FAI: THE HEART'S PLACES IN LIGURIA - TRIP CODE: FAILIGURIA
7 days 6 nights
Day 1: Arrival of the group in Genoa, Castello d 'Albertis
Arrival of the group in Genoa at 1.40 pm, transfer from the airport to the center of Genoa for a guided tour of the Castello d'Albertis thet overlooks the city and which is characterized by different styles, with exotic, neo-Gothic and Hispanic references Moorish, therefore unique in its kind. At the end, transfer to the center of Genoa. Dinner in a typical restaurant and overnight in the hotel.
Day 2: Genoa
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with the guide and walking tour in the city center, the Europe's largest medieval one. On foot, through the alleys, so-called "carrugi", fascinating stories will reveal the official story with details forgotten over time, anecdotes and curiosities, myths and legends, which reveal the charm and beauty of this splendid city. We will visit the historic center with a stop in Piazza De Ferrari, Palazzo Ducale, the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, the Antica Barberia (located right in the heart of the city, a charming venue that brings back the years of the Belle Epoque, with suggestive and refined atmospheres ). Free lunch. In the afternoon, a stroll through the charming village of Boccadasse, a fishing village not far from the city center and a meeting point for the Genoese. A romantic urban beach surrounded by the typical colored houses huddled together, complete with small squares and alleys, with the small boats parked on the mainland, an oasis of peace and serenity in one of the most beautiful settings in Genoa At the end transfer to the second hotel in Genoa, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with the guide and transfer to Santa Margherita Ligure and visit of the famous town, with elegant buildings, fashionable shops, the port, the beautiful promenade and the 16th Century Castle, which was a defensive building. Free lunch. At the end, a boat to Portofino and a guided tour of the famous seaside village, with the little square surrounded by typical houses, restaurants and shops of great brands, all surrounded by the Park and surmounted by the Brown Castle. Return by boat to Santa Margherita Ligure and return to Genoa by bus. Dinner at the hotel and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4: Camogli and San Fruttuoso
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with the guide and transfer to Camogli. Boat to San Fruttuoso and entrance to the famous Abbey, a place of worship located in the scenic jagged coastline of Liguria. A small jewel in an oasis of peace and calm, surrounded by sea and mountains. The Abbey is a Benedictine monastery of the year one thousand that over time has had different roles (from pirate lair to fishing village), and donated by FAI in 1983. Boat to return to Camogli to visit the beautiful Ligurian town, with the shore, the typical "creuze" that cross the path of the small historic center, where the most authentic Camogli is found, and numerous places where you can sample the specialties of the region. At the end of the visit, return by bus to Genoa, dinner and overnight stay at the hotel .
Day 5: Sestri Levante, Portovenere and Lerici
Breakfast at the hotel. Check out and a short stop in Sestri Levante, for a guided tour of the village rich in history and culture, religious and civic buildings that tell the town's glorious past. The oldest building in the city is the church of San Nicolò dell'Isola, originally a structure in Romanesque style and transformed into a Baroque style in the 15th Century. The external façade was rebuilt during the 15th Century while the interior, divided into three naves, is in Gothic style.
Stop in the evocative Bay of Silence, an enchanting place surrounded by typical colorful houses. The beautiful bay owes its name to the Sestrese poet Descalzo who in 1919 coined this term, inspired by the quiet and tranquility that make this place magical, which still today seems to be suspended in time. Free lunch.
At the end, continue to Portovenere, a beautiful village whose unique landscape makes it one of the most beautiful places on the western coast of Italy. Visit of the famous church of San Pietro: situated above the sea on the rocky spur at the end of the town, this church was built on the ancient remains of the pagan temple dedicated to the goddess Venus Ericina who, according to tradition, was born from the sea foam of this promontory.
The visit continues admiring the Bay of Grace and the characteristic houses of different colors and rows, which form the backdrop to this beautiful panorama. The tourist port, the bathing establishments, the possibility of immersion in the innumerable crevices (including the Byron Cave, where the English poet used to go to get inspiration for his poems) created by the sea on the cliffs in front of the village and on the islands, make Portovenere one of the most famous Italian destinations.
Transfer to Lerici, with the famous Castle, a polygonal-based fortification that was the scene of numerous cultural exchanges and often hosts exhibitions. At the end, transfer to the hotel in the area of Le Grazie in Portovenere, dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 6: Cinque Terre
Breakfast at the hotel. Meeting with the guide and guided tour of Cinque Terre, a group of five villages suspended between sea and land, perched on cliffs overlooking the sea and surrounded by green hills. This magnificent and uncontaminated territory, as well as astonishing for the wealth of churches and sanctuaries, is striking for the landscapes built by man with terraces overlooking the sea where we find vineyards that produce excellent DOC wines, such as Schiacchetrà, and olive groves.
Visit of the villages with passages by train and boat: we will visit Monterosso, the most visited village thanks to its wide sandy beach.
Opportunity to visit the Capuccini Convent, a place of faith, history and culture.
The old town of Monterosso, separated from the more modern resort area by the Aurora tower, houses the ruins of a medieval castle and the church of San Francesco.
The visit continues with Vernazza and Manarola, perched on a steep promontory of dark rock, with its small port enclosed between two rocky spurs. Transfer to the hotel, dinner and overnight stay. Free lunch during the day.
Day 7: transfer to Genoa
Breakfast at the hotel, check out and transfer to Genoa in time for the flight.
