Porto Venere, Italy

One day we made the climb back up the hill to the parking lot and drove down to Porto Venere. To get there you skirt around La Spezia. La Spezia is a busy industrial town but Porto Venere is a classic Italian beach town.

Porto Venere is not one of the Cinque Terre villages but it is just a 30 minute drive away. Driving is the most expeditious way to get there. The Cinque Terre local train doesn't go there so you have to connect in La Spezia and the last Cinque Terre ferry leaves late afternoon so don't miss it.

The Church of St. Peter is incredible. It was consecrated in 1198. It overlooks huge breakers in the harbor.

Just offshore from Porto Venere is the island of Palmaria. Locanda Lorena is a restaurant on Palmaria. It was on our very short list but we didn't get out there. They will send their boat over to the mainland to pick you up.

There's much more "town" to Porto Venere than any of the Cinque Terre villages. If we return to the Cinque Terre region in the future we're likely to stay in Porto Venere.

The wikipedia article is here. Porto Venere's official web site is here.

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