Early wander along narrow alleys & tunnels found a great swim spot off the rocks, figured our apartment only by the socks on the line, where the best patisserie/coffee shop is, and where to catch the ferry to Monterosso from. Not a soul around other than the odd local getting ready to open their shops. It's worth doing the ferry trip along the coast (see pics) from Riomaggiore to Monterossa to get a perspective of the Cinque Terra, and see the impossible cli...

Another glorious summer morning in the UK. Too hot for hiking boots, no room in luggage, feet excessively toasty. Manchester Airport has more to recommend it than Heathrow - quick through customs, decent eateries, huge range of shops - looks like great shopping, and seems worth going with an empty bag and buying up clothes/shoes/etc duty free before you leave home. Flew to Pisa, just 2.5 hrs, over Swiss Alps sporting snow on the peaks, then train to La Spezia ...