Even if we can't travel much right now, we are sure that everybody is dreaming about their next trip. Enjoy our suggestions on the best places to visit in Italy. Today we will share with you our trip to Liguria.
A magical atmosphere, an exclusive place, silence and local products are what characterizes this incredible convent in the small village of Moneglia, Liguria.
Portico of Abbadia San Giorgio
The reception and accommodation in Hotel
We leave around 9 AM from Milan towards Moneglia, a village we didn't know, but after a few hours it immediately stole our hearts.
Greta, with her kindness and care, welcomed us at the entrance of her beloved Abbadia San Giorgio and immediately made us feel at ease by taking us to our room and giving us the opportunity to use the different services that her structure offers.
For our overnight stay we have been assigned the Honeymoon Suite, a very bright room thanks to the large windows arranged along all sides of the room, enriched with antiques and original elements that blend perfectly with the soft tones and impalpable fabrics of the linen.
The structure has a total of 8 rooms, each with its own peculiarities, from the most ornate and rich to the most sober. You can then choose the room that best suits your tastes and needs for a dream stay.
In the picture: black and white TPN wool dress
The afternoon in Moneglia
After unpacking our bags and enjoying a few minutes of healthy relaxation, we entered the streets of Moneglia, without a precise destination, only with the desire to be amazed by what is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
We can define it as one of the pearls of the Riviera di Levante, ideal for long walks along the coast, given its tranquility, and for lovers of the sea.
Tips on Moneglia:
- If you happen to stay in Moneglia, pay particular attention to the times you want to enter and exit this village: from both directions there are some particularly long one-way tunnels and for this reason the traffic lights at their entrance last about twenty minutes. In particular, the traffic lights that you will have to face in the direction of Sestri Levante are green every 20 minutes, so make sure you are there at that time.
- Our advice is to park the car in the hotel and forget it completely until the departure, better to move with the train, ideal to visit the surrounding area. The train station is close to the hotel and trains are very frequent in both directions: Genoa or La Spezia.
In this picture: orange sweater from MSGM; eco-leather black trousers from Black Label; MOA sneakers.
Dinner at Cantine Cattaneo
Our first day in Liguria ended with a dinner at Cantine Cattaneo, a very special restaurant in Sestri Levante.
A 1600's farmhouse has been used as a restaurant and every day the chef experiments with his creations skillfully combining tradition and innovation. If you love sophisticated and elegant dinners, this is the ideal place to spend an evening.
In this picture: Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini white long dress.
Breakfast in Abbadia
Around 9 AM the next morning we were already outside our room, ready for a breakfast that we expected to be good, but not as special as it turned out to be.
Greta immediately served us a freshly squeezed juice, homemade bread and jams, yogurt with seeds and organic honey, sweets and a wide selection of cold cuts and cheeses. Breakfast at Abbadia San Giorgio will allow you to start a day with the right energy.
In this picture: MSGM skirt with jungle print; light blue pull from Tabaroni Cashmere; grey suede ankle boots from Fabio Rusconi.
A day between Camogli and Portofino
With a full belly and a great desire to visit new places, we decided to get in the car and leave towards Camogli.
Once parked, after about an hour to find a free place, we finally reached the historic center. This beautiful village overlooking the Gulf of Paradise, on the Riviera di Levante, will take your breath away. Tall houses painted with bright colors, the smiles of the locals and a romantic atmosphere with an almost surreal natural setting will enchant you and make you want to return to your city.
Tips about Camogli:
- whatever your starting point is, we highly recommend you to reach it by train, parking lots are hard to find and uphill roads are not nice when it's too hot;
- stop to eat the focaccia from Ravello, a real treat.
In this picture: MSGM skirt with jungle print; light blue pull from Tabaroni Cashmere; grey suede ankle boots; Versace Jeans Couture shoulder bag;
After a nice plate of trofie at the pesto sea view, we reached our car (about half an hour walking up and down so I recommend you to wear comfortable shoes), and we headed towards Portofino.
Always considered one of the most beautiful places in Italy, symbol of luxury and destination of VIPs around the world, Portofino owes its name to the ancient Romans who called it Portus Delphini, the port of dolphins.
From Portofino you can take a boat, or organize yourself with different charter companies, to reach San Fruttuoso, a place of worship in the bay of Comogli.
Tips about Portofino:
- We definitely recommend taking the train to Santa Margherita Ligure and continue with one of the boats present at the port, or with the Tigullio bus of the city service. If you do not want to move by public transport you can take a wonderful walk that will delight you with breathtaking views and take you directly to the center of Portofino.
- Given the lack of parking spaces in Portofino, if you can not choose the options above, we recommend you to leave your car in a large square that you will find along the road (parking spaces are very expensive and cost more than 5€ per hour).
The aperitif in Abbadia
This wonderful day discovering some of the most picturesque villages of the Ligurian coast ended with our return to Abbadia around 6 PM to enjoy a good aperitif at sunset.
Greta welcomed us with some Ligurian delights to say the least: a taste of trofie al pesto with toasted pine nuts, some bruschetta with lard and honey, other bruschetta with salted anchovies and butter and a good glass of Vermentino, all in front of the setting sun just behind the Abbadia.
Dinner at Bistrot Julia Restaurant
Around 9 PM we headed to a bistro in the center of Moneglia to enjoy the last dinner of this Ligurian weekend and we were particularly impressed by the availability of staff and abundance of dishes with a really good value for money.
The Bistrot Julia Restaurant is a historic restaurant located in the caruggi of Moneglia and stands out for its Provençal style combined with unique elements of the historic villages of Liguria.
Silvano, owner of the restaurant, welcomed us with extreme kindness and sympathy and made us sit down offering a tasting menu that seemed to never end.
A real sensory experience (and laughter not to end with the very nice Silvano) made this final dinner of our trip the best we could wish for.
In this picture: Bistrot Julia Restaurant
The last day in Liguria
The next morning after a quick breakfast, and greetings to the magnificent place that hosted us for two days, we head towards Santa Margherita Ligure. We decide to make a stop along the road to quickly visit the Basilica dei Fieschi, a suggestive and secluded place of worship, wrapped in the silence of the countryside in the village of San Salvatore.
Next stop? Santa Margherita Ligure: after having enjoyed for the last time a wonderful cheese focaccia, we go to visit Villa Durazzo.
Surrounded by a wonderful green park, this villa of 600 offers an incredible view of the Gulf of Santa Margherita (we recommend you to visit the interior, it is really beautiful).
It 's time to go back and we think that these places have enchanted us, left us speechless, remain impressed in our minds during the journey back to Milan and leave us with the bitterness of not having stayed longer.
Thanks Liguria, we'll be back, for sure!