La Spezia in January - Portovenere hiking

Friday is market day in La Spezia so I set my alarm. We're always curious about markets, often disappointed nowadays that globalization means that trends in tablecloths can be identical throughout Italy and Spain, but we have to see. This market is unusual in that it stays all day. Prices aren't much different, and in fact maybe are a bit more expensive, than where we live, but we collect one or two interesting bits and pieces. Some 100% cotton underwear, a couple of lace effect plastic tablecloths at 2€ each (don't wince, they have potential!), and some artificial geraniums on my want list for years (I only have about 40 pots of real ones). We also buy more artichokes and some fish from the ordinary market and some bottle tops and fantastically shaped 100ml bottles for our homemade liqueurs in the sort of shop one feared didn't exist anymore. 

Despite all this at about 1.30 we are on the way to Portovenere. We park outside the Cavo car park, free this time of year and then head up path 518 towards Forte del Muzzerone. It's a cloudy day today and threatens to rain a little but it's also mild walking up the path and the few spots of rain soon peter out. There's nobody about, but a few cars are parked where the path crosses the road below the fort, perhaps because the rock face below the fort is also popular as a rock gym.

As we take the path, now the AV5T, towards Portovenere, the views go from being pretty to absolutely spectacular. The sight of the San Pietro church alone on the rocky outcrop with the blue sea behind and the cliffs of Isola Palmaria in the background is special and moving, even on a cloudy day. We linger and gaze and linger. 

Back down in the village we have another look at the church inside this time noticing extra details like the fact that the original Romanic church was at the back, where there's the dark statue of San Pietro, whereas the Gothic part was added to the front.

It's getting on towards dusk, no sunset this evening because of the clouds, so we walk back along by the sea and then up to the car park. Portovenere is a special place.

On the way home we go to the Terrazze shopping centre for cheap fuel for the drive home and a very reasonable 'aperitivo' of wine, sliced meats and cheese for €3.50 at Ipercoop and a little shopping of some local products, in particular olives and testaroli, then turn in for the evening.