Bella Italia perched on a mountain top

We fell in love with the small Italian mountain villages located in Imperia. While beaches and coastal towns were crowded and touristy the old charm and true Italian side could be found here among these small mountain villages perched among the green slopes.

We only stayed one night here at Hotel Negro Rezzo. A tiny gem well hidden up among the mountains. A small bed and breakfast where the owners and older couple in their sixties did everything from taking care of the reception, cleaning as well as cooking and making sure that all their guest were happy and well taken care off. 

The clouds hanging low and the skies darkening giving a dramatic effect. Thunder rolling in over the hills during late afternoon. 

 I took an early morning walk with my camera. The village and it's inhabitants were still peacefully asleep. I could quietly enjoy the cobbled stoned streets to myself. Seeing the sun slowly rise slowly over the green lush mountain slopes.

 Love the slate roofs .

Narrow streets, old houses and buildings. A Madonna perched above a door.

 

The pride of the city being the old church of course.

 

 Streets and houses may be old and worn but pretty details are found everywhere. Lot's of flowers in pots or on window sills, a beautiful letter box.

 Flowers growing out of a stone wall.

True peace and quiet. A sleepy town. No tv, hardly no internet (only right by the reception). The hotel had a nice pool with a view over the green mountain tops. We spent the afternoon by the pool side relaxing. 

Dinner was served in the dining room at 8 pm. No regular menu where you choose what you would like to order. The owner and his wife cooked all by themselves and the menu was therefore simply what the house had to offer that was served each evening. Even the wine was made by the old couple. We decided to go with the house wine which was the first wine bottle I have ever had without any kind of label. Everything we got served that evening tasted divine. We fell asleep like babies in our beds after our four course menu.

House wine gets a whole new meaning. The B&B owners own home made house wine with no label. He just told us it was a 2013. Wines here in Liguria are generally light and mild. That goes for both the reds and the whites. They are all young.

 Left the next morning to meet up with C's sister and family. We had been able to book two nights at the same place as them but had chosen this place for the first night as there was no rooms left at the place they were staying at for the first night. 

The drive up here was quite an experience in itself. Curvy roads that gradually became more narrow the higher up we got. Not roads to be driven after dark. As curvy as the roads were with all their twists and turns they were equally beautiful. The views very impressive. Well worth the stay and the drive.

More of our trip on another day. Basel today is rainy with some pretty heavy showers. I am planning on visiting the library today to see if I can get myself a library card.