New Year's Day in Italy

As planned every year for quite some time now, here we are in Italy on the Ligurian Coast to spend a few days and celebrate New Year's 2024/2025.

Our base is in the charming town of Rapallo, between Genoa and La Spezia. We're right on the coast, with our hotel offering a sea view and access to the beach.

Not far from Rapallo, you can find, besides the Cinque Terre, Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Chiavari, and others like Carrara and even Pisa. In short, there's plenty to do.

Five days there with so-so weather, and crowds but nothing overwhelming.

For the trip between home and our base, we're using an electric vehicle. It's manageable without any issues. The hotel has outlets, and otherwise, there are charging points all over Italy. And just to note, Tesla chargers are the best in terms of cost and charging speed.

There you have it.

Once we arrived on Sunday, December 29th, it was time to go for a walk, book a restaurant for Monday evening, and finalize the itinerary.

On Monday the 30th, we were lucky enough to see a beautiful sunrise from our window.











And the town of Rapallo in the early morning!

Monday, December 30th, departure around 9:30 AM for Serravalle Scrivia on the way to Milan. A massive Outlet that welcomes visitors with open arms—and wallets.

75 kilometers by road, passing through Genoa from Rapallo—the drive is quick. Based on some feminine observations and findings, it’s a very interesting Outlet in terms of prices. I’m just the luggage carrier here. There are lots of people from different countries and locals.

Plan for a long morning and early afternoon for shopping.

Ideally, arrive around 10:30 AM, just after opening. It’s much more relaxed. Having a meal is quite the challenge since there’s only one big restaurant with potentially long waits. The best option is to go out for lunch elsewhere. We found an Asian place with amazing Japanese noodle tastings at great prices right nearby.

There are plenty of electrical outlets in the Outlet parking lot. It’s fast Tesla charging and reasonably priced. Go early because it gets packed later.

Pro tip: We charged the battery with a 375-kilometer reserve (Renault Mégane). On the way back, the descent toward Genoa helped. Actually, we used only 23 kilometers for a 75-kilometer trip. Not bad for savings!

No photos here—I’ll let you discover the place online:

https://www.mcarthurglen.com/en/outlets/it/designer-outlet-serravalle/whats-on/Bienvenue-a-Serravalle/

The day will end with an apéritivo followed by dinner at Hosteria Vecchia Rapallo. The staff speaks French, the dishes are top-notch, the wine cellar is great, and the boss gives excellent advice. Tickets for two came to 135 €.

https://www.vecchiarapallo.com/

Tomorrow is another day.

Thanks so much for the feedback, Michel. I switched to the Balearic Islands this year, but Italy is really tempting me for next year, so I’m 😊. Christelle

Tuesday the 31st, it's time to decide on the day's plans.

This morning, we'll head to Portofino, leaving early to have some peace and quiet. To get to this part of Liguria, you can take a car (but it's strongly discouraged), a scooter (though it's cold in winter), the bus from Rapallo with a transfer in Santa Margherita Ligure, or—new this year—the ferry service (very busy) departing from Rapallo, stopping in Santa Margherita, and docking in Portofino. There are two trips per day.

Since my wife gets seasick, we'll take the bus. And because of the ferry connections, there are far fewer people on the buses.

No need to introduce Portofino—it's the birthplace of the term "Paparazzi" and a small port that, in summer, attracts the crème de la crème of global celebrities! In winter, it's blissfully quiet.

We'll take photos in the harbor, then hike up to enjoy a Prosecco at the lighthouse bar, meet some charming tourists, and watch the seagulls that earned me a spot in an exhibition at a tourism office in southern France.

A morning is enough to explore the area without hiking. No restaurants on-site. Pizza costs 10/11 €—the flour must be paying for its trip, in my opinion.

Back in Rapallo, we'll grab a pizza by the seaside and return to our room for a nap. Then, we'll head out to buy evening essentials—especially fireworks and firecrackers, which are a must here!

First, here are some photos of Portofino that you probably already know.

Hi,

To get to this part of Liguria, you can drive, but it's strongly discouraged. There's also the scooter option, but it's cold in winter. The bus leaves from Rapallo with a transfer in Santa Margherita Ligure, or—new this year—there’s a ferry service (very popular) from Rapallo, stopping in Santa Margherita before docking in Portofino. Two trips per day.

There’s also a coastal trail from Santa Margherita Ligure that offers stunning views of the Tigullio Gulf: the *passeggiata dei baci* (the Walk of Kisses).

Catherine

Hello,

There’s also a coastal trail starting from Santa Margherita Ligure that offers magnificent views of the Gulf of Tigullio: the passeggiata dei baci (the Walk of Kisses).

Catherine

Absolutely! The parking lot at the exit of Margherita fills up quickly because of our "friends" in camper vans, but it’s still a great option for getting to Portofino.

I met people that day who had chosen this option early in the morning to find a spot. And if I’m still around next year, I’ll try the hike starting from Santa Margherita. I just need to train a bit first.😎