ITALY – San Lorenzo al Mare (En)

San Lorenzo al Mare was our first stop in Italy. We decided to go there because we saw that it was a charming coastal town located on the Riviera dei Fiori in Liguria. We loved its old town with its narrow alleyways, covered passageways, and colourful houses overlooking the sea. Highlights included the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, an 18th-century Baroque building situated almost on the water’s edge, and the Riviera di Liguria bike path, one of the most beautiful in Europe.

Where to stay

We stayed at Campeggio il Pozzo (43.854668, 7.960428 latitude, longitude), a campsite in the village from which you could walk to the old town, the beach, and the cycling route. The campsite costs €15 per day with electricity in the off-season. It has everything you need. Near the toilets, there’s a dishwashing area with hot water. The toilets have seats and toilet paper. There’s also a washing machine, which costs €3 to use. The very friendly manager lets you hang your laundry. Some bathrooms have showers, while others are single. Showers cost €1 for 5 minutes, with good pressure and hot water. The waste disposal area is located on a slope opposite the entrance. You can fill your water tank with a hose in the centre of the area. The chemical toilet is located on one side of the campsite. There’s electricity at each pitch and a relaxation area with a vending machine. We called in advance to book, but when we arrived, no one was there. The reception is open from 9 am to 12 pm, but we had to wait until 4 pm. There were a lot of people wanting to stay at the campsite. When the manager arrived (since I had made a reservation), she said we were the first ones there and found us a pitch. We loved the place, where we made friends Laura and her husband, a lovely Italian couple that we hope to see again in our travels. I highly recommend it for visiting this beautiful town.

What to see

We walked towards the centre, and the first thing we came across was a very cute bridge. We crossed the bridge to see an area with some really cool sculptures.

We continued until we reached the beach, which leads directly into the village. Next to it is the small, charming port with a fine sandy beach.

Located almost by the sea, you’ll find the Church of Santa María Maddalena, an 18th-century Baroque building that dominates the landscape. It was open, so we saw its ornate interior.

From there, we continued strolling along the seafront promenade, where you’ll find adorable restaurants and alleyways full of bars and shops.

The next day, we went out for lunch to celebrate my birthday. We walked through the old town until we reached the beach bar we’d seen. The restaurant is called U Nustromu, and it’s magnificent, with a sunny terrace right on the beach. The local speciality is seafood and swordfish. We decided to share mussels, swordfish, and octopus salad with potatoes. Everything was delicious, especially the swordfish. The octopus and swordfish were very reasonably priced: 10 euros each. They offered us a complimentary Italian liqueur, which was very good. I highly recommend this restaurant, and above all, try the swordfish—it’s the best we’ve ever had.

After this charming town, we went to Spotorno, a beautiful coastal town known for its beautiful beaches and historical sites, which you can see in the next blog.