Week 16 – Cinque Terre

  • We headed north from Caserta with about 600 kms to our next stop at La Spezia. We were about 4 hours in and we spotted the signpost for Siena – okay it’s about 60 kms off the road but did someone mention shoe shopping and pizza in Piazza del Campo – in we went!
All set up for the horse races, but we were 4 days too early – bugger! But we had the beer and pizza and Adrienne did manage to buy more shoes …
  • But then on to our next house in Fezzano, (near La Spezia). The apartment is quite small, but the view from the balcony isn’t too bad
What more can I add? Great view but about 70 more steps
  • The Cinque Terre is right up there on everyone’s bucket list, so we cut Carovigno short and came here for a week. Monday was Adrienne’s birthday so we caught the ferry to Portovenere and this place is spectacular – I’m just going to load photos – better than words
Coming in on the ferry – note the storm clouds
From the church steps towards the Cinque Terre
Not much sand on these beaches
Top right through the opening is the castle – but there was so much to see we did not make it up there
Byzantine Church
Over 1000 years old
Birthday lunch – the storm hit at the right time – we were tucking into a very nice meal
The sun came out and we headed home with more shopping
  • Tuesday we decided to join the crowds on the trains and went first to Riomaggiore, (but having walked up and into the town we found the path along the cliffs was closed), so back onto the train and on to Corniglia. The next photo was my excuse for stopping …. and we had not even got into the town.
These are the steps that rise straight from the train station that can be seen way below to the town which is about 250 metres elevation. And the walk has not officially started.
Corniglia is a beautiful town, so we stopped for a coffee and panini to catch our breath after the climb up the stairs
  • We decided to walk from Corniglia to Vernazza – it looked a casual 3 or 4 kms. The scenery along the cliffs is spectacular but it is all up and down on very rocky paths – the photos tell it all. The walk took an hour and a half and despite being overcast we were soaked in sweat – it was a solid workout for the quadriceps and we were knackered when we finished.
    Looking north
    Rest break
    Corniglia in the background
    Adrienne heading off again

    Typical section of the path
And finally Vernazza comes into view – another beautiful village clinging to the cliffs
Vernazza – lots of people but a tiny gem – we rewarded ourselves with a nice restaurant on the beach
  • We then headed back to La Spezia on the very crowded train, (pretty much all tunnels except for the train stations in each village), and spent a very pleasant evening on the balcony with a couple of Menabrea birras and some local red vino.
  • Wednesday – rest day and blog catch up. Today was Ferragosto – a national holiday so we did not head past our local village, and why would you bother?
The view from where I am writing this in Le Grazie
Le Grazie beach from the pier
  • Thursday – really hot today so we canned the plan for Portofino. We will go to Lerici beach this afternoon and head for Portofino tomorrow.
  • Friday  – still bloody hot so we tossed up between an hour on a hot crowded train to Portofino or 30 minutes on a gentle ferry to Portovenere – we didn’t go to Portofino!!
Doria Castle in Portovenere – yet another climb up endless polished marble steps
No bus, no funicular, we now have thighs like Olympic ice skaters!!
  • But we did get a priceless photo, a genuine “Benny Hill” moment

    What to do with a wet Italian pussy …. 

 

  • And the 1000 year old church from Doria Castle
No need for comment – too beautiful
And we headed for home – Fezzano port
  • We are now done with Italy – tomorrow we head for France – Arrevaderci Italy, we have had a blast but are now looking forward to moving on.

 

 

 

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