Guestbook

Our family has been renting the Blackberry Cottage since 1985. Guests have left beautiful memories of their holidays in our guestbook, which is jealously kept in the cottage. With the arrival of internet the guestbook moved on-line and here you can find the memories of our most recent guests.

2023

Fuma

October 2023

Bonjour,
Nous avons bien profité. Nous avons bien randonné; nous avons découvert un super sentier au-dessus de la maison par exemple. Nous avons nettoyé la maison au mieux. Nous avons laissé les draps et les serviettes au-dessus de la machine à laver, nettoyer le frigo, passer l'aspirateur et la serpilliére, nettoyer les sanitaires...
Vous avez la chance d'avoir une super maison!
Bien à Nathalie

Thilo

October 2023

Das Haus liegt hoch oben über dem Golf von La Spezia mit wunderschöner Aussicht auf die Stadt mit ihrem Hafen. Die Terrasse und der Garten sind liebevoll gepflegt und idealer Ortz um Entspannen. Das Cottage bietet mit nur einem Nachbarn, der das Anwesen nicht einsehen kann, 100% Privatsphäre. Es führt ein längerer Privatweg zum Anwesen, der von der SP370 abzweigt. Das Befahren ist für die Bewohner des Ferienhauses erlaubt und mit einer elektrisch betriebenen Schranke gesichert. Die Mieter sollten über ein Fahrzeug verfügen, La Spezia liegt ca. 10 Autominuten entfernt. Besonders erwähnenswert ist der Kontakt zum Eigentümer, der sich sehr besorgt und liebevoll um uns kümmerte. Wir kommunizierten über WhatsApp und E-Mail. Funktionierte sehr gut!

Marc

September 2023

La maison est superbement située. De beaux points de vue sur la baie de La Spezia lorsqu’on est sur les terrasses Alberto est très réactif et ses conseils de visites et de restaurants sont très utiles et judicieuses. C’est une location à recommander.

Gabriele

September 2023

You choose the house for its fantastic location-the view is incredible, the summer evenings on the terrace a delight. We went hiking and it was perfect that we could start right from the house. The communication with Alberto was very good with a lot of helpful Information. We -4 adults -enjoyed our stay very much.

Marco

August 2023

Alloggio stupendo, spazioso e molto riservato. Potevamo pure godere di una vista mozzafiato. La casa era in perfette condizioni, tutto molto in ordine e con tutti i servizi essenziali e funzionanti. Lo consiglio caldamente.

Els

August 2023

The modern tiny houses can really take an example of this traditional cottage! Everything possible necessary during your stay is available. Although no air-conditioning it stays nice cool inside. You can see that the owner really loves this cottage. It felt like an honour to stay here. The area is very nice but at this time of the year a bit too touristic. Parking your car is a challenge; the trains are very crowded.

Anca

July 2023

The Blackberry Cottage is a piece of heaven. It is an extremely authentic and traditional Italian like house. It is not very spacious but it is cosy. If you are planning with children, take into account that there are a lot of stairs. We were two families, 4 kids, the youngest was 5. The view is breath-taking. Alberto was extremely helpful, provided all the info we asked for, and made great recommendations. The sand beach in Lerici was about half an hour drive, but we also drove to Porto Venere one night, and it was worthed. Took the train to 5 Terre. Lots of options. Torniamo di sicuro.

Jean-Marc

June 2023

Bonjour,
Notre séjour s'est bien passé. La location est bien située avec un emplacement de choix. Les équipements, les prestations (drap et lit fait + serviette...) sont conformes au descriptif. L'état de propreté est impeccable.
Le moins: l'espace cuisine et coin repas sont petits pour une location de 8 personnes. Nous étions que 6 et la table est petite, idem pour celle qui est sur la terrasse de plein pied. C'est dommage que la table la plus grande soit au niveau du patio, qui est malheureusement difficile d'accès.
L'ensemble du groupe vous remercie pour l'accueil et les petits gestes, confiture et vin.
Salutations

Jennifer

April 2023

What a gem! Alberto's home is beautiful and exactly like the photos. The view from the patio is just magical and perfect for a morning coffee and relaxing with family. All of the beds are comfortable and the cooking utensils of a very high quality. Alberto is a wonderful host and really makes the effort to make the stay comfortable. Make sure you receive the photos of the gate and driveway to help you find the cottage. A wonderful holiday, thanks Alberto!

2022

Jorg

December 2022

We (a family with 7 adults) had a great week in the Blackberry Cottage in the last week of 2022. The house is at a great spot overviewing the harbour and we loved the character. Even in December hiking at the sea was very enjoyable! Alberto was a great host and all organisation and information given was perfect in time and uncomplicated! Thank you for a great weak, all members really enjoyed it!

Philippe

October 2022

Le gite est tout à fait conforme à la description. Tout était parfait, même si Alberto n'est pas présent sur place, il fait tout ce qu'il faut pour que notre arrivée se déroule dans les meilleures conditions. La communication entre nous par mail et messagerie était au top. La cerise sur le gâteau, la vue sur la baie des poètes (sublime). Merci encore à Alberto pour ce séjour.

Christine

October 2022

Dear Alberto, thank you very much for spending a wonderful week in your house. It's such a beautiful place and we had all we needed. Especially we loved breakfast outside with the fantastic view. We enjoyed the tracks to Riomaggiore and to Portovenere which starts directly from the house. We often went on foot to the central station La Spezia which takes about one hour and 1760 Steps... Thanks for all and have a nice time, yours Christine

Lynn

September 2022

I was with my family at the Blackberry Cottage and we had such a wonderful time. The view is indescribably beautiful! We loved to have breakfast or dinner on both terraces. The communication with Alberto was great and very helpful. Just notice there is no big living room inside. We had unfortunately a few rainy days and the outside area is not really made for that. I guess because there is usual no such weather in Italy ;)

Michaël

September 2022

Thank you for all the information you gave us. It was a really nice trip and we got some beautiful memories. The cottage was perfect and we are grateful to have spent some time in there.

Anca

July 2022

Thanks Alberto, for hosting us at the Blackberry Cottage. We had a wonderful stay and wish we had more time to explore the area, to relax and enjoy the stunning view. Wishing you and your family a great end of the summer! Anca and family

Jonathan

June 2022

Wir waren eine Gruppe von vier Personen und hatten einen wunderschönen Aufenthalt. Die Lage der Unterkunft ist wunderschön, ganz besonders der Blick über La Spezia und den Hafen ist beeindruckend. Das Haus selbst hat einen bezaubernden Garten und eignet sich perfekt zum entspannen und zum wohlfühlen. Bei Problemen oder Fragen ist die Kommunikation mit dem Host sehr unkompliziert. Wir kommen gerne wieder und können die Unterkunft definitiv weiterempfehlen!

2021

Bertrand

November 2021

Nous avons passé un très bon séjour à la Villa des mûres. La vue depuis le jardin est splendide et la terrasse très agréable. Le petit cottage est charmant, parfait pour six personnes. Alberto, le propriétaire, nous a très gentiment accueilli. Nous avons ainsi pu visiter les Cinque Terre, en train, depuis La Spezia. Nous garderons un très bon souvenir de nos vacances.

Roman

October 2021

Perfect place for a relaxing vacation with a beautiful garden and fully equipped with everything you need for your stay! Especially the view of the sea is impressive. Thank you Roberto for the very good care!

Tim

September 2021

Ein super Haus, mit einem fantastischen Ausblick auf den Hafen und das Meer in Mitten von Olivenbäumen. Das Haus war optimal für 6 Personen. Alberto hat super Tipps gegeben und war bei Fragen immer direkt zur Stelle. Gerne wieder.

Philippe & Dominique

May 2021

Nous avons adoré ce petit coin de paradis avec une vue imprenable sur le Golfe de la Spezia, le temps s'est arrêté au milieu des figuiers et des oliviers dans le joli jardin fleuri de la «Villa des Mûres».

Pleine de charme et d'histoire, cette jolie maison rustique , sise dans au milieu d'un parc naturel vous permettra de savourer la tranquilité et il «dolce farniente» avec deux terrasses, dont une ombragée.

Le parking aisé, tout près de la maison offrira la possibilité de circuler facilement en voiture et, en 10-15 minutes, vous serez déjà au 1er village des Cinque Terre « Riomaggiore ». Ensuite, vous pourrez découvrir les 4 autres villages facilement par le train ou par le Traghetti.

A quelques minutes à pied de la maison, vous pourrez profiter d' un très bon restaurant «Il Paradiso del Golfo» avec une vue imprenable sur la mer.

La Spezia et Portovenere ne sont qu'à quelques minutes en voiture. Nous recommandons chaleureusement cette adresse originale, typique et calme.

2020

Peter

October 2020

We liked your house very much. It is a wonderful place.
The view on the harbour is fantastic. The offshore ships where illuminated.

It was a pity, that the weather was not very good, but your heating is working excellent.

Thank you very much for your excellent and very friendly guidance, once we needed help.

We will recommend your "Blackberry Cottage” to all our friends and family.

Alex and Ingleby

September 2020

This year we came with two fairly recently widowed friends, both of whom had much enjoyed a previous holiday with their husbands at Blackberry Cottage. One also came with us by herself in 2018. This year was another huge success, in spite of the limitations of Covid. We were blessed by marvellous mid-September weather. We had no problems whatsoever; everything in this well-appointed cottage worked well! The cottage remains for us an ideal holiday destination. Secluded without being isolated, with a million-dollar panoramic view of the Poet’s Gulf!

Oliver

July 2020

In diesem speziellen schwierigen Jahr der Pandemie hatten wir lange überlegt, ob wir nach La Spezia fahren können. Wir haben es nicht bereut! Blackberry Cottage in seiner wunderschönen Lage hat uns alle Sorgen vergessen gemacht. Jeden Morgen der schöne Sonnenaufgang über der Bucht, ein Frühstück draußen auf der herrlichen Terasse, die fantastischen Ziele der Umgebung, ein Snak auf der überdachten oberen Terasse, dabei immer den traumhaften Ausblick auf die lebhafte Bucht von La Spezia, und dabei das schöne Gefühl, in einem ehrwürdigen, historischen und landestypischen Haus zu wohnen mit angenehmen Comfort. Fernab von Hektik genossen wir die Ruhe und wurden tagsüber sogar von der Musik der mediterranen Zikaden unterhalten. Was will man mehr? Blackberry Cottage in Cinqueterre ist ein Paradies!

Emmanuelle

August 2020

Cher Alberto,
Nous étions content de notre séjour.
Nous avons effectué beaucoup de visites. La région est belle. Nous sommes allés au Cinqueterre en train/ randonnée/ bateau. Le marché quotidien de La Spezia est très appréciable. Nous avons pris le train pour Florence, avons visité Lucques. également les carrières de Carrare en 4X4, fabuleux.
Merci pour votre accueil.
Bonnin.

2019

Sharon

October 2019

My two girlfriends and I enjoyed five wonderful nights in Blackberry Cottage. It is in a convenient location, exquisitely landscaped, spacious and very comfortable. Highly recommend!

Alexandre

October 2019

Très bon accueil, magnifique endroit.

Jovana

September 2019

This was a lovely place: amazing view, and feeling of history- easy to Cinque Terre and Porto Venere and La Spezia. Thank you we had a lovely stay.

Amanda

August 2019

Lovely retreat with gorgeous views. Easy commute to la Spezia and train/bus transportation. We would definitely stay there again.
Alberto’s check-in instructions are ON POINT!

Thorsten

April 2019

Hello Alberto! Our journey back home was without any remarkable interruption. Our presence in cinque terre will leave beautiful memorys in our minds. it's a really nice place to be, also the children liked it. To have a really undisturbed time with a beautiful view down over La Spezia and the Mediterranean see, i cannot imagine a better place. Maybe sometime we will come back again... All the best for you and thanks a lot for your solicitous care!

Dirk

April 2019

We had a great time staying at Alberto's cottage! Cosy but plenty of space for 2 families, 4 kids & 4 adults, especially outside with many landscaped terraces. My daughter wants to return to the "flower house" right away!

We enjoyed the secluded location (accessible by car up a steep road), cooked some wonderful meals, took in the views and trails. Easy drives to nearby Portovenere, Lerici, Montemarcello, etc. and to the train station for Cinque Terre. Alberto gave lots of local tips, clear instructions for arrival (we arrived after dark with no problems), and made sure we were all set. Highly recommend Alberto and his cottage!"

2018

Meinhard

October 2018

Dear Alberto, We would like to thank you for our stay at your lovely cottage in october.
We enjoyed our week so much - the lovely house itself, the beautiful garden and the wonderful view to the bay were so exciting and wonderful - please excuse us, but we never watched TV, we always sit on your terrasse and enjoyed the marvelous stunning view to La Spezia!
We also would like to thank for the delicious bottle of wine and the tasty marmalade - very kindely of you!
We're shure that we'll come back one day - if you rent your cottage to us again…?! Attached I send you a few photos I took of your wonderful house - maybe you will use one or another for your website…
At least, we hope so much, that your house survived the badly weather at the end of october well. We wish you and your familiy a merry christmas and all the best für 2019!

Deborah

August 2018

Ti ringrazio moltissimo per averci dato questa bellissima opportunità di soggiornare alla Casina delle More, e' un posto veramente fantastico, noi stiamo veramente bene, ho trovato la spiaggia per portare anche il mio labrador, di giorno siamo sempre lì in spiaggia e poi veniamo a goderci questa stupenda casa, grazie Alberto un abbraccio da tutti noi

Zymantas

July 2018

Alberto was an excellent host. Communication was better than expected as we were able to reach him anytime we had questions.
Blackberry Cottage is a dream vacation house. The location is pretty good as well, as we were able to travel all through Cinque Terre. We recommend choosing Alberto’s place if you want to enjoy having breakfast with an excellent view!

Leah

July 2018

Charming and cozy cottage. Gorgeous setting perched in the hills above La Spezia and an easy home base for exploring the Cinque Terre. We were a group of 4 adults and 4 children and all fit comfortably. We especially loved the outdoor table and gardens.

2017

Jean Paul

October 2017

Bonjour Alberto,
Nous rentrons tout juste d’une dernière ballade au dessus de Campiglia.
Nous avons passé de superbes vacances. Nous repartons demain dans la matinée. Un grand merci de nous proposer de rester un peu plus longtemps, mais ce n’est hélas pas possible..... nous reviendrons!
Bien cordialement
Jean-Paul

Florian

October 2017

We're visited Alberto's Cottage with two families with total of five children and we had a fantastic time. The house has put us in another time and our children believe that there is living an old good ghost in the old walls. The garden is lovingly designed and requests a charming view over the gulf of poets.

2016

Thomas H.

October 2016

Hi, the Blackberry Cottage was a perfect base for us to explore both the Qinque Terre and the Toskana. We spent eight nights with two kids (12, 14) and enjoyed every day.

It was early October and the weather was still warm enough on sunny days to swim in the sea. The view over the bay of La Spezia is fantastic. The cottage itself is very charming and well equipped with everything you need (including washing machine). It offers four small bed rooms and can accommodate four adults and four children (but then it gets tight). The lush and lovely garden is very well maintained and is perfect for eating outside or relaxing. We enjoyed full privacy as the cottage is located in the middle of the green hillside at the end of a private road.

The host, Alberto Parenti, has been very friendly and helpful. As a welcome token we received a bottle of local wine and local marmalade. There's plenty of information available in the cottage for places to eat or visit. One of our highlights was the Ristorante Hosteria al Leon d'Oro (via Baracchini 16-18), a simple and nice bohemian style Osteria in La Spezia with excellent local food (no menu card!) and super friendly owner and staff, just seven minutes by car from the house.

With Blackberry Cottage as a base, you have the option to do virtually whatever you prefer during your stay; sea & beach, local villages, hiking, local food, history and city strolls (Florence is just one and half hours by car). You can hang on to the tourist spots or look for places off the beaten tracks - there's something for everyone. By the way, although being dominated by the freight harbor, the navy and industry, La Spezia has it's own charm as an easy to navigate through mid-sized city with very typical Italian lifestyle and atmosphere.

We found the Blackberry Cottage a perfect alternative if you don't want to be completely "embraced" by typical tourist destinations and stay in places like Lerici, Porto Venere, or the famous Cinque Terre villages.

Stefanie K.

September 2016

Ciao Alberto,
nostre holiday was molto molto buonissimo.
We hast wonderful days in tuo casa !!!!!!!
Great, bella, wonderful, mistica......
A molto grandissimo place.
Grazie mille per tutti ♥ ♥
Tanti saluti

Isabelle L.

August 2016

Nous avons trouvé la maison très très sympa. Elle est idéalement placée par rapport à ce que nous avions à faire. Nous avons randonnée sur les "cinque terre", visité PortoVenere,... La vue de la terrasse était appréciée de tous que cela soit le matin ou le soir.
Le jardin était superbe (une photo en pièce jointe).
Bien cordialement, Isabelle

Astrid W.

July 2016

We had a wonderful time ad your cottage. It was really magical. The house is lovely and has everything you need. The garden is perfect and the view even better. Thank you so very much!
At first we couldn't find it, and if it wasn't for Andrea, we never would. Maybe a little sign at the main road would help.

Cedric R.

July 2016

Quel plaisir de passer un séjour dans une villa avec une belle vue sur la baie de La Spezia, ville italienne authentique avec son marché appétissant !

Cette villa est un camp de base parfait pour rayonner dans la région : Pise et Gênes sont à moins d’une heure en voiture et Portovenere ainsi que les villages des Cinque Terre sont facilement accessibles par les transports en commun.

Une bien belle région à découvrir grâce à la villa des Mûres !

Kristina & Andreas L.

June 2016

We are a party of 6 (2 adults and 4 kids in the range from 11-14 years), which just came back from a wonderful week at Blackberry Cottage in Cinque Terre.

When we found the cottage on the internet and inquired about the availability Alberto was very fast with his reply and provided us with all the necessary information concerning price, logistics, bank details etc. Closer to our departure we received a very detailed travel description with contact numbers to our local housekeeper Andrea. Once we arrived a bit late in La Spezia Andrea was waiting at the gas station ready to take up to the cottage.

You definitely need a car to stay at the Blackberry Cottage as the road is step, but just as the cottage it provides a breath taking view of the bay of La Spezia.

The cottage holds 8 people and very well kept and the cottage is very charming with a 300-year history. The garden is a story of its own and it is so beautiful, with all kind of flowers and small places to sit and enjoy the scenery. We fell in love with the place and we can highly recommend this place to anybody who wants to experience the charming area of Cinque Terre. It’s right there at the top of any place we have stayed in before.

It also provided a great base for excursions to Cinque Terre, Portevenere, Pisa, Lucca and off course to La Spezia.

2015

Patrick et Marie Josée F.

November 2015

Bonjour Alberto, Un petit mot pour vous dire que nous sommes bien rentrés. Nous sommes finalement partis dimanche soir, quand Andréa est passé.

Comme il ne restait qu'une nuit à passer, et que la météo prévoyait de la pluie, nous avons pensé que cela nous permettrait d'avoir moins de monde sur la route.

Mais nous avons eu un très gros orage juste après Vintimille, jusqu'à Nice.

Nous garderons un très bon souvenir de nos 10 jours de vacances. Finalement, le temps nous a aidé à nous reposer. Et nous avons quand même pu faire la plupart des sorties que nous souhaitions.

Comme promis, je vous envoie quelques photos de la villa que j'ai pu réaliser en assemblant des séries de photos successives. Pour les photos "classiques", le temps n'a pas permis d'en faire de meilleures que celles que vous avez déja sur votre site. Vous pouvez bien entendu utiliser ces photos à votre guise, si vous le souhaitez.

On garde vos coordonnées pour une prochaine fois, en espérant que nous attendrons moins de 10 ans avant de pouvoir prendre de nouvelles vacances.

Bien cordialement

Bernhard S.

September 2015

We loved the cottage and had a great stay. We didn't miss anything, except for finding the turn off the road ;) You have done a great job configuring the cottage and setting up the gardens in the upper part. Looks like you may be working on the lower gardens next, but it must be challenging to maintain an even larger garden during the dry season.

I'll leave it to my wife to write something in the guest book, she's the writer in the family.

Isabelle

Avril 2015

Bonjour,
Notre semaine de vacances c’est très bien passée. Même la météo était bonne: beau mais pas trop chaud.
La maison, excentrée par rapport à la ville de La Spezia, est vraiment calme et très accueillante. le panorama est superbe et le jardin très bien entretenu, très joli et bien agencé.
Les villages sont vraiment beaux et les vignes cultivées dans une multitudes de petits jardins en escaliers donnent un paysage surprenant.

En une semaine nous n’avons bien entendu pas eu le temps de tout voir, c’est pourquoi nous reviendrons avec plaisir.
Cordialement.

Lydia T.

May 2015

Das Casina delle More ist wirklich ein schöner Ort an dem wir uns sehr wohlgefühlt haben.

Der Garten ist toll und gepflegt - dort kann man wunderbar entspannen, ein gutes Buch lesen, ein Glas Wein trinken und den tollen Ausblick genießen.

Alberto war super zuverlässig, hat schnell und unkompliziert auf Anfragen reagiert und so war alles super entspannt!

2014

Martyna

September 2014

Pobyt w Blackberry Cottage był wspaniały! Byliśmy pod szczególnym wrażeniem pięknie zadbanego ogrodu i świeżych ziół. Co wieczór mogliśmy spędzać urocze chwile jedząc kolacje na tarasie z niesamowitym widokiem na morze. Domek jest świetnie wyposażony i stanowi doskonałą bazę wypadową do zwiedzania Ligurii. Szczególnie podobało nam się Portovenere i Cinque Terre. Wszystkim bardzo polecamy Blackberry Cottage

Michael

June 2014

We enjoyed our stay in Casina delle More (Blackberry Cottage) a lot, especially the breathtaking view over the gulf of La Spezia.

The wonderful garden is a perfect place for recreation.

Roberts and Cockerill Family

May 2014

We stayed at Blackberry Cottage for 5 nights and would love to return one day. It is a truly magical place. The Cottage is not big, but it doesn’t matter as there’s a beautiful terrace garden with plenty of room for eating or relaxing outdoors. Plus being outside gives you one of the best views you’ll ever see in your life. We spent a lot of time just sitting out on the terrace.
We stayed here with our two-and-a-half year old and 8 month old baby. We were initially worried about the kids falling down the steps but it didn’t turn out to be a problem.
The Cottage is a great base for exploring the Cinque Terre and Portovenere. It’s only about a 10 minute drive to the closest Cinque Terre town. We stayed during the week so didn’t have any problems finding parking outside the towns.
This place is perfect for families with a car who want somewhere quiet and relaxing to stay away from the crowds. Thank you Alberto, staying here was one of the highlights of our trip.

Sara and Rob and family

April 2014

We had a WONDERFUL stay...the cottage was awesome!! We loved every second of it! I can write more later, but just wanted to say thank you... it was a very charming visit!

Amy

April 2014

We truly enjoyed our week at the Blackberry Cottage. The garden is beautiful and the views incredible! A very relaxing week was had in the Cinque Terre area. Alberto was very accommodating and we greatly appreciated everything he did to make our stay enjoyable!

Christophe

Avril 2014

Bonjour Alberto,
nous tenions à vous remercier pour tout. Votre accueil très cordial à fini de nous convaincre de louer votre Villa. Andréa qui est sur place nous a très bien accueilli et guidé jusqu'à la villa.

Il a bien plu pendant notre séjour mais malgré cela nous avons pu visiter les Cinqué Terre sans nous mouiller. Ces lieux sont magnifiques, nous avons profité des superbes paysages et des gens qui sont vraiment très accueillants. Nous sommes allés à Pise qui n'est pas très loin et sommes même allés jusqu'à Florence, exceptionnel! La villa est bien exposée, la vue sur la mer est superbe. C'est un endroit haut perché avec un jardin bien entretenu et fleuri. Compte tenu des tarifs je pense qu'il n'y a rien à redire, la villa est très bien. Le pièce principale est fonctionnelle et certe petite mais nous ne sommes pas venus pour rester enfermés. Il y a la télévision par satellite et l'accès internet wifi, tout le monde en a profité. L'accès par le chemin privé est un peu délicat mais n'est pas un handicap pour autant.

Nous étions 6 adultes et 2 enfants. Il faut un peu d'organisation pour utiliser l'unique salle de bain et il n'y a pas de problème. Nous n'avons pas eu besoin d'emmener de draps et les lits étaient faits. Les produits pour l'entretien quotidiens sont disponibles, c'est un plus. Le tarif inclut le nettoyage de la maison, c'est vraiment parfait. En cas de soucis vous pouvez comptez sur Andréa qui est à proximité ou Alberto qui reste joignable par téléphone.

C'est sans hésitation que je recommande cette location. Allez y vous ne devriez pas être décu! Merci pour tout Alberto.

2013

Petra, Till and Halima

September 2013

We loved your Blackberry Cottage so much. Following Andrea driving up the hill you already could sense that this is a special place and then this amazing view and the beautiful garden with its smell of rosemary. We loved relaxing on the terrace but also took walks from Manarola to Cormiglia, such a scenic trail and our dog loved climbing up the hill. The other walk was from Monterosso to Vernazza. We easily could access the Cinque Terre towns from the cottage, they are so beautiful. For us it was great that the cottage was situated so quietly and we could start from the house with walking the dog without having to worry about other dogs or traffic. I took the third curve to right uphill to get to a grass path and could then take a round walk passing the church and getting back to the house on the back side. I also found the trail going uphill but only started it and then returned. For dinner we went to Portovenere or to The Ville Relais, a recommendation from one of the cards of the Pinnwall in the house, a great idea. We always felt welcome with our dog, Italians seem to love dogs. Also Tellaro is a very nice, picturesque little village. For us holidays in Blackberry Cottage were a little dream and we hope to come back. Thank you Alberto and Baba for making your guests feel like coming to stay with friends and for all our friendliness.

Heather

September 2013

Hi Alberto,
We did enjoy our stay, particularily the garden terrace and views of La Spezia.
We had nice meals at Bocca Di Magra and Portovenere which were two of our favorite places. Thank you for suggesting places to go and making sure our stay went smoothly. Now I am starting to take Italian classes in the hope I will be able to return to Italy sometime soon : )
We will write something in your guest book and on Trip Adviser.

Gérard

July 2013

Bonjour,
Nous avons passé un très bon séjour à la villa.
Vous avez des fleurs magnifiques et je pense qu'Andréa fait cela très bien. Il est très sympathique et serviable. Il a fait très chaud et nous avons bien profité des terrasses le soir. Nous avons randonné tous les jours. Par contre les sentiers de l'arrière-pays ne sont pas entretenus. Nous avons même rebroussé chemin un jour. A part cela tout était magnifique et nous garderons un très bon souvenir de notre séjour.

Dennis

July 2013

В конце июля 2013 года мы провели действительно отличную неделю в коттедже. Огромная заслуга в этом принадлежит хозяевам, которым удалось создать очень уютную атмосферу. А их отношение к гостям делает и без того замечательные виды и окружение еще более прекрасными. Единственным разочарованием было то, что нам не хватило времени позагорать на всех 5 террасах приусадебной территории. К слову, после коттеджа Альберто вторую неделю мы отдыхали на тосканском побережье в районе Форте дей Марми и Камайоре. Больше туда ни ногой. Теперь только к Альберто.

Erik

June 2013

Thanks Alberto. We had a great time, although my wallet was lifted by a pickpocket as we left the La Spezia train station. We did manage to get our credit cards secure and were able to get cash by the time we got to Milan.
Everything was great, the garden was in such good condition, Andrea is doing a great job.
Wishing you and your family all the best.

Eva & Andrew

April 2013

Dear Alberto,
We had a wonderful sunny week at Blackberry Cottage in April! The garden is lovely and full of flowers in spring - it was very nice to enjoy breakfast outside in the sun with the spectacular view.
The kitchen is well equipped and we made use of the BBQ on the terrace.
We were 7 adults but the house didn't feel small as we spent most of the time outdoors. (It can take some time to get everyone ready though, as there is only one shower.) It is very easy to get to Cinque Terre by boat and rail, though a car is needed to get to La Spezia.
We also made day trips to Pisa and Firenze by car.
We hope to return as we had a really good time at Blackberry Cottage!

2012

Pierre

Octobre 2012

Bonjour Monsieur,
Nous avons eu beaucoup de plaisir lors de notre séjour en Italie. Nous avons été très bien reçu par Andrea sans trop de formalités administratives. Pendant notre séjour, la météo a été très variable et il est vrai que la Villa des Mûres est magnifique en cas de beau temps. Par contre lorsque l'on doit rester à l'intérieur, nous avons trouvé le salon-cuisine un peu petit et sombre.

Martini

August 2012

Bonjour Alberto, oui désolé de n'avoir pu vous donner des nouvelles de notre séjour mais la reprise du travail, la rentrée scolaire et le temps qui passe trop vite...Enfin. Nous avons passé un excellent moment dans votre maison, le lieu est magique, la vue superbe et toujours changeante, nous gardons tous un très bon souvenir de ces vacances. Les points faibles sont: frigidaire trop petit pour huit personnes, une seule salle de bain provoque trop d'attente, trop d'affaires personnelles limitent le rangement des locataires. Voila Alberto, merci encore pour cette belle decouverte.

Esther Johnson (Virginia)

August 2012

Blackberry Cottage is everything the website says and the photos are absolutely accurate. But the place is so much more than pictures--there is a magic there that cannot be explained rationally, simply felt. The structure oozes history and love and connection. It is obvious that the house, the patio, the flowers, everything is cared for and part of a very special family who trust in strangers to share it and appreciate it as they do. I have not met Alberto or Baba but I feel as if I know them from having been in this place which is so special to them and has mementos of their own. I slept in Baba's old room and was greeted with the sun shining every day on the Ligurian Sea, the Bay of Poets. The view is spectacular, the patios welcoming and healing, and the memory of drinking coffee every morning in the sun looking over the bay will carry me forward into the long winter to come. I cannot say enough about how special this cottage is. I would go back in a nanosecond!

Brigitte

August 2012

Bonjour, Alberto ! Et encore merci pour la confiance que vous nous avez accordée pour la location de votre villa!
Nous avons passé une semaine magnifique: soleil à volonté pendant une semaine, avec à peine 1/4h de pluie, que demander de plus? D'autant que la villa est bien équipée et super bien conçue pour supporter la chaleur: nous profitons de l'isolation de la pierre, et les moustiquaires nous permettent de bénéficier du bon air, de jour comme de nuit! Nous nous y sommes vraiment sentis comme chez nous: quel plaisir, ce jardin en terrasses avec une si belle vue! La propriété étant bien clôturée, notre berger suisse en a également bien profité, et nous pouvions la laisser libre sans aucun souci.
Un tout grand merci à Andrea pour son bon accueil et à Elisabetta pour sa discrétion efficace.
La région est vraiment à l'image de ce que nous avions imaginé, et une semaine est bien trop courte pour en profiter pleinement. Bref: nous espérons y revenir dès que possible!

Claudia Spinner

July 2012

Dear Alberto,
we enjoyed the fantastic cottage very much and hope to return another year... Thanks again!

Thomas and family

June 2012

Dear Alberto,
I just want to say thank you for letting us borrow your wonderful house.
We all fell in love in the cottage and everything was over our expectations. We had a perfect week and some days we just stayed at the cottage and relaxed. After we left we talked about how wonderful it would be to come back again, and hopefully we can make an trip down to Italy and your cottage again.
All the best.

Roy

May 2012

Dear Alberto
we had a wonderful time at blackberry cottage but it is not possible to stay there without a car kind regards.

2011

Marschner

May 2011

Blackberry Cottage is a wonderful place to stay--off of the tourist track, but close enough to visit all of the popular destinations. We had a fantastic time! The cottage was peaceful and beautifully situated. We greatly appreciated all of the flowers in the garden and our time relaxing on the terraces enjoying the views.

Carmen Cohen

May 2011

Dear Alberto,
We had a wonderful week at the Blackberry Cottage. I knew that I would love the cottage the minute we entered the garden. The terraces and the flowers were beautiful and so well maintained. The view of the bay at La Spezia was spectacular. The cottage reminds me of a fairy tale house. Stefano was there to greet us and to show us around the house and how to use the T.V., stove, washing machine. The location is great because it is so close to the National Park, the train, the ferries, bars, markets and restaurants. Everything in the cottage is very well maintained, great shower, and well supplied. I do not have anything negative to say about our week at your lovely cottage. Thanks for letting us your place for the week.

2010

Martje

October 2010

The Blackberry Cottage is located between Porto Venere and Porto Fino as is Cinque Terre with its beautiful villages and connecting hikes. The view from the cottage over the bay of La Spezia is stunningly beautiful every single morning when you wake up. We celebrated our 25th anniversary the last week of October with family in the cottage and it could not have been more perfect. Thank you Alberto, for having us.

Jacques Levenq

Septembre 2010

Bonjour Alberto, tout d'abord, je voudrais vous souhaiter une très bonne et heureuse année. Puissiez-vous profiter de votre villa et de son charme! Nous avons effectué un très bon séjour en septembre dernier et nous avons apprécié la situation de cette belle maison ainsi que l'accueil que nous a réservé Carlo. C'est un endroit idéal pour découvrir ce beau territoire des Cinque Terre. Seuls petits regrets, une fin de semaine pluvieuse et des installations sanitaires un peu petites pour 7 adultes. Merci car nous avons passé une très bonne semaine.

Famille Di Rago

Août 2010

Malgré un temps mitigé nous avons pu quand-même profiter de cette belle région où il est difficile de trouver une place pour la voiture mais les glaces, pizzas et focaccie sont délicieuses! Cette petite maison est très agréable a vivre, très confortable (super le jardin) on y resterait bien plus longtemps. Ces deux semaines sont passées trop vîtes. On espère pouvoir y revenir un jour.
PS: Merci a Carlo pour son bon accueil. Il parle très bien français.

Des Lyonnais et des parisiens

Août 2011

Excellent séjour dans votre adorable maison. Nous nous sentons comme a la maison. Nous recommanderons vivement votre maison.
Merci pour des vacances super sympa.

Adrian Dusa

July 2010

Dear Alberto, We have made it safely back to Belgium and I am actually back at the office (this is the bad part). We enjoyed very much the stay at the Blackberry cottage and the beautiful area that surrounds it.
Everything was perfect during our stay there!

André

Mai 2010

Voici 3 mois déjà que nous sommes rentrés de cette magnifique semaine à la Villa des Mûres. Nous avons eu un excellent séjour, une semaine inoubliable... peut-être un peu trop tôt dans la saison, car les soirées étaient encore trop fraiches, et le bâtiment un peu humide, nous forçant à allumer le chauffage pour ces soirées.
*Un beau et bon feu de bois dans la cheminée eût certainement été un "plus", et ajouté une note de convivialité supplémentaire...!
*Un point un peu plus délicat est la route d'accés aprés la barriére: pour une voiture basse sur roues, avec 4 personnes et chargée de bagages, il y aurait lieu d'améliorer l'état de cette route présentant pas mal d'orniéres, ou de prévenir vos hôtes de préférer prendre un véhicule plus haut, voir 4x4.
Ceci est largement compensé par la beauté de l'endroit et des innombrables ballades, ainsi que par l'accueil et la gentillesse de Carlo. Encore merci à lui!

Familles Vaudrey et Fayolle

Avril 2010

Nous avons eu de super vacances même si c'était trop court! Dommage pour le temps (mauvais toute la semaine sauf le samedi et la dimanche). Le jardin nous a beaucoup plu avec toutes ses fleurs. Nous (les enfants) avons fait une boum dans votre cuisine. Merci pour des merveilleuses vacances en Italie!

Irene e Etienne

Avril 2010

Ciao Alberto
E’ andata bene la nostra vacanza. Il giardino e’ bello fiorito e arrangiato bene. Avremmo voluto mangiare fuori pero’ il tempo era ancora un po' freddino. Abbiamo trovato che la sala e’ troppo piccola per otto persone. Quando mangiavamo, non era possibile fare il giro della tavola! Quando siamo stati li in aprile, abbiamo dormito con mio marito nella camera di sotto ed era veramente fredda! Grazie per averci sistemato le barriere per i letti di sopra.
Abbiamo trovato tutto quello che ci serviva in cucina o per il bagno. Abbiamo passato un'ottima vacanza nella vostra casa e girando la costa.
Grazie di tutto.

2009

Ralf

October 2009

We've stayed in October one week in the cottage and it really was wonderful!
We've been 4 adults and 4 kids and though the house is quite limited in space we had no problems whatsoever with the space. The kitchen is well equipped and the furnishing is lovely. Having breakfast on the terrace was a highlight every day. The terrace offers a magnificent view over La Spezia and the bay. Fortunately, we enjoyed excellent weather all the time!
Location was ideal for us to visit Cinque Terre both by car or by train from La Spezia train station. The garden is wonderful and sunny - it is easily possible to take a sunbath even in October.
Garden at cinqueterre Peace is back at Cinque Terre Dramatic storm over the gulf Sunset view of the gulf dei Poeti

The Bonds

September 2009

Hello Alberto, hope you and your wife are doing well.  We are all busy, but never too busy to remember our great time in Italy at the Blackberry.  We can't thank you enough for all of the work you put into making our stay at the Blackberry a trip of a life time!!
The accommodations were wonderful and there was plenty of room for all 7 of us.   The view of Poet's bay was so memorable that my son even painted a picture of it for his college painting class and received rave reviews for it.  The location was perfect for seeing all of the surrounding sights of the Cinque Terras, a short drive to Florence and the airport in Pisa.  Our only regret is not having another week so we could just spend time relaxing at your beautiful cottage.  Thank you from the entire Bond family!!!!!

Daniel

September 2009

Nous avons passé une très agréable semaine à la villa en septembre 2009. Uné météo tout à fait exceptionnelle nous a permis de longues ballades dans le Cinque Terre. Les petits déjeuners sur la terrasse ont été très appréciés et la vue le matin sur le golfe des Poètes est un ravissement.

Margareth

July 2009

Our week at Blackberry Cottage was the highlight of our three-week trip around Europe. Blackberry Cottage was the first place I looked at online when I started planning our trip. My husband kept trying to get my to look at other places, but I just had a feeling about Blackberry Cottage. It turns out my feeling was right! My husband admitted as much about five seconds after we arrived, and we loved every minute we spent there.
The garden is just as beautiful and well-maintained as it looks in the pictures. The view is fabulous at all hours of the day and night. We took many day trips to Cinque Terre and elsewhere around the region.
Everything in the region was fantastic, and having Blackberry Cottage as home base just made it all better. We'll be back.

Clarisse, Stephane et les autres

Juin 2009

Nous avons été très chaleureusement accueillis par Carlo - les uns après les autres :) et les exchanges préalables par mail nous avaient déjà convaincus que le séjour allait être parfait...
Nous sommes venus une semaine pour célébrer un mariage à La Spezia et beaucoup sont repartis avec l'envie de revenir.
Votre maison est superbe, très bien équipée, très très bien située (j'ai même finalement trouve le joli petit chemin pour monter a pied depuis La Spezia) et nous avons profite de tous les recoins du jardin malgré le temps assez pluvieux cette semaine-la. Bon d'accord, surtout le barbecue et la terrasse pour les apéros!
Seul petit "bémol visuel": la petite construction pas finie devant l'entrée de la maison, on a hâte de savoir ce que ca peut devenir ;)
Sinon nous avons fait beaucoup de vélo, directement au départ de la villa: toutes les directions valent le détour! Et les chemins des Cinque Terre, quelle merveille! Votre région est magnifique...

Kristina

May 2009

Къщата е вълшебна. Има най-незабравимата гледка към залива на Ла Специя, на хвърлей e от Cinque Terre, Леричи и Порто Венере, и същевременно достатъчно отдалечена от туристическата гмеж. 
Скътана е в гората, с прекрасна градина. Mакар че бяхме там през май, а слънцето - истинско лято, преживяването беше съвсем като Италия от филмите, сещам се за Enchanted April.  С други думи, идеално е за ваканция по женски, с приятели или семейно. И за романтика, разбира се, защото предразполага към интимност повече от всяко друго място. Добре е да сте близки помежду си или да не запълвате пределния максимум легла. Обзаведено е с вкус, без нещо да се напрапва или да разваля усещането за уют и автентичност. По-мързеливите може да не я напуснат няколко дни - дълги закуски, обяди или вечери на верандата, приготвени от нас самите след посещение до пазара в Ла Специя (чуден пазар, определено не е за изпускане), дрямка или книжка на шезлонгите сред цветята ...   Но изследователският дух надделява, а и в тази част на Италия има доста за разглеждане и правене. 
Алберто и Карло са изключително симпатични и съветите им за околността - много полезни. Никой не разказва по-добре от Алберто (за забележителностите, хората, нравите, местните деликатеси ... самият разговор е едно италианско пътешествие, а говори и нелош български) . На място се запознахме с Карло - винаги усмихнат бъдещ морски инженер, преди всичко сърфист и с перфектен английски, който ни посрещна и помагаше с грижи и съвети през целия престой.
Благодарим и на двама ви и до нови срещи! Винаги бихме се върнали отново и безрезервно препоръчали Казина на приятели.

Pierre, Patricia, Mathilde, Juliette

Avril 2009

Bonjour Alberto
Nous avons passé une super semaine et avons beaucoup apprécié les cinq terre et votre maison pleine de charme.  Nous reviendrons certainement car nous avons passé des très bons moments et aussi fêté les 6 ans de notre plus jeune fille.
Un très grand merci à Carlo pour sa gentillesse ( et surtout pour avoir trouvé une famille au petit chat qui s'est installé dès le lendemain de notre arrivée et ne nous a pas quitté de tout le séjour !! è si vous avez des nouvelles de sa nouvelle famille, elles seront les bienvenues ! )
A un de ces jours sûrement !

2008

Leo e Yvonne

October 2008

Heerlijke week gehad in Blackberry Cottage. Mooi huis, bijzonder mooi gelegen, niet alleen vanwege het uitzicht maar ook de gunstige ligging tussen La Spezia en de Cinque Terre. Wij waren er eind september begin oktober 2008. Mooi weer gehad echter de avonden waren kil. Dus hebben we iedere avond de openhaard aangestoken. Ik kan me voorstellen dat het s'avonds in de zomer ook buiten in de tuin goed toeven is Zeer aan te raden voor mensen die van de natuur genieten en een rustige omgeving waarderen.

Regula, Andreas und Kiddies

October 2008

Die Lage wunderschön über dem Golfo dei poeti, der Garten eine Augenweide mit seinen gepflegten Terrassen, die ans nahe Cinque terre erinnern. La Spezia eine Stadt mit charmanter Fussgängerzone, wohltuend un-touristisch angesichts der Touristenschwärme im malerischen Riomaggiore, Manorolo, Monterosse und Co. Portovenere und Lerici nicht verpassen, Lucca ist auch nicht allzuweit weg und eine Reise wert. Die Casina delle More ist wirklich einmalig, nicht riesig, aber mit Liebe eingerichtet und unterhalten. Die Gastgeber sind aufmerksam und zuvorkommend. Fazit: Nur zu empfehlen (mit Auto).
The Gulf of La Spezia The Gulf of La Spezia

Ann-Marie

September 2008

Bästa semesterveckan på länge. Bo i det charmiga Blackberry Cottage och vandra i Cinque Terre. Koppla av på husets terrass och njut av vackra vyer och månens glans i Medelhavet. Lätt att ta sig med bil till tågstation i La Spezia och sedan några minuters tåg till Cinque Terre. En sak är säker hit vill jag återvända i goda vänners lag.

Jasmijn

July 2008

We stayed in july a week in Blackberry cottage, with 4 adults and 2 children. The house is pretty and we loved the big and shady garden. We spent a lot of our time at the terrace enjoying the beautiful view of the bay of La Spezia. The children liked their rooms on the topfloor very much. There are lots of things to see and do in the neighbourhood. We especially liked the boattrip from La Spezia to Porto Venere and the Cinque Terre.

Andrée

July 2008

Nous avons séjourné 7 nuits à la villa de Mures durant l'été 2008. La maison est très joliment décorée de façon très conviviale. Les plantes extérieures sont magnifiques et la vue splendide. Si vous désirez un séjour à la Spézia, c'est un endroit que je vous recommande, tout particulièrement si vous désirez être situé un peu en retrait de la ville.
Bon séjour!

Lisa with family

June 2008

Vi tillbringade en ljuvlig junivecka i Blackberry Cottage. Vädret var inte det bästa de första dagarna, så döm om vår förtjusning den kväll vi klev ut på terrassen och för första gången såg hela utsikten med de fantastiska vita Carrarabergen resa sig över den soldränkta La Speziabukten.
Ett underbart hus i en trädgård full av vackra blommor med ett helt enastående läge. En i sällskapet var bara 6 månader, så det var perfekt att kunna nå så många vackra platser på kort tid och sedan kunna åka hem till Blackberry Cottage för att laga middag och njuta på terrassen.

Beryl & David & Margaret & Bob

May 2008

Blackberry Cottage was a highlight during our stay in Italy. Its proximity to Cinqueterre, its views over La Spezia and its charming decor, made it a very peaceful haven at days end. We found everything we needed at the cottage, but a motor vehicle is a must to reach the various points of interest on the western coast. We were a party of four but the cottage would cope well with six adults. The gardens and outside facilities complemented the enjoyment of the location.
We would certainly recommend Blackberry Cottage to anyone seeking this style of accommodation near Cinqueterre.

Isabella

March 2008

Ciao Alberto, invece il tempo era perfetto per noi, come tutto il resto!
Una sera soltanto pioveva un po' ma durante le nostre lunghe camminate abbiamo addirittura sudato, siamo stati anche molte ore seduti al sole, in cima e al mare ....
La casa è stupenda, una favola, non so proprio cosa potrei dirti di nuovo dopo tutti i commenti entusiasti che avrete già sentito e che ho letto nei quaderni.
Si sta bene anche in otto persone (adulte), sempre se vanno d'accordo .... lo spazio è sufficiente, le stanze arredate con molto gusto, tutto l'ambiente curato con amore.
Purtroppo la settimana è passata in un attimo, come un sogno, siamo andati a mangiare fuori solo una sera (vicino la casa) perché abbiamo preferito a goderci la casa.
Non abbiamo fatto neanche in tempo per fare colazione in terrazza, perché siamo partiti sempre abbastanza presto, un altro motivo per tornare!

2007

Colin

October 2007

The cottage is in a beautiful position overlooking the bay of La Spezia and the views are superb by day and by night. It's isolated enough to make it a romantic hideaway whilst still being close enough to the town (5 minutes drive) to make it convenient.
The house itself is well renovated and comfortable with modern conveniances and small rooms on 3 levels, decorated with good taste. The terraced garden is lovely for sitting out in and we were lucky enough to get warm sunshine for most of our week at the end of October! The owners were very discreet and tolerant and the house was clean and tidy when we arrived.
We had a very enjoyable, relaxing time in Blackberry Cottage and happily recommend it to our friends and family.

Arne

September 2007

Ein wunderschöner Urlaub in Casina delle More - mit Blick über den Golf von La Spezia, U-Booten im Hafen und den weißen Carrara-Felsen am Horizont. Die Kinder haben das Sandburgen-Bauen und Krebse-Sammeln am Meer genossen. Italien, du hast es besser. Ohne Zweifel.
Herzlichen Dank an Alberto und Barbara. Wir haben das Blackberry Cottage sehr genossen.

Thomas

August 2007

Frühstück im Sonnenschein geschützt unter der Pergola mit Blick auf die Bucht von La Spezia, kann ein Vormittag schöner beginnen? Und wenn am späten Abend die Lichter der Stadt die Bucht umrunden und glänzend erleuchten, lässt sich der Tag herrlich, fast sinnlich ausklingen. Das Häuschen hinterlässt wunderschöne Erinnerungen an die Vielfalt Liguriens!

Nicola

Agosto 2007

Le luci del golfo muto e distante nell'isolamento della montagna, la cucina semplice con gli amici che contano, le cene sotto la pergola, il clima perfetto; la Casina è stata un bel nido per una settimana da ricordare.

Thomas

June 2007

We really enjoyed our stay in Blackberry-Cottage. The countryside around is very beautyful and impressing. The view over the coast is unbelievable great. Also the house is very cute and charming but the garden is absolutely the highlight.
It was comfortable to use the kitchen, because all you need is given. It is a great thing to take the meal in the shadow of the wine plants on the terrace.
It is a must to have a car because the house is about 5km away from the next supermarket.
We enjoyed the whole stay very much. Thank you for everything.

Dan

May 2007

I just wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful stay at the Blackberry Cottage. Thank you for your help and rest assured that we will recommend Blackberry to any friends or family who are looking for somewhere to stay in Italy.

Last but not least, two beautiful poetries on the Blackberry Cottage and the Cinque Terre

In the Cinqueterre

An ancient stair, rising from sea to summit,
Cottages clinging; terraces contrived
On slopes near vertical, where grow vines
Prized for a thousand years, razzosi,
Bosco planted by peasants
For abbot and lord, made wines, shipped to Genoa,
The labour sustained; without aid
Of mule and donkey; and still in the age of the car
No road to vineyard or house,
No engine for any purpose. Their strength
Is human muscle; their resource the soil and sun
The searching roots of vine on rocky slopes.

There is a path midway between sea
And summit. Here we walked
Edging past cottages clinging to terrace walls
With below the swell of the green blue
Stained with the dull of cloud
Breaking on the rocks, never at rest
Above the woods of pine and chestnut.

Then above San Pietro come steps
No road to the houses, but steps
Upward past vine and olive
Up among trees, up to the ridgelined rood.

There disconsolate wailing,
Wind chasing leaves, tossing trunks
Dismal dilapidation of trees
Feet dragging, worn from a thousand steps
But a light, a low wooden building
A little bar and a smiling host
Coffee, tea, water, what will it be?
Ah! much better; vino amabile
Sciaccetra, liquid delight of Dante
Famed of Petrarch, known by Boccacio
Treasure won from this old Cinqueterre
One glass at midday the old advice,
One is enough to warm the heart, to lift the spirit
Golden nectar, each sip a tonic.
Immemorially memorable, and still so today.
With lightened :step we slip down the stair
To warmth and light and the comforts
Of our present age.

Mervyn (London) - September 2007

Blackberry Cottage

How shall we praise this uncommon place
The ancient tower. the fortress wall below
Rising from wild salvia and the strands
Of Old Man's Beard and from the tearing claws
Of blackberry. But from above a cottage
Decked with terraces, roses, oleander and the blue
Of quaintly named ceratostigma
And the view, seated under the vines,
la Spezia; with its shipping anchored
And in motion. Within the walls
Many delightful corners; many favoured seats.
And with that, that that warms the heart
The company: talking, drinking, eating,
Planning; out on expeditions, home at cards.
Delightful, peaceful refreshment away from the cares
Even the jobless find envelop them at home.
Such beauty in setting, such taste in garden
And house refresh the spirits
We breathe a deep and heartfelt gratitude.

Mervyn (London) - September 2007