Discovering The Ligurian Coast By Rubber Boat

Cruise around the westernmost islands in scenic La Spezia Bay and then explore the town of Portovenere that overlooks them. The bay is better known as Poet’s Gulf because writers that include Lord Bryon, Percy and Mary Shelley and D.H. Lawrence have long been inspired by its natural beauty. In the early 19th century, Bryon supposedly swam more than four miles across the bay from Portovenere to visit the Shelleys, and a plaque in a seaside grotto there commemorates the feat. You will get a close-up look at the islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto in the bay just below Portovenere before going ashore to meander about town at your leisure. UNESCO deemed the islands and town a World Heritage site for their scenic and cultural value, so there is plenty to see. You will have time to shop and dine, if you wish. Seafood and a Ligurian twisted pasta called trofie are featured on most menus.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Cruise through Poet’s Gulf for a close-up view of its World Heritage site islands. • Enjoy free time in Portovenere, which shares that World Heritage site designation. • Gain a historical perspective of the Ligurian region through landmark attractions.