The main road leading to the city of La Spezia goes through green hills till reaching the Gulf of Spezia, better known as the Gulf of Poets.
Reaching La Spezia via this road is an amazing journey and allows visitors to appreciate an important aspect of the Liguria region.
The hills in Liguria occupies much of the territory and are up to 900 meters high.
They are full of crops colouring the landscape with olive trees, grapes and many species of flowers and aromatic plants such as poppies, mint, sage and daffodils.
There are also forests of pine, chestnut, beech, oaks and holm oaks.
The hilly landscape also presents numerous passages and crossings, including: Ginestro pass, Turchino pass, Bocchetta pass, Jupiter pass and Scoffera pass.
Once near La Spezia visitors face the Gulf of Poets, crowned by those green hills. And the landscape in both directions, although very different, is beautiful.
The land enclosed between the coast and the mountains behind the hills is the hinterland of Liguria.
This is an area where typical traditions and flavours are still alive in its villages.
In this area there are indeed many rural towns and medieval villages with their typical houses and the slow pace of country life.
Discovering this is funny and interesting. Visitors can go horseback riding, hiking, going by car along the old roads that reach the peaks.
All around there are old houses, castles and churches, as suspended in an atmosphere of past times.
For trekking enthusiasts, there are many challenging paths, such as the Alta Via dei Monti Liguri which follows the ridges of mountains for 440 kilometres.
There also are many areas of natural interest including the Ligurian Alps, the Melogno and the protected areas of Finale, Adelasia, Antola, Aveto, Zatta – Bargonasco and Mount Gottero. The reserves of Mount Beigua and the promontory of Portofino are also worth a visit.
Photos from the Albums of: the wasted nothing, Herminio, aquifasusto, Marco$, rfc1036, Toprural, Paolo Rosa.
