Portovenere – Postcards from Italy

Portovenere or should I say, Porto Venere?

We’ve seen it both ways, nevertheless, it’s a great place to visit when you need some Italian coastal vibes.

We’re finally on the seaside leg of our trip in the picturesque fishing village of Portovenere, Liguria. We planned this seven-night stay on the coast because we knew that we’d need some decompression time.  It’s hard work exploring Italia, eating great food and living La Dolce Vita, you know!

Although it’s similar to the more popular and busy towns of the Cinque Terre, in our opinion, it has one major advantage going for it.  The main train line that services the Cinque Terre does not reach this area. From a selfish prospective, this helps prevent the tourist crush that flood the streets every time the train stops in those towns.

Oh yes, it’s popular!

Portovenere does see its share of cruise ship day trippers due to its proximity to the port city of La Spezia.  However, the layout of the town is able to disperse crowds in various directions effectively.  It’s spread over a larger area and has a nice, long promenade adjacent to the marina, beaches and restaurants.

The main options of travel to get here are bus, ferry or car.  Each one of these has its advantages and disadvantages, but we prefer the freedom of having our own car. The bonus for us is that the apartment we rented has a private/free parking stall, which is quite unusual.  

Our days consist of getting up early, watching the sunrise from our amazing patio, enjoying a few cappuccinos al fresco and watching the morning “rush hour” in the harbour.  A quick walk into town for another cappuccino and warm pastry and then a fresh squeezed OJ before we start exploring the labyrinth of narrow streets and endless stairs. 

There are numerous historical sites to appreciate, fantastic cliff side views and photo ops around every corner.  It’s a shutterbugs dream!  To top it all off, if you like great tropical weather, inviting blue seas, a plethora of restaurants serving local cuisine, in a relaxed atmosphere… this should be on your must see list!