Retirement Adventures: A Letter from George, our Director

Being retired doesn’t mean that I’m not still interested in travel... I’ve got the bug and reckon I’ll never shake it… nor do I wish to! A couple of weeks ago, a few friends and I spent 4 nights in the Pisa area of Italy. We spent 2 days in Lucca, a wonderful walled city about 30 minutes train ride from Pisa. Really worth a visit, and perfect for a short break.

Lucca has a very long history and the buildings to prove it. The city walls are so wide that you can walk or cycle around the full 2.5km. There are a great selection of restaurants and some really trendy shops and upscale boutiques. We stayed in Hotel La Luna, this is a standard 3 star place in the centre of the city. Nothing flashy but perfect for a few nights and they also had a good breakfast selection in the morning.

The other 2 nights we spent in Monterosso al Mare. This is one of the 5 towns that make up the Cinque Terre. These towns are about 1.5 hours by train from Pisa, and very interesting to visit. Originally, they were cut off from the world with access only possible by sea. For walkers or hikers they are a must, where one can walk between all three and a railway service to get you back to base.

Monterosso is in two parts with a promenade and a short walk into the old town through a tunnel. Being one of the bigger of the 5 villages – and more accessible – it attracts a lot of visitors, many of whom are on day trips from Pisa, and Florence. We stayed in the Roca Du Ma Pasu, which is 5 newly built studios on the promenade facing the sea with a little patio outside each one. These smart studios have a double bed and walk in shower with tea and coffee machines. Again, great for a short break and particularly enticing for walkers. I reckon it could be difficult to reserve in the high season but for the shoulder periods, these are a great find!

Warning… The Cinque Terre is tough walking and people need to be aware. The walks can also be blocked from time to time due to landslides… that said, it really is quite special.

Regards to all,

George