Undiscovered Gem: No really...

Over the weekend we took a short hike (short for our aging but still thinks she’s a puppy dog) through the Montemarcello National Park.

This gorgeous, lush area is located directly behind Lerici on a promontory where you have panoramic views of the Apuane Alps and Carrara Marble Mountains to the east, the Versilia Coast, Pisa & Livorno to the south, all of the Gulf of Poets to the west and the hills of La Spezia to the north.

There is a Roman Road that leads from Lerici over to the borgo of Montemarcello, through the medieval village of Ameglia and on to Via Aurelia which leads to Rome.

There are little to no people, the fragrance of jasmine, pine and olive trees mixed together, the glorious combination of sounds between birds chirping and white noise background of boats far below making there way to and from the Bay of La Spezia.

It’s a hiker’s paradise. Right in our backyard.