Observing this little seaside village overlooking the Mediterranean sea what I immediately notice is a sort of harmony between nature and people. Starting from the morning, when I went to take a cappuccino in one of tha bars of the piazzetta, till the afternoon visit to the hilltop Lerici Castle, everything seems to go slowly, people seems do not care the passing of the time and they are not stressed by the clock.

You may take a walk along the promenade enjoying the sea view and then find yourself sitting and chatting with people while the sun is setting on the horizon.

Even Fellini once said that “La Dolce Vita” was difficult to find in Rome, but in Lerici village, the “sweetness of doing nothing” was in the air.

Such true words. Lerici is such unique!

…This is what comes to my mind when I look at Steve McCurry’s photography…

“Steve McCurry, A Journey Around Man” – stevemccurry.com

From 18th October 2012 to 24th February 2013, Genova – Palazzo Ducale”

Steve McCurry photos

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1. Genoa tour “Genoa’s Old Shops – A walk back in the time!“

2. “Rapallo, Santa Margherita Ligure and Portofino Tour“

Ingredients:

• Take 4 friends, their curiosity and their love for the simple things of life.
• Then, take a sunny and warm day of Autumn in Genova, Italy
• Add the best genoese pesto sauce made as tradition wants, with mortar and pestle
• Put in a meeting with an extremely kind person as Roberto Panizza
• Finally, add a lovely dog with a funny name.

Mix all these ingredients together and you’ll have a perfect day!

Preparation:

Some weeks ago, I met Paola, Nicola and Mary in Genova Piazza de Ferrari. After a weekend conference which involved many travel bloggers coming from all around the world (#TBE12), we decided to take a break and enjoy together the beautiful city of Genova.

Me, Paola and Nicola decided to take Mary, who is from New York, to have lunch at Roberto Panizza’s restaurant “Il Genovese”.

Roberto, founder of the “World Pesto Championsip” makes the best pesto you can ever try. We thought it was a must that Mary had to try before leaving for New York.

Roberto, made genoese pesto sauce with pestle and mortar at our table. We were so grateful, since it was lunch time and the restaurant was busy with clients. Anyway, the demonstration, the curiosity and the scent of the green sauce attracted other clients which were lunching. They started conversing with us and having fun. That day, in that restaurant was like we were a big family!

As suggested we tried pesto sauce with hand made potato gnocchi. Needless to say how it was delicious! We even made the famous italian “scarpertta” (which means to mop up the sauce from a plate of  food with a piece of bread) or “piccola scarpetta” as our friend Mary renamed it

After this great lunch we decided to have a walk in Boccadasse. That was the perfect place to continue our wonderful afternoon. Boccadasse is such a lovely small fishing village and one of my favorite place in Genova where I love to go when I need to relax. It is like a small jewel set directly in the city.

And after that day, Boccadasse will remain in my memories not only for being a relaxing and charming place, but especially for being the frame of a perfect day lived with beautiful and simple people!

Thanks to Mary Morris (The Writer and the Wanderer) which has deeply inspired me! Paola and her funny and invented story about Boccadasse name (iLiguria), Nicola for his extremely gentleness (Liguriainside) and Brasco (Paola’s dog) which has been so patient in following four crazy friends around Genova!