I have been reading the Cinque terre thread started by MaureenB.It has been very helpful.Can you rent a small boat and go from one town to the other in the Cinque Terre?You could even dock it then take a hike to explore that particular town.Anyone ever do that?Maureen I thought since this wasn't in particular about hiking trails I would start this on boating.Hopefully someone has done this adventure and can share with us.

We rented a boat in the Vernazza harbor for a day and it was the highlight of our week visit. I believe the people that rent at Vernazza also rented boats in Riomaggiore. It was a smallish, 5 person power boat and we spent the day cruising the coast and swimming. We didn't dock anywhere. We were told to visit Monterosso you had to anchor off shore and swim in, don't remember about any other villages. You can also rent kayaks in Monterosso and paddle the coast. There are areas (north of Monerosso is one) where motor boats are prohibited due to the nature preserve, but the rental place was great about explaining the rules.

Thank you Sprin2. My husband many years ago..like 15 years ago, said he with some friends dove off a boat in the Cinque Terre and swam to shore.Then he said he ate at a restaurant that was the best food he ever had and the atmoshpere was the most romantic he had ever experienced.Now we want to find that place but he can't remember where he jumped off the boat.Sounds like Monterosso. I guess we will have fun trying to find it.

Hi anamaria: Maybe your husband swam to and ate in Riomaggiore? The harbor in Manarola is below the town shops and ristorantes so he couldn't have gone there. In Monterosso there is a promenade with a couple ristorantes along the waterfront and also more ristorantes along Via Settembre in the center part of town; however, you have to walk a bit up into the streets to get to them. In Riomaggiore, there is literally a ristorante right there by the boats, as you are walking up on the deck out of the water. It is called "La Lanterna" - does that ring a bell with him? They have inside and outside dining (under a terrace) overlooking the water/harbor and it is nice. Lots of seafood dishes, pesto (a Ligurian specialty), etc. An even better ristorante is "La Grotta" which is on the main street in Riomaggiore, Via Gasperi. It is only about 100 yards away from "La Lanterna" and is literally set into a cave (grotto) with delicious seafood dishes, ambiance, etc. Their prices are more reasonable than "La Lanterna" too.

Thank you,he is working late tonight,, when he gets home I will ask him.He has talked about that particular restaurant for 15 years.He said it was the best food ever and the ambiance was to die for.

I already posted this reply last night..so I'm doing it again since it did not post...sorry if it comes up twice

He just got home.As we are sitting at our Kitchen table sharing a bottle of Chardonnay he says the restaurant was in a house.The owner of the house was the chef and he was a retired businessman.The small harbor had fishing boats but no commercial activity.,and appeared to be only accessible by water.My Husband says the chef served small sauteed white anchovies in a lemon basil sauce.They swam there in the afternoon and the chef served them wine all day and they ate all day and they got drunk.Sounds good to me. I wish he could remember where...it could have been farther up the coast toward Portofino..who knows it will remain a mystery.I have written down the two restaurants you have gone to because we will try them out.

Anamaria - This is Riomaggiore. Perhaps he'll recognise it -

http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Eur...hoto244038.htm

Steve

Steve James , my husband says no..but he recognizes the beautiful Cinque Terre but it is not that place. He said he swam to the house where the owner of the house..and chef lived there.I don't know if we will ever find out. I liked the website called trek earth pretty good pictures.

anamaria-maybe it wasn't in the Cinque Terre but in another town close to it or even farther up the coast towards Portofino, as you suggested? After all, if you maintain your husband was drunk, it is not likely he would remember the village too well! There are no ristorantes down at the harbor level in Manarola. As aforestated, those in Monterosso are all built up and are in their own building(s) along both the promenade as well as in the old part of town. In Riomaggiore, aside from "La Lanterna" up the walk from that photo that Steve James sent, there is a bar on the R and also a gelato place close by, but neither places are in a home and there is no chef cooking food there! Not sure which harbor he would have been at as there are no harbors only accessible by water there.

Maybe you could do a search on Ligurian/Riviera di Levante restaurants by area and then maybe those that say "rustico" or "casa" for the in-house reference? For all we know, it may not even be an official place, just one that the locals know they can go to for good food? However, it is hard to guess where it would be based on fuzzy details! Hopefully you will both have a chance to go back and do some exploring to find the place!

Huitres. I agree..it is very fuzzy. But I will do what you say and find out about "rustico" or "casa" for the in-house reference.