Amore! Liguria Weekend Trip

As I prepared for my trip to Milano for the World Expo, we decided to add a Liguria weekend trip to the itinerary. I had never been to this beloved Italian coastal region and was looking forward to sunshine and seafood with my Dutchman.  Given my four-country whirlwind trip right before this one, very little was planned aside from booking a hotel as high season was in full swing.  Sometimes the most extraordinary moments come about from the unexpected.  This trip was no different.

We arrived in Milano and picked up our Fiat 500 (pure coincidence) and headed south to Rapallo, a seaside town in Liguria.  It took us exactly two hours from Linate airport.  Italy has a bad reputation for traffic but thankfully it was a smooth ride to the sea. Dining Traveler Tip:  don’t shy away from renting a car in Europe!  If you can, learn to drive manual!  Although we were in Liguria for a weekend, we did our best to explore the region.  Although the towns are very easy to get to by car, we realized how different one was from the other. We explored Rapallo (where we stayed), Lavagna, Santa Margherita, Portofino, and Camogli.

Liguria Weekend Trip: What we discovered….

Rapallo:  We felt that Rapallo was the most youthful of all the towns. Upon arriving at the hotel, we headed straight to the beach.  Tanned Italian bodies lined the rocky beaches of Rapallo with its eternal sunshine and its deep blue clear waters. We headed to the city center in the evening for a late night dinner at Pizzeria Nettuno.  The place was still vibrant at 11pm with groups of young Italian men laughing over pizza and suntanned families sharing a dinner.  My Dutchman had a delicious calzone filled with artichokes and mozzarella di bufala. My experience was the opposite: my tuna tartare was sadly disappointing.  Moral of the story: stick to the restaurant’s specialty.  After dinner, we wandered the alleys of Rapallo where the sound of music and glasses clinking reigned supreme.

Lavagna:  Given that one of my favorite Italian restaurants in DC is called Lavagna, we decided to explore this seaside town. Don’t let the industrial port fool you! Continue on and you will discover rows of family friendly beaches.  We set up shop near Cavi, towards the end of Lavagna and jumped off the rocks for a swim on a quieter side of the beach.

Camogli:  We initially planned to stay in this town at the recommendation of a friend who used to live there.  We found the vibe very laid back, as if time never stopped.  It was a hot afternoon and we decided to cool down with aperol spritz (one of my favorite Italian drinks).  We found this quaint seaside bar called Locanda a Camogli.  We snacked on a delicious warm octopus salad with a view of the sea at this little gem.  We returned that evening for an epic dinner at Da Paolo at the recommendation of Daisuke, the owner of Daikaya and Sushiko Restaurants in DC.  This man knows his food and this dinner did not disappoint: sepia pate, salt crusted fish, and smoky grilled squid.  My heart skips a beat as I type this. More about the dinner coming up on a later post.

Portofino:  On our last day of our Liguria weekend trip, we took a ferry to Portofino.  The name Portofino may sound familiar as many celebrities tend to holiday there.  Upon entering its bay, we knew why.  Luxurious yachts with immaculately dressed crew line the port.  The streets are lined with shops such as Louis Vuitton, Pucci, and Armani.  However, there are small treasures to be discovered for those of us with a smaller budget.  I bought the prettiest cover-up for $25 at Antica Satoria, a small store filled with airy, hand embroidered dresses, cover-ups, scarves, and blouses. The perfect souvenir.  This glamorous town is one not to be missed.

Santa Margherita:  Before heading to Rapallo, we made a brief stop at Santa Margherita (you can get a ferry ticket with multiple stops) for a little dip before we headed back to Milano.  Although we only spent an hour there, we were also taken by shallow clear waters and friendly atmosphere.

The verdict:  A Liguria weekend trip may be short, but if that is all the time you have, we recommend it!  It’s only two hours away from Milan if you want to create a city/beach itinerary.  There is also an airport in Genoa to which many European carriers such as KLM and Ryanair fly.  We will definitely be returning and hopefully with more time!  Have you been to Liguria? What was your most memorable moment?