The Gulf of the Poets and the La Spezia area have many wonderful hidden corners.
Most are very popular, beachgoers almost ignore others, and many are hidden, even for locals.
Among these are the Cove of Lerici and the Church of the Guardian Angels in Fossola. These two pearls are on the two opposite shores of the Gulf of La Spezia; visiting them is a great way to discover the area away from the croud.
There is quite a buzz on social media about these places, and people worldwide wonder: “How can I get there?” But, unfortunately, locals might not be of much help, either because they want to keep them secret or because they need to learn how to reach them too!
We are going to help you here with very secret directions 🙂
The bay of Lerici, a corner of the Caribbean in the Gulf of Poets.
Suppose you look at pictures with that rock in the middle of the sea reflecting the green of the surrounding vegetation. In that case, Caletta Lerici Cove could be mistaken for the film ‘The Beach’ shooting set starring Leonardo Di Caprio.
But it isn’t! It is just one of several beautiful bays along the coast from Lerici to Tellaro via Fiascherino.
Photographers and social media animals love this place with a reef and Tino island in the background.
You can reach the “secret” Caletta beach of Lerici only on foot or from the sea with a motorless boat like a kayak.
Walking to Tellaro from Lerici on the right, you will see a green gate preceded by a small court. There is no sign, probably on purpose, but from this enclosure, you need to look for a stair leading right down to the cove beach.
Think bout paddling along the coast and exploring the many other caves of this riviera, with a stunning view of La Spezia bay. You can rent a kayak in Lerici or Santa Teresa or book a guided tour.
The Church of the Guardian Angels of Fossola is a quiet paradise in the Cinque Terre.
A tiny church overlooks the sea and terraced vineyards. In good weather, when the sun shines, the little bench carved into the building wall is the perfect place to bask in the warmth, in absolute peace.
It is called the Church of Guardian Angels, and you can reach only on foot on the path to Fossola. It is one of the purest diamonds of the Riviera of La Spezia in the Tramonti area.
Pictures of the tiny belfry tower standing out of the sky are often on social media again, and therefore in the Cinque Terre imaginary. But when you look at this small heavenly patch of land, you quickly figure out it is the effort that keeps visitors away rather than the unawareness of the way to reach it.
The fear isn’t unmotivated; the trek to the church takes about ten minutes, but down a steep mule track stair overhanging the sea. However, f you can easily pace, the walk is easy. The way down feels like diving in the blue and the perfumes of the Mediterranean vegetation. The church and its tiny yard are not visible until you get there, but the unique view is
Driving the coastal road to the Cinque Terre from La Spezia, you will find the Park’s information point just past the first tunnel in the Biassa locality. The walking path to Fossola starts here.