Levanto: An Eclectic Town Full of Surprises
While researching areas to stay near Cinque Terre, we came across Levanto in an online travel forum. A few travelers had suggested it as an alternative to staying in one of the 5-Terre villages of Cinque Terre.
We had originally planned to stay in Riomaggiore, but accommodation was limited so we had to start looking elsewhere.
Upon first glance, Levanto reminded us of the Italian version of Amsterdam. The locals seem laid back and it appears that everyone rides a bike or drives a tiny pick-up truck where the cab is no bigger than the front seat of a golf cart.
There is no shortage of small markets selling fresh fruit, Italian and French cheese, an unlimited assortment of local wines and our favorite, prosciutto. It was a food and wine heaven for three glorious days. I don’t know about you, but we get tired of eating in restaurants all the time.
It was also the first time we had ever seen jellyfish that look like a blue condom. They were all over the beach and floating in the water on this particular day.
We were originally drawn to Levanto because it is known as a surf town. The Italian coast is not a place I would expect to find waves or surf shops, but You Tube videos prove that Levanto does indeed get swell.
We didn’t find any surf during our stay, but we did find something more than just a promise of waves. Levanto has a local vibe to it, which was a nice change of pace from the bustling tourist town of Taormina, Sicily.
Levanto is the kind of place that we could stay and live for a while. I’m just not so sure how I would feel about surfing with all those jellies in the water.
Speaking of beaches and sea life. We are getting excited for our upcoming trip to Hawaii. Hopefully we will have time to visit The Modern Honolulu during our stay.
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