We returned to the campsite from Riomaggiore yesterday and spent the day relaxing. Today we hiked over the hill from Riva Trigoso to Sestri Levante.
Riva Trigoso used to be a fishing village but it’s now home to a huge shipyard, sitting alongside the promenade and sandy beach. The campsite shuttle bus dropped us at the station and, having walked along the prom, we climbed the wooded headland on a rough path.
About 40 minutes later, we reached Punta Manara, an ancient watchtower, a little disappointed to find it in ruins. The views from here were amazing though, back to Riva Trigoso and ahead to Sestri Levante. Further along the coast, we could see the Portofino headland, which we’ll be visiting next week.
From the viewpoint we began our descent to Sestri Levante through Mediterranean vegetation… olive, oak and strawberry trees and tall, stately maritime pines.
We spent a little time looking for a couple of geocaches, but didn’t find either, giving up when we both ended up scratched by the spiky plants! The descent continued through cultivated land, then gardens of beautiful villas, until we reached the narrow streets of the town.
Sestri Levante is a pretty resort, with multicoloured houses, painted with 3 dimensional looking panels and amazing frescos. We had delicious Italian cakes and coffees in the old town, before exploring the tiny Isola Peninsula, which we could see from the viewpoints on the trail.
From here, there were lovely views of the beaches on either side of Sestri Levante, as well as the town itself.
After lunch, we went to the smaller beach, the Baia del Silenzo, once again choosing to sit on the rocks rather than the sand, away from everyone else. It’s a very pretty beach, surrounded by multicoloured buildings and dotted with fishing boats.
We swam in the sea and sunbathed on the rocks, sheltered from the cool breeze. John particularly enjoyed watching life in the rock pools… surface fish, ground feeding fish, crabs and freshwater shrimps. It’s been another fabulous day ☺️.
Ramblings 
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