Cinque Terre - Levanto Sept. 13- - 18

 Cinque Terre - Levanto 

The Levanto Promenade after dark!

Levanto and the Cinque Terre are surprisingly busy when we arrive this mid-September. We see the crowds during the day fill the streets and the ristorantes, pizzerias and cafes more than ever before.  

Our first night there we head to the Le Palme ristorante near the promenade and order up some very delicious Lasagne and a 1/2 L of red wine. After we wander the promenade and get a nice lights picture while eating our 1st Levanto gelato 'Cremino'. We're reminded that we are normally here in early summer when it doesn't get dark until close to 9:30 pm.

One of the things we love about staying in a small B&B is the opportunity to interact with other guests and with Sara as host she engages each guest every day with the simple question "What's your plan for the day?". 

With that she always is able to offer great advice about how to accomplish what they set out to do.

Our first morning is a couple from Cologne where she is working on her PhD with a Thetis focusing on the airline Lufthansa and what accounting path it needs to take to gain trust with it's clients when it comes to charging more money to buy carbon offsets for flying with them. Between that morning and the next we have quite a dialog about what companies as well as countries will have to work at doing better to gain the trust of clients and taxpayers as we enter the next phase of climate change. She is one bright cookie and it will be very interesting to read the outcome of her work. 

Our 4th morning a couple from Austin Texas that arrived after 1030pm the evening before join in the breakfast discussion after 830 am. He' a mechanical Engineer working on a PhD but together they are rushing through their breakfast so they can catch a train to Vernazza to see 1 village before heading further south to Pisa. It's unfortunate they didn't have time for Levanto or the great B&B they had booked into on their quest to see "Italy". 

We've taken an easy approach this time round with mornings at the beach and a nice hike through the rail tunnels to Bonnasola.

A view from above Bonnasola

There are even Dog beaches now!

Our time in Levanto is much appreciated with good food and such a nice village centre, and as always Gelato each evening. Sara and Corrado at the Amandola B&B are amazing hosts while raising two children. Between them and our previous hosts, Christian & Sebrina, at Fattore B&B we are so pleased we have found Levanto and them over the past 20 years of travel. Fernando and Leah, who served as our 1st ever hosts have since retired.

On the morning we are about to leave Sara asked if I can pack one more thing and gives me a ravioli cutter. We have talked so much over the years about the quality of Italian food and in particular ravioli that I had looked through the shops at the different gadgets/ forms etc. for creating ravioli. Sara's culinary skills are exceptional, which in itself makes the B&B stand out so I had asked what she used.

This final gesture was heartwarming and so typical of the people we have met over the years here in Levanto from Fernando and Leah, to Chris/Sebrina and their olive oil, and nutmeg , to Sara and Corrado and how they take you in as family when you're there.

Sara gifting her ravioli maker
wrapped in red ribbon

Here's another terrific story about the Cinque Terre.