Woke up from a bad dream (watching someone fall off a cliff) around three or four and took me an hour or so to get back to sleep (too hot). Woke up normal time but tired.
The shower in the Genoa hotel was pretty awesome, and the breakfast was also excellent.
Checked out and left our bags with the hotel.
Caught the 8:14 train to Rapallo. We actually had people checking tickets today.
Arrived in Rapallo and walked down the harbour to find the Portofino ferry. That was pretty easy (it's just on the promenade). The first ferry was at 10:00 so we walked up to the little castle while we waited.
Basilica dei Santi Gervasio e Protasio
Castello de Rapallo
Castello de Rapallo
The ferry was pretty crowded, but we got a seat on the right, outside, so that was really good. A really pretty trip up the coast. And a lovely approach into Portofino from the water.
Rapallo from the water
Rapallo from the water
View over Stella Beach from the ferry
View back towards eastern Rapallo
View towards Santa Margherita Ligure
Castello di Punta Pagana
View towards Santa Margherita Ligure
View towards Santa Margherita Ligure
View towards Santa Margherita Ligure and Castello di Santa Margherita Ligure
View towards Santa Margherita Ligure
View towards Portofino
Villa Beatrice (on right)
Baia Cannone cove
Buildings in Portofino
Portofino from the ferry
Portofino from the ferry
Got to Portofino and went in search of a view. As per what is typical in Italy, there's no views because there's houses and private yards and trees in the way. We walked all the way up to Brown Castle, and paid the 5 euro each entry to see the view. Which was indeed quite spectacular.
Castello Brown
View north from Portofino
Portofino from Castello Brown
Portofino from Castello Brown
Portofino from Castello Brown
Portofino from Castello Brown
Dining room in Castello Brown
View from a window in Castello Brown
View from a window in Castello Brown
View of Portofino from the stairs coming back from Castello Brown
Wandered back into town, and up to the church.
Portofino sign
Photo by Mum
Portofino
Portofino
Mosaic pavement near Chiesa del Divo Martino
Chiesa del Divo Martino
Interior of Chiesa del Divo Martino
View towards Castello Brown
Then onto the 12:00 ferry back to Rapallo.
The ferry we took back to Rapallo
Portofino from the ferry
Portofino from the ferry
Villa on Punta Pagana
Villas east of Santa Margherita Ligure
Villa on Punta Pagana
View towards Rapallo
Interior of the ferry (after people had disembarked)
At Rapallo we rushed back to the station in time to catch the 12:51 train back to Genoa. Sadly the GPS couldn't cope with all the tunnels and didn't record any of the trip back (didn't check to see if it worked on the way down).
Rapallo train station
Coastline near Genova Quarto dei Mille from the train
At Genoa we debated which train to try and catch to La Spezia - the earlier regional train with a short change in Brigniole, or the Intercity with no choice of seats. We grabbed a quick lunch at the station (a ham and cheese focaccia) while pondering this, then went across to the hotel to grab our bags.
Statue of Christopher Columbus outside Genoa Piazza Principe train station
Got back to the station and asked about the transfer, and she was like, oh don't worry about the ticketed transfer, just grab one of the earlier trains, since they all stop there. So we raced for an earlier train to go the one stop. It worked, but we ended up hot and stressed. Which seems to happen with like every trip now. What we should have done is taken it a bit further where the transfer would have been on the same platform, but you never know which stations things will stop at, plus getting there at the beginning of the trip in Brignioloe meant we did get a choice of seats on a fairly full train.
So a trip through Cinque Terre, watching the hordes of tourists waiting for trains.
Got to La Spezia around 16:10ish when the train arrived, then had to figure out our way to the B (not a B&B cause there's no breakfast). Firstly we had to get down from the station to street level, which involved finding a lift. The walk around the to the other side of the station wasn't too complicated, but finding the actually building was as hard as finding the B&B in Como. Or rather, I knew where the building was, I just couldn't figure out how to get to it, with dead ends and big gates and crap everywhere. I would never stay in these types of B&Bs again, they're much too complicated. We did eventually find it (prolly 16:45 by this point) and the owner happened to come out as well so that was helpful but yeah pretty painful process and we were all hot and sweaty. Luckily this place does have good aircon, so just chilled out for a bit (and also asked her where a laundromat was).
So headed out to find the laundromat and dinner. 4 euro for a wash, then went and found somewhere to have a drink while the wash was on. The plan was to order dinner then go put the washing in the dryer. So did that, but missed the end of the wash and someone took all our stuff out. hrmmm. So put everything in the dryer and put in 5 euro which did half an hour in the dryer. But then dinner took forever to arrive so Mum went and got everything out half way through dinner. hrmmmm. But it seems nothing went missing, so that's a win.
The back to the B for computer stuff and collapse.
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