Recco · Italian Riviera · Liguria

DiMeos go to Italy

Una settimana sulla Riviera Italiana
June 12 – 19, 2026 7 nights 15 of us One villa over the sea
Pending decisions

What we need to lock in

A few things need to be decided and pre-booked before we get there. Read these, talk it over with the family, then email Jenna with your input.

Start here · The bigger question

We have 7 nights and 6 full days. With jet-lag recovery, town walks, beach time, long lunches, and unplanned exploration, 2–3 paid excursions is realistic. More than that and we're managing logistics instead of being on vacation. So the first decision isn't which day — it's which 2–3 of the options below do we want to lock in?

Cinque Terre Boat Tour

Awaiting group input

Five cliffside villages by sea — the iconic way to see Cinque Terre. Option B holds up to 12, but the boat is small and shade is limited — 7 or fewer per boat is more comfortable. Worth deciding how many actually want to go before booking.

~$143 / person
2 boats if everyone goes · ~7 per boat is the comfortable limit
Option A · Hybrid eco boat ↗ Option B · Sunset tour recommended ↗

Option B has a restroom on board — a real factor on a 3+ hour boat trip with 15 people. It's also at sunset, which makes the cliffside villages glow.

Private Chef at the Villa

Awaiting group input

A Cesarina — a passionate local home chef from Italy's Slow Food network — cooks a personalized three-course meal at the villa. Starter, fresh pasta, dessert. Local wines, kitchen cleanup included. Menu customized after booking.

€104 / person
≈ €1,560 for the group · booked through Jenna

Pesto Class at Nessun Dorma

Awaiting group input

Hands-on pesto-making with a Carrara marble mortar in Cinque Terre. Basil harvest, technique, tasting. Lunch + Ligurian wine + sommelier. Apron included. Prize for best pesto.

€85 / person
Up to the group — could be a subset, not all 15
See Nessun Dorma on Instagram ↗

Ready to weigh in?

One email covers all three votes. Open it, fill in your y/n's and any notes, and send. Jenna will tally and update this page.

📨Send your votes to Jenna
The shape of the trip

Your Week

Not a schedule — a feel. This is what a slow week on the Riviera looks like.

  • Slow mornings on the terrace · espresso, focaccia from the bakery up the road
  • Long, lingering lunches that turn into pool afternoons
  • Walks down the hill into Recco for cheese-stuffed focaccia
  • Quiet villa days for the people who need them
  • A ferry to Camogli when we feel like it · 10 minutes by bus
  • One or two big day trips · the ones we agreed on above
  • Grill nights on the terrace with market ingredients
  • Sunset wine on the balcony · every single night

Maybe Days

No booking required. Day-of decisions, depending on the weather, the mood, and how tired we are. Pick any of these in the morning and go.

10 min by bus Camogli Colorful fishing village, pebble beach, the seafood you'd hope for. Easiest day out from the villa.
30 min · ferry from Camogli Portofino afternoon Iconic harbor. Arriving by boat is the entrance. Stay for an aperitivo and head back.
30 min by train A day in Genoa UNESCO old town, Cathedral of San Lorenzo, ice-cream-colored Boccadasse for famous gelato.
30 min by train Sestri Levante Bay of Silence and Bay of Fables. Slower, quieter, easy beach day.
~1 hr by train Cinque Terre by train If we don't end up booking the boat — DIY the five villages on the regional rail. Go early.
Half-day · moderate hike Camogli → San Fruttuoso A coastal trail to a hidden bay with a 13th-century abbey. Ferry back if anyone's tired.
Fifteen of us

Who's coming

Five couples, five flying solo. Six confirmed in the main villa so far — sleeping arrangements still being worked out.

villa
Dave & Diane
villa
Jenna & Brandon
Planner
villa
Sue & Chuck
villa
Katie
villa
Kristie
villa
Bob
Maureen & Jim
John & Shari
James
Peter
TBD
In the main villa so far More room available — being worked out with Jenna
Home for the week

Blue Blue Sea

A former farmhouse, lovingly restored. Hillside above Recco, walking distance to the beach and town.

The villa pool with hillside town view

The place

Exposed wooden beams, original majolica tiles, a stone fireplace in the living room. Whitewashed bedrooms full of Mediterranean light. A swimming pool with views over town. Outdoor terrace built for long lunches. A barbecue for grill nights and a balcony made for sunset wine.

What's there

  • Pool + sun loungers
  • Terrace + barbecue
  • Sunset balcony
  • Hillside herb gardens
  • Antique Genovese oven
  • Full kitchen + dishwasher
  • Main villa + 2-bed annexe
  • Walk to beach & town

Host: Emma · Listing on Plum Guide ↗

What to look forward to

Food & a few words

Recco is the birthplace of focaccia col formaggio. Pesto was invented in this region. Bring your appetite — and these phrases.

  • Focaccia col formaggio Recco's signature: paper-thin focaccia stuffed with fresh Stracchino. The best in the world is here.
  • Pesto Genovese Invented in Liguria. Order it on trofie pasta with local Genovese basil.
  • Focaccia di Recco The thick, dimpled, olive-oil-soaked kind — at every bakery, all day.
  • Gelato at Boccadasse A 30-minute train into Genoa. Ice-cream-colored fishing village. Famous gelato.
  • Vermentino & Pigato Crisp Ligurian whites — order them by the carafe.
  • Grill night at the villa Hit the local market, fire up the BBQ, eat on the terrace.

Ten Italian phrases

  1. Buongiorno (bwon-JOR-noh)Hello / good morning — until about 5pm
  2. Buonasera (bwoh-nah-SEH-rah)Good evening
  3. Ciao (CHOW)Hi or bye — informal, with people you know
  4. Per favore (pehr fah-VOH-reh)Please
  5. Grazie (GRAHT-zee-eh)Thank you
  6. Prego (PREH-goh)You're welcome / after you / go ahead — the magic catch-all
  7. Scusi (SKOO-zee)Excuse me
  8. Un caffè, per favore (oon kahf-FEH)An espresso, please — "caffè" alone always means espresso
  9. Il conto, per favore (eel KOHN-toh)The check, please — they won't bring it until you ask
  10. Cin cin! (CHEEN cheen)Cheers!
Before you fly

Pack & Plan

June in Liguria is warm, sunny, and made for being outside. Pack light, but pack smart — there's a lot of walking on cobblestones and uphill paths.

Weather, mid-June

  • Highs75–80°F · 24–27°C
  • Lows~60°F · 15–16°C (cool evenings)
  • Sea~70°F · 21°C — warm enough to swim
  • SunMostly sunny; occasional afternoon thunderstorms
  • DaylightLong — sunset around 9pm

What to bring

  • ShoesComfortable walking shoes — cobblestones and steep village steps. Save the cute ones for one or two dinners.
  • SwimSuit, sunhat, reef-safe sunscreen, beach towel.
  • LayersLight sweater or jacket for evenings, boats, and air-conditioned trains.
  • ChurchesSomething to cover shoulders and knees — many churches enforce it.
  • AdapterItaly uses Type C / F / L plugs. A Type-C adapter covers most outlets.
  • CashSome euros for tabacchi, gelato, small fares — most places take card.
  • BottleRefillable water bottle. Public fountains are everywhere and the water is great.
Getting there

Flights

✈️ Send your flight details to Jenna at jenna.dickinson@fora.travel and she'll keep this table updated.
Traveler(s) Outbound Return Notes
Dave & DianeTBDTBD—
Jenna & BrandonTBDTBD—
Maureen & JimTBDTBD—
Sue & ChuckTBDTBD—
John & ShariTBDTBD—
KatieTBDTBD—
KristieTBDTBD—
BobTBDTBD—
JamesTBDTBD—
PeterTBDTBD—
On the ground

Getting there & getting around

No rental car needed. The Italian Riviera is built for trains, buses, and ferries — and once you arrive, your villa is walking distance to the beach and town.

✈ Boston → Recco

  • Fly Boston → Milan, Thursday June 11, arriving Friday June 12.
  • Milan → Recco: ~2hr drive, or scenic train from Milano Centrale → Recco FS (~2hr).
  • Genoa (GBA) is the nearest regional airport — only ~30 min from Recco.

🚌 Buses

  • Provider: AMT Genova (formerly ATP Esercizio).
  • Buy tickets: any Tabaccheria shop, or the AMT Genova app. Live tracking: Moovit.
  • Villa's stop: Via Montefiorito F. 40 — Route 772.
  • 773 connects Santa Margherita, Ruta, Camogli, Recco. 775 Genova ↔ Recco ↔ Rapallo. 776 Genova → Recco → Uscio.
  • On-call (CHIAMA) bus for some districts: 800-499-999.

🚆 Trains & ferries

  • The coastal rail line connects every Riviera town. Recco FS is close to the villa.
  • Summer ferries link Camogli, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portofino, and Cinque Terre.
  • The Camogli → Portofino ferry is the iconic way to arrive in Portofino.

🚐 Long-distance

  • FlixBus from Milan (~1hr 45min) and Genoa.
  • BlaBlaCar Bus from Milan and Turin.
  • Both are cheap; book ahead in summer.

Day trips from Recco

  • Camogli~10 min by bus · colorful fishing village, pebbled beach, great seafood
  • Portofino~30 min · arrive by ferry from Camogli for the best entrance
  • Genoa~30 min by train · UNESCO old town, San Lorenzo, Boccadasse
  • Santa Margherita Ligure~30 min · elegant promenade, ferry hub for Portofino
  • Sestri Levante~30 min by train · Bay of Silence + Bay of Fables
  • Cinque Terre~1hr by train · five cliffside villages; Monterosso has the best beach; go early or by boat