Cinque Terre Part II

5Terre again? You betcha!

Recurring dreams can come true.

This was our Ligurian home base for a week. From it, we were able to visit great parts of the region, compliments of our rental car, sunglasses and our trusty Italian map.

Visting 5Terre again was certainly twice as nice. I was excited when on June 27th I was able to return my feet into the waters of the Ligurian Sea; the charm of the Italian Riviera surrounding me. This part of the Riviera is known as The Riviera di Levante (“the coast of the rising sun”).

Suggested Stay:

A week or a lifetime; your choice!

Getting To Cinque Terre:

We arrived to 5Terre via rental car from our week long stay in S. Albino. The views making the intimate hair-pinned decent from the autostrada past Levanto and on to Cinque Terre were amazing. This was a special treat for us this visit ~ the last trip we arrived by train. While the train ride will treat you to magnificent views of the sea, I enjoyed the trip down from the heavens... I felt like a seabird landing from flight.

Must See & Do:

La Poesia ~ Returning to 5Terre meant we knew precisely where we were staying. La Poesia is the charming bed and breakfast that first welcomed us to Monterosso in 2007. We were thrilled to see our friend Nicoletta again and finally meet her daughter Veronica. In typical fashion, Nicoletta promptly invited us onto the terraced patio and served us ice cream cake with fresh creme and blueberries. Great thing I went on a diet before traveling!

Since our last visit, Nicoletta started adding omelettes to her incredible breakfasts she makes each morning. I never ate so many eggs... made so many different ways!

This B&B is
charming and I'd recom-
mend it if you're staying in Cinque Terre. My suggestion is to book the more spacious Giglio Rosso Suite. Visit La Poesia online for more details. If you decide to stay at La Poesia, please tell Nicoletta Patrick sends her a big kiss all the way from Texas!

Fabbrica d'Arte Monterosso ~ This was one of two favorite local art stores I found in 2007 (the other was in Vernazza). If you're lucky, when you depart La Poesia, Nicoletta will present you with a small ceramic tile in the shape of a unique Italian casa ~ these tiles are made at Fabbrica d'Arte! It's customary to hang these tiles over your doorways for good luck; and the more your have, the better your luck. Buona fortuna!

You'll also find ceramics made from interesting materials ~ my favorites were bowls and little fish fired with broken blue glass in the bottom. The end result? During firing, the glass melts smooth and creates a beautiful finish top with crackled glass views beneath. Visit them online.

L'Ancora dell
Tortuga ~ Nicoletta suggested this new restaurant which opened since our last Monterosso visit. Make sure you call ahead for reservations outside; the tableside sea views made it our favorite restaurant in Monterosso, hands down.

Like a fish out of water, I was vacationing in Liguria ~ a region known for great seafood. And me? I'm not a fan of seafood since an oyster-eating challenge at the age of 8 (a wretching story, indeed). So, when I break outside my comfort zones of pasta and chicken with reckless abandon for frutti di mare, I know when I've had an amazing dish when I want more. And Tortuga's cocktail di gamberetti all' avocado (shrimp and avocado cocktail) was something I could eat daily! I found it a delightful mash-up of Italy and Texas. Also tasty was the vegetable and king lobster ravioli, lasagne with pumpkin, funghi and pecorino... and many more! We loved this place so much, we ate there twice during our visit (one night they were booked, but that would have made feeding #3)!

Our waitress' name was Francesca and I suggest you ask for her by name. If you're lucky, she'll still be working there! She was a delightful and graceful young lady who, when the time came, maneuvered the hilly stairs like a bulldog. Hey, gotta serve the food, right?

Ristorante Al Castello ~ Make the short 5 minute train ride to Vernazza and enjoy sporty seaside dining at this amazing restaurant. This was my second visit to Al Castello and we enjoyed amazing views of the setting sun... as well as delicious food. Two thumbs up to the pesto lasagne, which was out of this world.

Our waitress Monica ~ I believe she's head cheese of il ristorante and I also read she has a loft for rent on the hilly high top if you prefer to stay overnight in Vernazza. After 3 bottles of vino shared by two and eating antipasti, pastas, lemon torte and creme-filled pastries, Monica invited us up to the restaurant's new side expansion alongside the narrow, rocky walkway and treated us to fruit sorbet and vin santo.

Our walk? It was more like a embarrassing waddle of shame... I was impressed that the cliff could support my extra weight! And girth.

Our Next Stop:

Day-tripping it across Liguria and Emilia-Romagna. Our first stop? Some unfinished business in Portovenere.

Want more Cinque Terre?

Why not read about my first trip to 5Terre back in 2007? Or you can take a "picture trip" on my Flickr page. It'll make you want to book your flight!

for the love of : italy

Portovenere

Peaceful Portovenere

If there was a sixth village of the Cinque Terre (the Five Lands), Portovenere would be it.

Portovenere is a wonderful seaside village with amazing churches and a wonderfully walled castle that sits atop the village.

Portovenere is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and if you don't know what being a UNESCO site means, trust me when I say it means you need to visit Portovenere. You can learn more about the significance of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy here.

Suggested Stay:

A full day trip or two.

Getting To Portovenere:

We arrived to Portovenere via boat from nearby neighbor Monterosso. Arriving from sea will treat you to an amazing view of the village and its peninsula.

Must See & Do:

San Pietro ~
On Porto-
venere's peninsula, you'll find this beautifully quaint church on the site of a temple built for Venus ("Venere" in Italian).

S. Pietro dates back to the 5th century and if you arrive by boat, you can't miss it as it sits on the outermost tip where land and sea unite. Once inside, you'll be treated to an amazingly decked-out church sporting alternating black and white stripes of marble.

Looking out
from the church's Roman-
esque loggia or any of its windows you'll discover amazing views of the Ligurian Sea.

Magically, life seems perfect here.

San Lorenzo ~ While standing in front of S. Lorenzo, I looked down and found some silver heart-shaped confetti on the ground. Just like the beautiful roses that I found gracing S. Pietro, I knew the confetti celebrated the beginning of a young couple's "official" life together.

With an origin of 1118 and consecration in 1130, inside S. Lorenzo you'll find a triptych which dates back to the 15th century and a small painting of the White Madonna which is celebrated each August 17 with a torchlight procession.

Stop by and enjoy the amazing views of Portovenere from the spirited S. Lorenzo. You're in Italy!

Castello Doria ~ The unique walls of the Doria Castle are old and the views amazing. The castle is praised for its military Genoese architecture and the recently built amphitheater hosts theater, ballet and musical events.

Built by the Genoese between the 12th and 17th centuries, you'll find time has indeed stood still here. Spectaculars of sun and seaside sounds will treat your senses to magnificent peace and views to thrill.


Want more Portovenere? ~ Enjoy some stunning photos or Portovenere at my Flickr photo stream.

Our Next Stop:

With the hopes of finding folks on their terrace flinging free prosciutto di Parma (Parma ham) to passersby near and far, we head over to Parma.

for the love of : italy

Cinque Terre

You better strap yourself in when visiting Cinque Terre, folks!

Cinque Terre (a.k.a. the "Five Lands" and also expressed as "5Terre") has a magnetic charm that is wheels off! I've requested my ashes be spread there "if" I die, so trust me when I say this place stole my heart... without even flexing.

Suggested Stay: At least 5 days! Preferably, a lifetime.

5Terre Applause:

The villages comprising 5Terre are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Exploring each village was a blast and despite their close proximity to each other, they were all unique. The most charming of the five villages for us was (drum roll, please)... Vernazza! Be prepared to pick your own favorite!

Love taking photos? Views along The Walk Of Love (Via dell' amore) connecting Riomaggiore and Manarola are incredible. Picture a trail clung to a steep cliff with a full-on view of the Mediterranean. You won't want to miss the views of the blue water! During the walk, take a brief stop to ingest the views and some Bierre Moretti and bruschetta at the Bar dell' Amore. The only thing challenging about the walk isn't the incline (it's relatively flat), it's when it comes time to leave The Walk Of Love for your next adventure!

Like to Hike? There are trails in the national park that connects all five of the area villages (The Walk Of Love is one of them).

For a challenging hike sporting views to a thrill, try and walk from Monterosso to Vernazza. You'll encounter lots of steps, so no flip flops!

There is a small fee to enter the trails and you can purchase your tickets from small booths located right on the trail's path.

Why not pack some wine and cheese and take advantage of the views from nooks and crannies by holding your own picnic. The hard part will be picking your favorite spot, as there are hundreds to choose from!

A few words about terraced gardening. During your hikes, you'll be transported into the heart of Italian gardening. You'll notice vistas of vineyards and olive and lemon orchards everywhere you look! Over hundreds of years, the Italians have found a way to take the vertically-challenged, seemingly useless, landscape and transform it into terraced lands, suitable for growing regional delicacies.

A seafood lover? Swim on over to Ristorante Miki (Monterosso) for fresh catches of the day and a charming view of the sea from the outside dining area. Another awesome restaurant in Vernazza we thoroughly enjoyed was Ristorante Al Castello. Located near the base of the tower perched over Vernazza, this beautiful restaurant has incredible views of the Mediterranean. And if you call ahead for a reservation, you can request a table that's perfectly poised above the restaurant's sheer cliffs. Note: Dining near sheer cliffs not recommended for those with vertigo.


What About The Wine? You'll find it everywhere. We stumbled upon a charming wine bar I'd suggest. Terre Rossa (Corniglia) was a nice retreat from the sun's rays. At first, we were insulted when we realized there was a 2 Euro "upcharge" if we stayed and had the wine there (vs. taking a bottle to go). But we quickly realized why; we were seated at a small garden table that featured a memorable view of Corniglia's "Deep V" view, as I coined it, of the Mediterranean. We were also treated to some salty snacks including wonderful Italian olives. The 2 Euro? Well worth it. Our vino? We enjoyed a bottle of Cinque Terre wine made by Polenza. The color? "Bianco" (Italian for "white"). The grapes of Cinque Terre are all-white so don't be expecting red wine unless it's an import. And while we've searched high and low locally for the namesake wine, we haven't found it. The search continues.

Need a place to stay? La Poesia is a B&B we'd suggest hands down. Owner and operator Nicoletta was very outgoing and prepared Italian breakfasts and treats, which she served from her rooftop terrace. Stunning views of the adjoining terraced gardens, lemon and olive trees. So beautiful this place, when visiting the terrace for the first time I actually needed a tissue. See more here. Her great great grandpappy (or probably someone older) built the "palace," as she called it. It was totally renovated recently and offers four unique rooms for rent. We stayed in the Clizia Room and the larger Giglio Rosso Suite, which you'll prefer, if it's available.

If you require a hotel on the beach, Hotel Pasquale will be your best option. My friends Rhonda and Michael stayed there on their honeymoon and spoke highly of it. As luck would have it, though, Pasquale was booked the days were were there and this led us into our great stay at La Poesia.

Italian Shopaholic? The villages offer charming shops that will make it hard for you to hold on to your Euros. Or your credit card. Storie in Italy (Vernazza) showcases paintings, prints and clothing from a local artist who married Michele - a Californian filmmaker turned fabulous Italian. Michele was really friendly and spent great care packing the three prints on canvas we purchased. Check out the online Storie in Italy. U Pusso (Monterosso) is a great place to sample wines and tapenades. Tell owner "Carla" hello from us and don't let her energetic sales skills talk you out of all your savings.

Getting Around? In addition to the trails connecting the villages, you can take a train ride that is super fast; about a 1-2 minute ride between each village. And cheap, too. Train Tip: remember to validate your train ticket at the station before boarding. We failed to validate because the tickets were "stubs" smaller than the TrenItalia tickets plus we had just purchased the 1km tickets before boarding. And then? We were prompted busted Johnny-on-the-Spot on the train just after take off! Apparently we were tourists impersonating dumb tourists and therefore fined 20 Euro! Prefer water transportation? There are boats that connect the villages and you'll want to get a schedule that shows the daily departure times. The boats are the best way to enjoy the drive-up (or float-up) appeal of the villages.

Want a closer view of 5Terre?
Why not download a .PDF of the hardback book I had made of our experiences of the five villages. Incredible shots. Some say I should sell it. But for you? It's free, if you love Italy.

5Terre Thumbs Down:

Dinner in Monterosso at Nuovo "Eden" Bar was one of the worst I experienced in all of three trips to Italy. Great view, but bad food. I mean really bad! I was convinced my lasagna had been made from start-to-finish in a microwave. Even the bread was bad. But the wine made up for the bad food and after a bottle, I forgot about eating all together!

Regardless of the one poor dining experience, Cinque Terre made our hearts skip more than a few. We'd be thrilled to return.

If you're lucky enough to travel to 5Terre, make sure and wear a belt or you'll have your pants charmed off!for the love of : italy

Portofino

"Portofino" means "fine port." And boy, it sure was!

How We Got There: The summer boat schedule had not yet kicked in, so from our stay in Cinque Terre, we caught the train from Monterosso bound for Portofino. In Santa Margherita, we caught a brief but pricey (30 Euro) taxi ride for Portofino.

Suggested Stay: 2 full days.

Must-dos in Portofino:

#1 Castello Brown - This is a famous house turned museum that sits majestically above Portofino. From it you can see S. Margarita, and awesome bird's-eye views of Portofino. There are several vintage photos of worldwide celebrities (mostly Hollywood and Italian) sporting the walls. Don't miss Castello Brown when in Portofino!

Haven't been to Portofino? In the meantime, watch Castello Brown's web cam view of Portofino here.

#2 San Giorgio - This is a wonderful mustard-colored church with great views from atop Portofino.

Talk about timing! We saw a mound of trash being stacked on one end of the port and thought "how trashy." Especially as it grew in size over two days. Doors. Shutters. Brush. The Italians were throwing everything out but the kitchen sink on this mound of rubble (shown at right)! But as we later learned, we had landed smack in the middle of the community's tribute to their Saint "San Giorgio."

I'm a Texas Aggie by choice and therefore accustomed to bonfires. We were later treated to a restaurant's sideline view of the mound of trash turned bonfire. The experience was made complete with a band marching tableside playing "Roll Out The Barrel". Go figure.

Only in Italy!

#3 Try a day trip from Portofino via boat to historic San Frutuosso. You can purchase tickets on the Portofino dock. Once aboard, you'll pass a cool view of a lighthouse sitting outside the port and in about 20 minutes you'll arrive at the pretty view. Visit the abbey, but sadly, no picture taking.

Our Hotel?: We stayed in the hotel Domina Piccola. This hotel has incredible views of the entrance to the fine port. And it honors you with access to a private beach.

Domina Piccola was in need of some updating, but the views shadowed the 80s decor. There was an amazing view from our terrace ~ the best in four trips to Italy so far! We quickly drug our cafe chairs outside and spent many a moment enjoying the view of boats entering the harbor and the cars winding the road directly in front of the hotel's entrance.

I joke that the world's best view from from "the throne" that I've ever had was from this hotel. And I'm serious! You're looking at it right now (picture sported at right).

Sorry. I couldn't resist!
for the love of : italy

Genoa

Genoa Greetings

We were excited to be able to have a trip back to our beloved Italy in 2007. Our '06 trip was fast-paced so this year, we decided we wanted to kick back a bit and take-in the sites and sounds.

But where to go? There were so many places yet unseen like Sicily, the "heart" of Amalfi, Milan, Venice and more. But after my friend Rhonda gave extreme props to a place we had never heard of called "Cinque Terre," we decided to venture into the Liguria region.

We set our itinerary and would start off in Genoa because it's a large city with an international airport. From Genoa, we'd train it to Cinque Terre for a relaxing few days' stay, then back up the coast to Portofino, then we'd "flip" over the innermost top of the boot of Italy to experience France, by staying in Nice. Shazam!

When In Genoa

Genoa is a large sea-side city that spans way into the hills. We didn't completely "bond" with the place as it was a little on the industrial side and a bit too big for us. The part of town we stayed in was scarce on the eating and watering holes and most of our experience of the city was from foot.

The favorite thing we did while in Genoa was to embark on an impromptu day trip on a 1920s narrow-gauge train out into the surrounding country (a.k.a. the hinterland) on the Genoa-Casella train. The views from the graffiti covered train were amazing. The first part of our journey sported views of the sea then we crept upward into Apennine ridges, crags and ditches.

The ride ended in the small village of Casella. The air smelled fresh. There were flowers, chirping birds, greenery and lots of sunshine. At one point I thought Cinderella would pop-out from around the corner, but not that day.

We walked Casella's streets with no agenda other than ingesting the views, which were awesome. There were local folk hanging out in the small piazza and few tourists. It was very peaceful. After some gelato in the piazza, we headed back to a small bar adjacent to the train platform and enjoyed a cold beer served by a local bartender (a "totally Italian" woman).

Train Tips: Allow an hour each-way for the train ride and give yourself at least two hours in Casella for a walk-a-bout. Also, when you're in the train, make sure you sit by the windows on the right side of the train, which will be facing "out" away from the station; unknowingly, we grabbed a seat on the left and missed out on some of the incredible sea views as we departed Genoa. The train does a quirky reverse turn before entering Casella and on the way back, we were outsmarted again and sat on the "wrong" side for the views. Regardless, it was one fine day.

Acquario di Genova.

Genoa's Aquarium is hard to miss; it sits sea-side, is Italy's largest and therefore draws tourists both near and far. This is a good place to escape the sun (if it's hot) and if you have kids, they will have a good time there - especially if the meet the Aquarium's mascot "Splaffy!"

There's also a biosphere adjacent to the main building that had tropical plants and hummingbirds that were flying about.

Hotel Savoia Genova
Via Aresenale Di Terra, 1
Genoa, 16126
Tel +39 101 261641

Hotel Savoia was literally a two-minute walk from Genoa's main train station (P. Principe). A main bus terminal was located in front of the train station, so staying in Hotel Savoia will put you at the gateway to transportation options.

Hotel Savoia didn't have sea views but there was a Farmacia ("Pharmacy") next door, which was convenient. The hotel was very clean and it featured a vintage elevator with a sliding door that you opened-up yourself to enter. It was very memorable.
for the love of : italy