Boat trip to Portovenere

There is nothing more blissful than a boat trip on the Mediterranean Sea enjoying the beautiful midsummer's blue sky and the gorgeous views of the Cinque Terre. The final destination of that boat trip was Portovenere, a town located south of the Cinque Terre. We disembarked at Portovenere for lunch and some sight-seeing before taking the return ferry and train back to Levanto where we were staying. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has beautiful ancient architecture, and there are plenty of opportunities for photography of both the natural and cultural landscapes.

Doria Castle and the Church of St Peter, as seen from the boat on the Mediterranean:

The Church of St Peter, seen from the boat:

The Doria Castle and the colourful narrow buildings in front:

At the grounds of the Church of St Peter:

Doria Castle as seen from the Church:

A panoramic view from the top of the stairs to the Church of St Peter (click image for larger view):

Hanging out in the streets of Portovenere:

And enjoying some delicious local gelato:

Corniglia from a different angle to the ones taken in the morning. This was the only Cinque Terre town we didn't set foot in because of its elevated location that required either hiking up or catching a bus. Also visible is the windy road up to the town from the train station near the sea level:

Approaching Monterosso, the northernmost Cinque Terre town. Visible in the shot is the start of the hiking trail we took on previous day:

We wandered a little through Monterosso, and briefly stepped inside the Church of San Giovanni Battista:

And then it was time to head back to Levanto for dinner and bedtime! Stay tuned for more!