Nice to Milan - Friday 14 June 2019

Breakfast in the hotel, then went for a walk around the harbour and the old town. It's a lovely warm sunny day. This is looking to the beachfront...

Love the Mediterranean colours !



Water looks nice but there's no sand and the pebbles don't look too comfortable !





Climbed a hill to a park above the old town overlooking the beach one way, and the harbour the other way...

Fruit & vegetable market. Great presentation !

Back in the main square near my hotel this lady has lost her bra !

Checked out and drove back to Milan. I wanted to drive on La Corniche which I last did in 1990 !

There are 3 routes, and I accidentally picked the lowest one which was closest to the sea.

Three hours or so on a freeway to get back to Milan. Have spent a fair bit on tolls.

Checked in to Hotel La Vignetta in the Navigli district, which is near a canal and known for good nightlife.

Walked to the Duomo area and went to a bar called Duomo 21 Terrazza. I love how it stays light so late here.

Selfie !

Then walked around the city centre...

Olmetto Piazza Vetra...

Porta Ticinese - city gate in the Navigli district...

Went for dinner at an all you can eat place on the canal in Navigli. EUR11 and includes a beer which is pretty good.

Loved this guy's beer cart...

There are two canals. This one is the quieter one...

Legal weed - also saw a shop...

It is quite a lively area. This is the second canal...

Had a last espresso and back to the hotel. I leave for the airport tomorrow morning for my flight back to Hong Kong.

Genoa, Monaco and Nice - Thursday 13 June 2019

Breakfast in the hotel, checked out, and started the drive along the coast to Genoa. 

Easy drive. Parked and walked around. This is at the maritime museum...



Another nice old town. Check out that sky...

Had some amazing gnocchi with pesto. Pesto was invented in Genoa and it was fantastic.

Genoa Harbour...



I think this is some sort of ride...

I bought a couple of bottles of pesto at a local market...

Back in the car, heading for Monaco. I've been here twice before but only at night.

Parked in France and walked over the "border" !

That's the famous Monte Carlo casino in the background...

Walked into the casino...

Monaco Harbour...

Had a very average and over-priced lunch by the harbour.

Then back to the car and onwards to Nice, which is very close - about 30 minutes by freeway.

Checked in and went for a walk along the restaurant strip. Dinner at a Spanish place in a lively street near my hotel.

And dessert !

Cinque Terre - Wednesday 12 June 2019

Woke and had breakfast in the hotel. Not a bad breakfast and loved the fact that they provided sparkling wine (I didn't have any!) 

This is the view of Levanto from my balcony...

Today I want to explore Cinque Terre which are 5 towns on the Italian Riviera. I am staying in Levanto which is the closest town to Cinque Terre but not one of the 5 towns. It's well serviced by train. A day ticket was EUR16. 

The line runs by the sea. One of the stations...

I first caught the train to the furthest one of the 5 towns, Riomaggiore which is a nice town with a small harbour, but not much to see.

After exploring, I caught the train to the next town back, Manarola.



Walked around the cliffs and took this, looking back...

After that, skipped the middle town and caught the train to Vernazza. It's pretty busy.

Had lunch in the main square...

Next stop Monterosso as I wanted to swim and it seemed to have the nicest beach.

By now, the sun was out so I spent a couple of hours lying on the beach and swimming. Nice beach but stones instead of sand made it uncomfortable to walk !

Walked along the seafront...

About 5pm I went for a walk around town. This town is bigger and really lovely. It helps that the sun is out now ! Walked up to a cemetery overlooking the sea.

Then caught the train back to Levanto and back to hotel to shower. Walked into town and had a beer sitting outside at a bar. Then found a nice seafood restaurant for dinner.