Gulf of Venus

We decided to visit La Spezia when we were planning our trip. However, the decision to go to Porto Venere, or Gulf of Venus, was rather spontaneous, made after one of our B&B landlords recommended visiting there.

church by the seashore

When one walks along the seashore, one soon arrives at the San Pietro Church. I believe it’s the first time I’ve seen a church so close to the sea. It’s incredibly calming and peaceful to enter the church, observe the simple yet tasteful interior arrangements, and listen to the waves lapping against the church’s base repeatedly, creating a harmonious melody.

According to Wikipedia, the church was constructed on the site of an ancient pagan temple. This detail is quite intriguing. It is stated in some sources that the church was built over a temple dedicated to the goddess Venus Erycina.

towards Campiglia

The hike was predominantly uphill, but overall it was quite pleasant since the paths were solid and easy to navigate. We encountered a few other hikers along the route, including an elderly lady with her family. There were some spots that might have been challenging for older individuals, I presume.

Near Campiglia, we came across a completely abandoned house overgrown with plants and in a state of disrepair. It struck me as the perfect spot for urban explorers to venture into.

Near the remote house stood a persimmon tree, laden with fruits that resembled small orange lanterns. @spherinder wanted to have a try on the nature’s gift, but got fully bombed by the fruit that dropped on him and got a fruity shower.

sunset

We spent some time enjoying the sunset before taking shelter in the town’s small chapel. An elderly lady, distinguishing one cat from the others in the town, temporarily placed it inside the chapel with us and left some food for it. I assume the other cats might have overeaten, so this one received special treatment.

For the cat, it must have been an intriguing experience to be confined in the chapel alongside two human companions.