Three Summers: The Italian Riviera

It's a three and a half hour drive from Bellagio on the shores of Lake Como south to the Italian Riviera town of Rapallo, where we stayed three nights with Tina e Nino, probably the warmest, most kind Italian couple one could ever hope to meet. Similar to us in age, with two adult daughters, Nino is a retired carabinieri, and both are natives of Rapallo. They live in a spacious three bedroom apartment, with garden and shady terrace, in the heart of the beautiful, walkable Rapallo. When we arrived, Nino parked our car for us in a nook next to the apartment where it stayed for the duration. We walked the town, and the coastal path, and jumped on Tigullio ferries around the coast between Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, and the secluded bay of San Fruttuoso with its Romanesque abbey built between the 10th and 13th century. No need for the car during these days and nights.

Those were perfect summer days. The whole of the Ligurian coast seemed scented with jasmine and gardinia, crickets had begun their endless summer chorus, and everywhere our eyes seemed to rest on beautiful Italian style - from the architecture of the villas draped with bouganvillea, to the decor, and the ornately painted facades of the buildings with their colourful shutters. Tina and Nino made great recommendations for the best restaurants in Rapallo and we enjoyed many Ligurian specialities. My favourite meal without doubt was the 'silk handkerchief' pasta with pesto - Mandilli de Sae al Pesto. The pasta was indeed so silky, light and delicate, and sitting under the mandarin and lemon trees eating silk-like pasta was indeed divine. I loved re-visiting Portofino where we had wandered the pretty harbour with our daughters in 2011. Go early in the morning, or later in the afternoon after the crowds and tours boats have gone, and don't just stay around the harbor front, walk around to neighbouring bays, up the hill behind the town, or to the Castel, go a little further afield, and you'll be rewarded with spectacular panoramic views, less people, and discoveries to remember. It works almost anywhere in a European summer.

Our lunch stop on the way from Bellagio
to Rapallo. Beautiful Boccadassa

Boccadassa with its tiny beach, crystal clear water and pastel painted buildings

Fritto Misto Boccadassa style

Paola in Rapallo

A boat trip to San Fruttuoso

A perfect day's outing

Refreshing dip in San Fruttuoso on
this hot sunny summer's day

There are two ristorante at San Fruttuosa, but we think Da Laura couldn't be beat

Beside the abbey and under the
dappled shade of sweet lemon trees
and mandarin trees, I had the finest
pasta with pesto - ever!

Wild boars of San Fruttuoso. We first
saw the boars on the beach where they ransacked people's picnic bags and happily ate a feast of focaccia and fruit. They then wandered into the Abbey! We've seen goats eat picnics on Greek beaches, but wild boars? That was a first!

A highlight of any European
summer - juicy, flat, donut peaches.

The road to Rapallo

My afternoon swimming spot, and
a tiny hidden bay at Portofino. Sublime!

Seems that very view around
Portofino is a glorious one

Like this...

...and this. Splendido!

Hot and sunny and a view to remember

Afternoon tea on this perfect
summer's day

A shady verandah and a cool breeze

Italian style

Portofino

More Italian style

So beautiful

Italian boutiques for browsing

Afternoon swim here. So
refreshing at the end of a hot day

Portofino

Beautiful Portofino

We last walked around Portofino in
June 2011, and I loved doing it again

Italian summer tomatoes!

A walk around the coastal path, a
cooling swim at San Michele di Pagana and as you walk you'll be rewarded with the best views of the beautiful Italian villas in prime position over-looking the sea.