Graian Alps (Italy-France), 5-14 August 2016
Mediterranean sea
We wanted to spend a few days on a sea resort close to the mountains. This is how we found oursevles in Liguria. We knew that it would not be easy to find vacant pitches in campsites at the seaside in mid-August. However we did not want (and would not have been able to do it, anyway) to book in advance. After calling a dozen campsites, we found one that did not turn us away. So we drove down to the Delfino campsite which is located right at the seaside on the outskirts of Savona. We got there after 9 pm, it was getting dark. We did not like the campsite too much, and next morning called some more campsites and eventually found vacancies in the Tahiti campsite in Finale Ligure. This is where we spent the remaining few days.
Evening is the best time at the seaside. The heat goes away, and the temperature becomes reasonable. We walked along the seashore. Finale Ligure is lit by the last sunrays of the day. There are quite a few watch towers on the seaside. We visited one to enjoy the sunset.
Varigotti and its watch tower.
The sea in the evening.
The next day we took a bus to Noli and walked back on the hills above the sea to Varigotti. Finding the start of the path proved a difficult task; our printed guide did not help and we had to ask local people. The path is actually well-marked, it traverses the hills through the woodland. This is Noli, we did not have time to properly explore it.
This is Grotta dei Falsari. We were not sure we would be able to find it, but actually the path was well-marked.
The sea is directly below the cave. The cave is also accessible from a road below, if one knows where to climb up.
A cape near Varigotti. There is a nice beach it a little cove which is not that easy to reach. We did not have time to go there, but Igor and Anya spent some time there.
We met Anya and Igor in Varigotti and went for lunch. It got very hot by midday, and we could not wait to jump into the sea.
Varigotti was once a fishing village.
We spent our last evening in Finalborgo, an old town a couple of kilometers up the hills from Finale Ligure. The town was founded in the 12th century. It was surrounded by a city wall which survived to this day. Two castles are towering above the town, one above the other. We did not have time to visit the castles, it was getting dark.
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A bell tower near the gates. |
Unusual shape for a balcony. |
We strolled through the town centre and went up towards the castle. We enjoyed the view of Finalborgo from the path.
The view was fascinating...
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The restaurants open in the evening as people come out onto the streets.
We liked Finalborgo very much and could have spent more time there. But it was time to go back to Finale Ligure. We had to drive back to Turin early in the morning, to catch a flight back to England. Good bye, mountains! Good bye, sea!
