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levanto |
| Heading east out of the big resort of Sestri Levante, the train line
and coastal road disappear into a series of tunnels that last almost
until La Spezia. The slow bus route loops through coastal resorts and
past red marble quarries inland before arriving at the unpretentious
small town of Lévanto , last settlement before the Cinque Terre. Its
sandy beach - the best for miles around - inexpensive hotels and good
transport links make it a perfect base for exploring, more congenial
than staying in one of the five villages themselves. The only real
sights in the town are architectural remnants from Lévanto's thirteenth-century
heyday, including the Loggia Comunale on the central Piazza del Popolo,
the black-and-white striped church of Sant'Andrea above the piazza, and
the odd surviving stretch of medieval wall here and there. The huge
Wednesday market draws crowds of shoppers. The tourist office is on the central arcaded Piazza Cavour (Mon-Sat 9.30am-12.30pm & 3-6pm, Sun 10am-12.30pm; tel 0187.808.125), while the train station is ten minutes' walk inland from the seafront. The finest hotel is Stella Maris , Via Marconi 4 (tel 0187.808.258, fax 0187.807.351, www.hotelstellamaris.it ; L150,000-200,000/¬77.47-103.29), with a handful of characterful rooms in the nineteenth-century Palazzo Vannoni, plus some others (L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47) in a more modern annexe on Piazza Staglieno. The venerable old Nazionale , Via Jacopo da Levanto 20 (tel 0187.808.102, fax 0187.800.901, www.nazionale.it ; L120,000-150,000/¬61.98-77.47), has comfortable, attractive rooms, plus parking. The Europa , Via Dante Aligheri 41 (tel 0187.808.126, fax 0187.808.594; L90,000-120,000/¬46.48-61.98) is another charmingly old-fashioned place with parking. Pensione Garden occupies the first floor of a modern apartment building 20m from the beach, at Corso Italia 6 (tel 0187.808.173; L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48; April-Sept): its functional rooms are pleasant, but none has a bathroom. The Gentile , a block back from the sea at Via Jacopo 27 (tel 0187.808.551; L60,000-90,000/¬30.99-46.48), is a good alternative. The best of a handful of campsites is Acqua Dolce , Via Semenza 5 (tel 0187.807.365, fax 0187.808.465). The town's best restaurant is the expensive Araldo , Via Jacopo 24 (closed Tues except in July & Aug), featuring fresh local ingredients served with care and attention beneath a vaulted, painted ceiling. Don't miss the local specialities gattafin , deep-fried vegetable ravioli, and cotolette di acciughe , fried stuffed anchovies. For more casual fare, Caffé Roma , Piazza Staglieno 10 (closed Tues), as well as being a popular hangout, has a small restaurant at the back that serves moderately priced pasta, pizzas and fish. Pizzeria Miky , Corso Italia 52 (closed Wed), is another cheap pizzeria. |