Liguria by motorbike. Mountains overlooking the sea, fishing villages, great food and above all many curves!
For this reason, after the beautiful itinerary through the Cinque Terre, we continued towards the north-west, our tour of Liguria, towards the Bay of Silence.
After the wonderful villages and past the Cinque Terre, from Monterosso we stretch to Levanto, a small seaside town, strategic for visiting the surrounding villages.
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Levanto
Levanto is the small seaside village close to Monterosso, in the Cinque Terre. The medieval center di Levanto it is well preserved, with many period buildings and a permanent ethnographic exhibition. Among the most evocative corners of Levanto we recommend the Via dei Forni, home to the ancient shops and noble villas, the Monastery of the Poor Clares of the early seventeenth century. and the path between alleys which lead from the sea to the XNUMXth century castle that overlooks the town. From here you can then go down to the Church of San Andrea skirting the medieval walls and returning to the sea by crossing the Darsena, the ancient canal port of the village.
Curves, panoramas and more curves
This is what awaits you after leaving Levanto. Take the provincial road in the direction of Ferriere and Carrodano, and here you can get the funfair ticket! Nothing to pay, you just have to turn your front wheel to take the legendary SS1 Aurelia towards Genoa.
Curves, lots of curves on which to really have fun await you almost until you reach your destination. But don't rush, the views are beautiful, the sea seen from above and the scents of nature will accompany you for every kilometer. In addition, along the way you will find an artist bronze fountain dedicated to the two illustrious Italian cyclists of the past, Gino Bartali (defined in the epigraph as "The Right Man") and Fausto Coppi. The water comes from a natural spring that flows into the woods above the Aurelia state road, along the slopes of the Passo del Bracco. Originally it was carried downstream with a simple tube and was mainly used to quench the thirst of cyclists participating in the Gran Fondo delle Cinque Terre.
Sestri Levante
Probably, once you reach your destination, you will want to do it one more time, even two, and I understand you. But you will not regret visiting Sestri Levante, also called City of the two seasA village rich in history and culture, a magical place with a fabulous nature, which has always been a source of inspiration for poets and writers. The largest bay, called Bay of Fables, it owes its name to Enzo Tortora, who so baptized it towards the end of the fifties. The second, smaller bay is the famous one Bay of Silence, so called for the first time in 1919 by Giovanni Descalzo, the Ligurian poet who lived in Sestri.
Il Old Town, dotted with slate portals of the fourteenth century, is home to the most fascinating palaces such as: Fascie Palace, Durazzo-Pallavicini Palace, seat of the town hall of Sestri. There is no shortage of places of worship, such as La Church of San Nicolò dell'Isola, dating back to 1151, the oldest in Sestri, the Basilica of Santa Maria of Nazareth, built in the XNUMXth century, the Church of the Immaculate Conception built in 1688, in medieval style, not far from the Bay of Silence, and the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, built by the Capuchin fathers in 1640.
Always a source of inspiration for writers, writers and scientists, the Bay of Silence is considered one of the most enchanting places on the Ligurian Riviera. Winner of the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice ™ Beaches Awards 2019, has reconfirmed itself as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in Italy, taking fifth place. Characterized by crystal clear water and fine sand, it was one of the most popular destinations of the nineteenth-century Grand Tour and appreciated by characters such as Hans Christian Andersen, the composer Richard Wagner and the scientist William Marconi.
Where to eat and sleep
It is useless to advise you to stop for a short holiday or just to taste the sea (and land) delicacies typical of Ligurian cuisine, such as Ciuppin, lasagna with pesto and testaroli.
