In Liguria, northwestern Italy, there are 30 superb coastline miles between Portofino and Cinque Terre, perhaps the loveliest of Italy’s thousands of miles of beach. It is here that the Apennine Mountains drop a thousand feet straight down into the turquoise Ligurian Sea. Small, colorfully painted homes cling to the rugged cliffs. Ancient olive trees dot the terraced hills framing the inlets, harbors, bobbing boats, vineyards and scrub – barely accessible even by foot.
Instead of the usual hiking tour, Tofino Expeditions, the 25-year sea-kayaking outfitter top-rated by National Geographic Adventure, is now offering a new way to explore this fabled coast – by gentle kayak over the course of 11 days. This soft manner of travelling will provide paddlers with an unusually personal introduction to Italy’s marineria culture (“life of the sea”.) And the local fishermen welcome those exploring by sea in a way they do not welcome the hikers.
A sea kayak is about 18-19 feet long and carries one or two paddlers. Adventure kayaker Grant Thompson, founder, welcomes novices, preferably those with muscles. He calls kayaking a “cadence” type of sport, like cycling or cross-country skiing, where one becomes immersed in rhythmic movement as opposed to having to exert a great deal of strength. From the water, participants will enjoy a unique view of this intensely dramatic and intricate coastline.
Beginning in Genoa, the capital of Liguria and birthplace of Columbus, time to explore the city’s labyrinthine medieval old quarter, the 17th century walls, grand cathedrals, a bustling promenade, the enormous “Lanterna” (lighthouse) and the monumental Piazza De Ferrari, the heart of the city.
As you and your small group (12 max) paddle south along the coast of Cinque Terre (“five villages”) there will be plenty of breaks to enjoy short hikes into vineyards and olive groves. Visiting the car-free fishing village of Vernazza will be a satisfying treat, sampling warm focaccia bread, sipping the vino delle Cinque Terre, and hiking in ancient Phoenician ruins.
Overnight ferry to the wild isle of Sardinia and the Maddelena Archipelago, a group of 7 big and many small islands, national park and UNESCO World Heritage site (one of three on this tour) and explore stone monuments from 1500 BC, way older than the Etruscans on mainland Italy.
Click: http://tofino.com/trips/kayaking-italy-cinque-terre-and-sardinia/
Under the radar in the heart of Tuscany, Il Chiostro, (“the cloister,” the central square inside a monastery) has been an energy center for creative travelers and magnet for solos since 1995.
Owned and created by Linda Mironti and Michael Mele, warm and welcoming Italian Americans who live in NYC and Italy. Both have strong backgrounds in the arts. Linda was a singer and a chef, and Michael, a dancer-choreographer turned fiction writer. “For us Il Chiostro is a metaphor. Take yourself away from your hectic, demanding life and place yourself in a beautiful, seductive environment that will allow your spirit a chance to breathe.”
Dan Burkholder is the professional photo workshop wiz, an award-winning author and instructor of 15+ years. Ever heard of the Eye-Fi memory card? Dan has! His one-week workshop will take place from October 14 – 21, 2012. Sleep in a 15th c. former convent, wander the back streets, cross the little humps of bridges, sip a Bellini at Harry’s, float in a gondola, and gather for meals and special events in preparation for an exhibit to be staged at the end of the week.
Looking to work, literally like a slave, in the hot sun for no or low pay some summer? If you join an archaeological dig in one of the ancient sites in Israel, you will sift soil where King David walked and Jesus trod. You will see and feel the past, alive in your own hands and on the soles of your feet. The thrill and incredible excitement of finding authentic treasures such as pottery, mosaics, glass, and gold that are thousands of years old and holding them is hard to describe.
What’s in store? Dust! Heat! Stones! Sunburns! Brains! Brawn! History! New friends. And sometimes even romance… (hey, you never know…) So shake out your shovel, grab a hat with a big visor, slather on the sun cream and join one of the many major archaeological excavations scattered throughout this modern-ancient land, some near cities, some on the shores of the Mediterranean, some in the mountains or deserts.