In the Gulf of Poets

In the Gulf of Poets
Nel blu
Magazine: March 2008

The gulf of La Spezia is a type of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde landscape. The port of the largest city of the Ligurian Levante, with its merchant and military ships, creates a considerable contrast to the beauty of the western side of the gulf. What is really surprising, following the main road that flanks the sea, is the extraordinary metamorphosis that takes us from a scene of overbuilt coastline to an unspoilt shore. Portovenere is at the far edge of the Gulf of Poets, the large bay that has attracted artists from all over the world for centuries. Looking at Portovenere from the provincial road that joins it to La Spezia brings on a vague feeling of vertigo: a cluster of tall, narrow houses like ancient towers. Guarding the area is the Castello dei Doria. Strolling around the streets one breathes in the true spirit of the old Ligurian towns. The shadows and the narrow alleyways transform a walk into a voyage back in time. Descend to the port by foot. At the bottom of the slope you end up in front of the tiny harbour in Calata Doria. Facing the town are the three isles of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto offering an occasion for interesting excursions. In the town don’t miss the church of S. Lorenzo and above all, the magnificent S.Pietro on a promontory overlooking the coast.