Have you ever been to Liguria in Winter<\/strong>?<\/p>\n One of the best things of Italy is that there is plenty of culture, food, art and beautiful landscapes and cities <\/strong>that make traveling a great experience even off-season. In particular, Liguria, with its mix of mountains and sea<\/strong>, is something special.<\/p>\n The most touristic spots in Liguria, like Cinque<\/strong> Terre<\/strong>, may look a little desolated in winter but, without the crowds, they acquire a more authentic atmosphere.<\/p>\n On the contrary, the largest cities, such as Genoa <\/strong>or La Spezia<\/strong>, offer museums, exhibitions, nightlife and activities throughout the year.<\/p>\n Moreover, as already said, mountains are really close and this is great if you like skiing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Since many of the accommodations owned by My Rental Homes are located near La Spezia<\/strong>, I think it’s a good idea to talk about this city.<\/p>\n I decided to focus on the urban interesting places, leaving aside museums and historical spots.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Of course you cannot avoid a walk through the center of the city<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Many streets are straight lines but they are placed on different levels<\/strong>, which means you have to climb stairs but you also can see the city from different points of view.<\/p>\n Via del Prione<\/strong> is a shopping street with nice historical buildings.<\/p>\n In La Spezia it’s easy to find Liberty Style<\/strong> buildings. One of them is the\u00a0Civic Theater<\/strong>, first built in 1846. It hosts many shows, especially in winter, and is one of the venues of the La Spezia International Jazz Festival.<\/p>\n Between Via del Prione e Via Garibaldi is Piazza Garibaldi<\/strong>. This square itself is nice but nothing special. However, the Carrara marble fountain <\/strong>is something you should see, since is one of the most photographed spot in La Spezia.<\/p>\n The fountain depicts two sails but if you look at them from a certain angle they form the shape of an heart<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Walking along a promenade that faces the sea is always romantic, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n Doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s during a hot clear summer afternoon or a cloudy winter morning.<\/p>\n One of the best spots to enjoy the views on the Gulf of Poets<\/strong> is the historic Promenade of Costantino Morin<\/strong>, adorned with palms and flowerbeds.<\/p>\n The view ranges from the Apuan Alps to the east, to the jagged coast towards Porto Venere<\/strong> to the west.<\/p>\n If you are an early bird and weather is fine I suggest you to watch the sunrise<\/strong> from the Promenade. The sun rises above the sea, while the docked boats gently swing, the air is crispy and almost nobody is around\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Thaon di Revel pedestrian bridge<\/strong> connects the public gardens to Porto Mirabello and offers some other great views.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a modern cable-stayed bridge made of white steel. It is both functional and elegant.<\/p>\n Its name -that could sound like a Games of Thrones character\u2019s one- comes from the World War I admiral of the Italian navy, Paolo Emilio Thaon di Revel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Porto Mirabello<\/strong> is a great place for shopping, restaurants and if you want to take a closer look to some luxury yachts.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to stop at the bizarre statue of a wet girl dragging a whale <\/strong>and let me know if you figure out the meaning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Every morning, from Monday to Saturday, the covered market in Piazza Cavour<\/strong> awaits its customers with fresh fish, local products, vegetables and flowers. It’s the right place to buy some good Pesto sauce.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Since La Spezia is a Ligurian city, Pasta with Pesto<\/strong> is something you have to try, especially if you have never eaten fresh handmade Pesto sauce.<\/p>\n Just a little refresh for those who doesn’t know what Pesto is.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a a\u00a0sauce\u00a0made from basil leave, garlic, grated\u00a0Pecorino and Parmigiano cheese and pine nuts, all smashed in a mortar and blended with oil of olive. It\u2019s fantastic!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Ligurian cuisine is a poor cuisine, as it originates from the habits of country people, mountaineers and fishermen.<\/p>\n It is based on simple, common and cheap ingredients. <\/p>\n Two other typical dishes to try during your stay in La Spezia are Testaroli and Mesciua.<\/p>\n Testaroli <\/strong>are a kind of pasta made of flour, salt and water.<\/p>\n The batter is baked in special terracotta or cast iron containers, called Testo (that\u2019s where the name ‘Testaroli’ comes from). Then, they are cooked as normal pasta, in boiling salty water, and seasoned with a sauce similar to pesto.<\/p>\n Mesciua<\/strong> is soup prepared with a mix of cereals and legumes that changes based on availability or personal taste. The name means \u2018mixture\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Liguria in Winter is a good destination for a trip and you cannot miss to visit La Spezia. Just remember that the weather can be unstable<\/strong>. Rains and winds are not rare, and temperatures may get low. So, remember to take with you an umbrella and some warm clothes to protect you from the cold.<\/p>\n Visit pur website and find out our luxury accommodation in Liguria!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LIGURIA IN WINTER: 5 THINGS TO SEE IN LA SPEZIA Have you ever been to Liguria in Winter? One of the best things of Italy is [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3332,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[157],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1053","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-liguria"],"yoast_head":"\nThe center of La Spezia: Via del Prione, Art Nuveau and Piazza Garibaldi<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The Gulf of Poets in La Spezia: The Promenade of Costantino Morin, Ponte Thaon and Porto Mirabello.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What to eat in La Spezia: from the market in Piazza Cavour to the restaurants<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nJust to give you a couple of examples, the famous Ligurian Focaccia<\/strong> is a flat bread with salt and oil of olive, and the Farinata<\/strong> is a very thin salted cake made of chickpea flour, salt and extra virgin olive oil. They may seems similar and too simple to be good, actually they taste different and they are really great – especially as a street food.<\/p>\n