovation after landslides the paths joining the towns were mostly closed so we went by train. Gelatos, spaghetti and vino featured large after a hot and dusty day at a fantastic restaurant we lucked in on in downtown La Spezia.
