Cinque Terre

On 28th April 2017 my Dad turned 70 and to celebrate we all decamped to a villa in Levanto near Cinque Terre. I'd never heard of Cinque Terre, which is made up of 5 towns dotted along the rugged Italian Riviera coastline, it turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

After a stormy start we settled into glorious days exploring the villages, evenings spent drinking wine on the terrace and nights sleeping with the windows wide open listening to the sea below us.

On our last night I booked a 'Sunset and Wine' kayak tour with a company called Outdoor Portofino (http://www.outdoorportofino.com/index.php/en/). Our guide Luca met us in Monterosso at 4pm and we set off to explore the coastline in our double kayaks. Luca pointed out various historical and geological points of interest along the way and later shared some local wine and focaccia with us while we perched on some cliffs beside a waterfall. It was such a beautiful experience cruising over the turquoise waters and looking up at the colourful towns, I love the combination of a stunning location and a challenging physical activity, it's in these situations I feel at my happiest and most relaxed.

Sleepy from our adventure (and the wine) my brother drove us back over the mountains as the sun was setting, I honestly felt like I was in a Bond film. Something about that car journey really sticks with me, it felt serene. A lovely combination of beautiful scenery, a tired body, a relaxed mind and the feeling of a shared experience.

Before leaving for the airport the next day we went down to the beach at Levanto to have a go at paddle boarding and just like that a new obsession was born, we loved it! I did fall in numerous times but I can't wait to have another go, a whole new world of possibilities could open up if we had our own paddle boards.

I love the way holidays let you slow down and simplify life, even it if it's only for a week!

Manarola: