February 2026. Camogli. Italy.
25 years ago we flew to Genoa, hired a car, and set off around the Ligurian coast towards the Cinque Terre looking for signs saying “Zimmer Frei” “Camera” to stay for the night. In a world before websites and Booking.com, turning up at 4pm with two toddlers without accommodation seems reckless in retrospect. A ā¬30 room above a Rapallo cafe with a cot just about did the trick; good job Mumsnet wasn’t about then.
In 2025, 30 euros would barely buy you a cappucino and croissant in the Cinque Terre, not that you should drink cappucino in the afternoon, of course.
Mrs RM wanted a blog post on Ligurian picture postcard fishing villages on the cheap, and Camogli would do.
A half hour from Genova Principe on Trenitalia’s clean, cheap and spacious trains, with rain lashing against the coast, and two begraggled tourists looking for a picturesque lunch.
I’d set my heart on a cone of fried calamari and chips, but like most of Camogli the Frittura Marina was closed, whether for winter or Monday, who knows ?
Is Newlyn or Anstruther this quiet in February ?
Never mind, it’s barely 10 minutes from station to harbour,
a colourful (if wet) stroll,
and finally a choice of two eateries, one rather burger and chips, Vento Ariol a bit more promising.
I mean, it had a heron outside.
I know it’s a heron, Mrs RM asked ChatGPT.
More of that green pasta for me,
something more refined for Mrs RM, all high quality except the jazz version of Radiohead’s “Creep”.
Unfussy service in the only proper restaurant bothering to open on a winter Monday. There’s a lesson there.
I’m not sure what you actually do here, beyond eating, watching the waves crash and asking ChatGPT about heron behaviour, but what more do you want ?
retiredmartin 
Is there an Oscar for scenes shot in February on a phone? And is it too late to nominate your camera operator.
Not for the food, obv.
[I’m only posting because if I wait until you get back, WordPress will have forgotten who I am (again). I normally only post when your beer scores are clearly wrong (again).]
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Will, I never mind if I’m shown on here as “Anonymous”. That’s how I nearly always am on using pubs outside Stafford.
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You may be many things, Paul, but you’re never anonymous.
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I want to see your beer scores from Loughborough. I only did that with Quinno last Summer and you seem to have been to lots of different pubs.
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I was very impressed with the Three Nuns and White Hart. Then I went to the Generous Briton expecting a grudging 3 but the Bass was the best I can remember so I also went for a rugby union special from Bateman’s and that was also tremendous. You should have cancelled Italy and gone to Loughborough instead.
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Will, so might Loughborough be nearly as good as Tutbury and Hatton ?
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Will, you’re not the only commentator who has trouble with WordPress.
Looks like the UK is not alone when it comes to rain – apparently it’s rained every day here, since the start of January.
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Paul, The rain’s been especially bad in the Midlands, even keeping me from a Proper Day Out in Loughborough two days ago.
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Here on the West Coast things have been pretty well as one would expect. It’s not been that cold though, which is jolly good.
Incidentally, I find that if I click on the “envelope” option when leaving a comment, but enter name only, then I’m never anonymous. You might need to delete any WP cookies for this to make a difference, however.
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Etu, you’re on the West Coast, I’m two-thirds of a mile from the West Coast Main Line, and that can be quite a difference.
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āTHE CINQUE TERRE ON THE CHEAP ā LUNCH IN CAMOGLIā
(looks up)
Isnāt that the āguess where this isā pic?
āIn a world before websites and Booking.com, turning up at 4pm with two toddlers without accommodation seems reckless in retrospect.ā
Funny how that seemed normal back then. When I did that 11 months of backpacking around Europe I just had Fodorās Guide to Europe ā in book form. š
ānot that you should drink cappucino in the afternoon, of course.ā
Good lord no! Beer is the preferred choice.
āA half hour from Genova Principe on Trenitaliaās clean, cheap and spacious trains, with rain lashing against the coast, and two begraggled tourists looking for a picturesque lunch.ā
(looks down)
Yup, definitely thunder heads or some such.
ābut like most of Camogli the Frittura Marina was closed, whether for winter or Monday, who knows ?ā
Not that where I live is remotely close to the Italian Med, but most non-chain restaurants are closed here Mondays as well.
āNever mind, itās barely 10 minutes from station to harbour,ā
(looks down)
Blimey, theyāve got some curvy streets.
āa colourful (if wet) stroll,ā
Time to duck in somewhere for a pint!
āI know itās a heron, Mrs RM asked ChatGPT.ā
(slow golf clap)
āMore of that green pasta for me,ā
When in Romeā¦
āUnfussy service in the only proper restaurant bothering to open on a winter Monday. Thereās a lesson there.ā
But few small business eateries are learning it.
āIām not sure what you actually do here, beyond eating, watching the waves crash and asking ChatGPT about heron behaviour, but what more do you want ?ā
Some venue to have a pint whilst watching all of that?
Cheers
PS – put this in the wrong post!
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Yes, Fodors and the Rail Guide to Europe was enough back then. How did people cope ? By sleeping on beaches in Corfu, apparently.
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We all traded info at the hostels or on the trains.
I didn’t sleep on the beaches in Corfu, but I did sleep under the stars in Crete, as well as on board the ferry ride from Brindisi to Patras. Good thing I did on that one. Everyone below, in the general area (i.e. no cabin) had a bad night as some folk threw up, and it washed up and down between the seats all night.
Also, by sleeping up top, I was awake to see the sunrise. Absolutely glorious. It was like God (or someone) struck a match across the sky and the sun blazed into being (and no, I was on any hallucinogens… at that time). š
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Lovely analogy, Russ.
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“Lovely analogy, Russ.”
Thx.
That image has stuck in my mind all these years. I’d almost call it a bucket list thingy. š
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Bagni Lido pic takes the prize š
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