Lerici, Portovenere and Montemurlo

A name, a guarantee. Golfo dei Poeti (the gulf of poets) takes its name from the fact that over the centuries, and due to its extraordinary beauty, it has inspired many poets and writers who lived and stayed in this area. This peculiar name refers to a deep inlet that characterizes the astoundingly beautiful bay around the city of La Spezia, delimited by the towns of Lerici and Portovenere, wonderful natural beauty spots along the coastline of eastern Liguria.

Dante, David Herbert Lawrence, Lord Byron, George Sand, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Emma Orczy, Mario Soldati, Attilio Bertolucci, Gabriele D’Annunzio, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti are just some of the poets and writers that have a strong connection with this magical place.

Well worth a visit is the beautiful little town of Portovenere, a UNESCO site since 1997,with the breathtakingly beautiful church of San Pietro on the cliff’s edge, the alleyways called “carruggi” which join the colourful “tower houses” of the village, the majestic Doria Castle, the incredible blue sea full of boats and the small shops which offer delightful jars of pesto, handmade ceramics, perfumes and handmade jewellery.

In front of Portovenere, a stone’s throw away across an area of water called “Le Bocche”, is the beautiful island called Palmaria is to be found. The largest island in the Ligurian region, this naturalistic gem is easily reached in just a few minutes by boat or ferry from Portovenere. Suggestive caves, beaches to discover, paths, an abundant flora, tons of history (such as the caves and the ex military fortress of Umberto the First) and a breath-taking view of Portovenere are just some of the treasures this island has to offer. Some ferries also allow you to take a tour around the other islands of gulf of La Spezia where, in addition to Palmaria, there are Tino (natural heritage pristine, still under military jurisdiction and open to visitors only once a year, during the Feast of San Venerio in September) and Tinetto.

Lerici is also beautiful, with the small port framed by the characteristic pastel-colored houses and, at the top, the castle that can be reached by lift or stairways, passing through the “alleyways”; The climb to the castle offers unique glimpses of the gulf. For those who want, once you get off, there is the seafront promenade which, from beach to beach, leads to the beautiful San Terenzo, another seaside village with its castle. The beaches deserve a special mention; those you meet along the promenade and the surrounding ones. About 2 km from San Terenzo, for example, is the scenic inlet of the Blue Bay, which also houses a bathing establishment. The coast, surrounded by lush Mediterranean scrub, comprises pebbles and sand. And for those wishing to indulge in the luxury of a truly exclusive place between Fiascherino and Lerici, Eco del Mare is a poetic cove set in a rocky bay. The beach, about fifty meters wide, is reserved for customers of the bathing establishment. It is renowned for its elegance, attention to detail, and the fine restaurant by the sea.

Wherever you go, in any case, it is impossible not to taste the typical cuisine, which is also a poetry of taste: muscle soups (mussels), oysters (in recent years, in fact, a popular breeding of La Spezia oysters has developed, green and very tasty), mesciua (a typical legume soup from La Spezia), sgabei, pasta with pesto, focaccia of all kinds, panigacci and testaroli…

And returning to Casale Amati, enjoy the landscape that the panoramic road that leads from Lerici to Montemarcello, one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Italy”, offers you. Montemarcello with its tangle of narrow streets, olive trees, glimpses of the sea, stone arches and pastel shades is definitely worth a stop for an aperitif at sunset. The exceptional view of the Gulf of Poets is priceless.