I've read all these blogs of trekkers bouncing along Cinque Terre - should you walk or run from Monterosso al Mare to Vernazza? But Liguria begs you to sit and admire, or at the most stroll. We had plans to get around by train, but this morning found out we could take a once a week boat trip along the coast and tour a few of the villages from the sea.

We started out in Riomaggiore entering from just best to the boat ramp, we got to walk up from the bottom, under the train station and emerge into the village. The kids found some enterprising girls selling fresh lemonade which we sipped as we climbed to the edge of the old town. Near the top a grocer was selling these deep green, delicious grapes - even Fid had one！

Back on the boat our next, and major stop for the day was Monterosso al Mare. We strolled even slower around the old town. Soon the girls were shopping while max and I bar hopped for a while - the sea and sun begging us to chill. We passed through a tunnel to the larger and much longer pebble beach side, We may have come for the UNESCO quaint village but the beach was begging. We settled in for lunch on a terrace overlooking the sea. The atmosphere so captivating, Fid ordered spinach and ricotta ravioli, in Italian, and loved it. Fid - Spinach! The pull of the private beach below meant the kids ate their lunch in a flash, leaving Gab and I to enjoy the terrace senza bambini.

Our hours in Monterosso evaporated too quickly. Next we headed for Vernazza. Perhaps the most beautiful, but Fid would never know. Once behind the ocean front break he was into the harbour not to be seen again until the boat called us back later in the day. Gab strolled the shops while Emerson and I found the perfect water front cafe to take in the town from. An icy Franziskaner for me and a frozen dolly donut for her. The pebble base means the waters are so clear here you can easily watch the schools of little fish play with the swimmers. The crystal clear emerald close to the shore fades into that deep rich Mediterranean navy blue as you look further out.

Back on board the captain warned us it would be wet and windy at the front where were seated, but on such a beautiful day the sea spray sounded refreshing. It was probably half an hour along the return trip, Gab and Fid long gone, that I eventually dragged Boo, almost as "refreshed" as me, inside the boat. She was still laughing about it at dinner :)

Yesterday we sat out on the street in a cafe while the washing machine was doing its thing. Upwards of 70 people must have strolled in to this little place in the hour or so we were there. They were calling a short handed "ao, sera" before crossing the door and plunging into some animated conversation with the other 5-6 visitors for 10 minutes over their espresso, then moving on. I heard about a study last month finding that this level of community contact was a significant de-stressor and so, significant contributor to prolonged Mediterranean life, prolonged or not it's enviably rich.

You see the community contact too as you stroll the promenade. Back in Rapallo we did just that for a bit, in and out of little shops as we went. Purse your lips and blow a long gust whilst waving your hand around your hair. The kids laughed, but the lady in the shop understood that a lot better than "blow dryer" no matter how many times you repeat it.

Dinner back on the promenade was splendid - loved the Ravioli Salsa di Noci (walnut sauce) nearly as much as the sunset over the foreshore. There wasn't much debate about tomorrow, we're all in resort mode - beach day!