Final days at VIlla La Pietra

The week ended as it started, having fun with good friends in Levanto. Broph and Clare spent the last day walking much further than anticipated but the views were amazing.

The group at Villa La Pietra including all the Dickinson children, John's parents, sister and brother-in-law. Happy Birthday John. We all had a wonderful week.

Villa La Pietra, Levanto

We are loving the house here in Levanto

We are swimming most days, along with many locals. Games of paddle tennis and of course, football happen on the beach and even in the piazzas. 

We are enjoying the local food, who could not. Fresh pasta, thin crust pizza, fresh seafood, yum.

We cooked up a meal, our first home cooked meal for a week. Everyone enjoyed it, plenty of pasta and salad.

Levanto, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, food and shopping

Thursday comprised a very solid walk for Clare, Broph and Liz. A climb of nearly 800m up from Corniglia, across the ridge and down to Riomaggiore. A thirst quenching beer, then the train back to Manarola for lunch with John. So now we have been to all 5 villages, they are all different and also similar. 

Cinque Terre - Cornigla

After a quiet day in neighboring town Bonassola we ventured out to Cornaligia the third town of the Cinque Terre. We walked through from Vernazza, another beautiful walk with stunning views.

Corniglia with only 250 inhabitants is the smallest of the five Cinque Terre towns.

Wednesday we took the ferry further along the Italian Riviera to the old town of Portofino, a very touristy town with lots of shops and restaurants.

Cinque Terre

Trained it from Milano to Levanto on Saturday to meet the traveling troop at La Pietra. The house on the water has turned out even better than the photos showed. More great food and vino with the big group of travelers enjoying all that is on offer.

Yesterday we tackled the Levanto to Vernazza legs of the walking trails that abound here. 12ks of challenging uphill and steep descents. Fabulous views all along the trail.

Looking back at Levanto.

Last night we celebrated JD's 50th. 28 people assembled, including John's parents from NZ, all the Dickinson  kids (Sam arrived at about 9:30pm direct from Melbourne post exams), John's sister and brother-in-law plus the Tunnocks, Dayes, Graham's, Brophys. Also in town for the celebration their best buddies from Sydney the Warrens and from Geneva Dan and Rita Thompson with Dereck and Lindsay.

Enjoying a local brew after 4 hours on the trail to Vernazza.

Milano

Broph and Clare arrived in Milan Thursday morning. Quaint old hotel a few hundred metres from Milan Cathedral in Duomo. After shower and change we took to tourist mode. Our first sight of Milan when we exited the Metro at Duomo.

Lunch At Papa Francesco's; pasta and a half bottle of local Pinot Grigio before heading out again.

Atop the cathedral after climbing the 250 steps

Day 2 in Milano we headed north. First a visit to the library in Palazzo di Brera before heading to Porta Garibaldi and Porta Nuova. We found a little shop to buy a knife, plates, cups and cork screw essentials for enjoying the local cuisine with a glass of the local vino. Lunch in Parco Sempione before spending the afternoon in the Museum of Design, a showcase to Italian design skills. Dinner down in the canal district, more great pasta and local vino.

Chocolate to be viewed not eaten!

"Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)

Broph and Clare are heading off to scenes and tastes in the north of Italy and the south of France.
We are planned and not planned, we will be on trains and driving a car, we will be walking and riding bikes, we will be viewing and tasting, we will "explore, dream, discover".

Our house in Levanto just near the Cinque Terra
http://www.villalapietra.net/