Today is Liberation Day and a national holiday in Italy that is annually celebrated on April 25. It marks the fall of Mussolini's Italian Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation in Italy in 1945. On April 25, 1945, the Allied troops liberated Italy from the Nazi occupation and Mussolini’s rule. It rose as another sunny beautiful day and we decided to spend the morning on the beach to catch a few rays on our pasty white faces as did every local Italian that didn't have to work today.
Levanto beach in the morning
After eating a quick bite in the RV we were off by train to Monterosso and our boat tour at 2pm. I had tried a month in advance to reserve this boat tour but they don't officially start their season until May 1'st, but they recommended we check back with them closer to the date to see what the weather looked like. So the first night we arrived in Levanto I e-mailed Paula the captains wife to tell her we were in town if they were going to be going out we would love to join a cruise. So after missing the cruise the previous day she invited us out for a 2 hour cruise with a stop in one of the villages for aperitifs all for only 50eu p.p.
While we sat enjoying our first real Italian gelato's we were struck by how many people were on the beach compared to the day before, especially since it had become overcast and chilly. Guess it was the holiday.
2pm finally came around and we met Angelo the boat owner of Angelo's boat tours and his wife Paula and 2 other couples. Vanessa & Brendon from Australia and Randelle & Gabriella from California. We really admired the beauty of this coastal region and it soon became apparent why when Paula came to the area on vacation from Texas several years ago she never returned home. Wish we could do that.
Monterosso
Vernazza
Corniglia high up on the hill
Signs of one of their many land slides
We stopped in Manarola for our aperitifs at a trattoria called il Porticciolo. We had several appetisers of wonderfully fresh bruschetta with fresh tomato's, cheeses & herbs and several bottles of both white and red wine followed by a Sancerre dessert wine with our choice of several great deserts. 3 of us chose the Tiramasu and after we raved about it so much the others ordered one. It was the best Tiramasu I have ever had. We all lost track of time we were having so much fun. When we left Angelo took us for a short walk up into the town to see images displayed on the walk way of his heritage as a fisherman with his family in his younger years. He also took us to a wine shop ran by a family member and we all received a glass of Limoncello it was funny to watch every ones faces turn bright red, it was that strong. I purchased several bottles of the red wine (at only 5 eu each it was a steal) and a bottle of the Sancerre wine. We ended up enjoying the reds while in Beaune France and the Sancerre didn't stand a chance with our friend Dan once we opened it back here in the states. By the time we got back to Monterosso our 2 hour trip had lasted 4 hours. Want to talk about a great deal and the best time. We just loved Angelo he was so warm and welcoming and gracious and a ton of fun to boot. I highly recommend his tour to anyone.
Manarola
Angelo the boat captain
Where we stopped for aperitifs.
Walk way images of the local trades including Angelo as a young fisherman
Angelo & Paula
After exchanging contact info with the others Mark and I were hightailing it back quickly to catch one of the last trains back to Levanto. Mark and I still rave about this as being probably the best day of the whole vacation.
