Ligurian Sea

The floor, brick.

And the November wind comes in off the Ligurian Sea like it's been personally invited.

The fire smokes and gives nothing.

There is a canvas cot, a table, and a woman in her twenties who has just been locked inside.

Europe's tallest mountains, the Alps.

The range stretching 1,200 kilometers from east to west and between 150 and 250 kilometers from north to south extends from the Ligurian Sea to the Pannonian Basin.

The majestic mountains are the result of a dramatic tectonic collision as the African continental plate collided with Eurasia in the far distant past, pushing up the primeval ocean, Thetis.

The mountain lakes of today are the remains of the Ice Age and are fed by glaciers as well as countless underground and surface mountain streams.

It is a little place with a surprisingly large wine reputation and historically really important.

This was the old trade route from the Ligurian Sea up through to the major Piedmont areas, primarily for things like salt, fiercely protected.

So these were very important towns along this road.

And Gavi has this crazy reputation stating that they were the creators of, get this, ravioli.

The Cinque Terre needs no introduction.

The five lands or villages on the Ligurian Sea have captured the imagination of travelers for centuries, thanks to their precarious positions on cliff tops and, of course, the breathtaking views they enjoy.

But what fascinates me the most is how the people live and have lived in this challenging environment for many centuries.

We'll find out all about them today with the help of a local.

As always, it is the people, their ingenuity, and creativity to work in a landscape that, while beautiful, is unforgiving when it comes to growing crops for people to eat and to enjoy.

But somehow they manage to produce some of Italy's most delicious dishes and wine, and continue to innovate as the climate changes.

In a couple of weeks, we are taking our second sold-out tour of the year to this region, where they will meet the Cinque Terre locals, swim in the Ligurian Sea, and soak up everything that is truly wonderful about this coastal region.

We are heading back to the Cinque Terre and Liguria in 2027 with an updated itinerary, including an added day, an easier departure point from Milan, and drop-off in Florence.

That was no small engagement by any standard.

Hotham had spent the spring hunting French vessels in the Ligurian Sea.

After capturing two French ships at the Battle of Genoa, he expected a decisive victory when the two fleets crossed paths near the Îles d’Hyères on the thirteenth of July.

The first impression was that the British were outnumbered by wind, but their line formation and firepower held up well against the French rearmost ship, the Alcide, which became isolated after a series of running engagements.