MONTEMARCELLO AND HIDDEN TOWNS

In a nutshell

You aren't in another world but in the Bay of Poets, in Montemarcello, one of the most beautiful towns in Italy. Small, nestled away, hidden. And when you stop for a break, a lunch of trofie pasta with pesto, fried fish and white wine will be a culinary experience worthy of this tour.

Main stops

• Church of San Pietro: external visit
• Tellaro: small fishing village
• Trails through the Montemarcello Nature Reserve
• Punta Corvo
• Lerici with a lunch of local food

The programme

• Did you charge your smartphone battery on the ship? Because you'll really need it here. Montemarcello, surrounded by the vegetation and wildlife of the Apuan Alps Regional Park, is one of the most beautiful towns in Italy.
• We'll start with a real gem: the central square and 15th century Church of San Pietro.
• An easy hike will then take you to the intimate, black shingle beach at Punta Corvo, surrounded by natural cliffs. There are 700 steps down to the beach, but it's worth it!
• We then move on to Tellaro and discover why this fishing village has been so beloved by artists and poets.
• Like any self-respecting village, Tellaro has its legends: in the Middle Ages the village is said to have been saved from a nocturnal attack by Saracen pirates by a giant octopus, which woke up the population by ringing the church bells.
• Finally you will reach Lerici, either by local electric bus or on foot if you prefer.
• A tour like this can't end without a typical lunch! What you need is a little restaurant, a plate of trofie pasta with pesto, fried fish and a good local wine white.

Good to know

• Menus may vary according to season to ensure the constant high quality of the dishes served.
• Before booking the excursion or once on board, contact the excursion office to check the availability of vegetarian or gluten-free dishes and to report any food intolerances.
• This is one of the most popular excursions so book early.
• In the event of bad weather we will not visit the beach at Ponte Corvo.