18 Search Results for "corniglia"

• Corniglia, Cinque Terre

  • From: allaffordtravel
  • Description:

    Corniglia is the third of the five small towns found in Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre is a national park that offers hiking, fantastic food, and unbelievable views. It is located in the La Spezia part of Liguria, Italy. The five small towns are easily accessible by rail. You can buy a multi-day trail pass that allows freedom of movement between the towns. The seafood is excellent. Believe me, after a day of hiking the many trails, you will be hungry.

     

    Visit:  http://www.my-cinque-terre.com/corniglia.htm

     

    Visit my blog at www.AllAffordTravel.blogspot.com

     

     

     

  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 27

• Corniglia, Cinque Terre

  • From: allaffordtravel
  • Description:

    Corniglia is the third of the five small towns found in Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre is a national park that offers hiking, fantastic food, and unbelievable views. It is located in the La Spezia part of Liguria, Italy. The five small towns are easily accessible by rail. You can buy a multi-day trail pass that allows freedom of movement between the towns. The seafood is excellent. Believe me, after a day of hiking the many trails, you will be hungry.

     

    Visit:  http://www.my-cinque-terre.com/corniglia.htm

     

    Visit my blog at www.AllAffordTravel.blogspot.com

     

     

     

  • 1 week ago
  • Views: 18
  • Not yet rated

• Corniglia

  • From: paristoflorence
  • Description:

    I love me some Italy.

  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 300
  • Not yet rated

• Corniglia

  • From: ibnelly
  • Description:

    The week we returned home, in the mail came our June Budget Travel magazine.  When I looked at the cover photo, I thought "no way!, I took a photo just like that!".  So I went and made a copy of this picture and compared to the cover photo and they are nearly identical.  How cool is that!

  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 279

• Approaching Vernazza

  • From: jannycam
  • Description:

    This photo was taken from the Cinque Terre trail as we were approaching Vernazza - one of the five colorful towns. We were very tired after hiking all day, beginning at Riomaggiore in the moring and continuing to Manarola, Corniglia and finally , after the touhgest part of the hike - Vernazza.  We walked down a steep stairway into the town where we found little notices about rooms for rent posted on the walls. We were lucky to find a cute room with a terrace overlooking the city - practically all the way back up to the trail. Vernazza was a fun place to stay overnight. We walked down to the little harbor where some children were swimming and some old gentlemen fishing. The central piazza was full of brightly painted fishing boats which apparently are pulled out of the water when not in use.  Lots of fun looking restaurants surround the piazza but we were disappointed in the one we chose as far as food quality.  The little Foccaccio shops up the lane had much better pizza and foccaccio - and were a lot cheaper.  We found an excellent bakery at the back of town which had the best chocolate croissanats ever!

  • 7 months ago
  • Views: 299

• Monterroso on a rainy day

  • From: dni
  • Description:

    I was in Cinque Terre for 2 days only (wish I had more time).  On the first day, the sun was shinning and it was a bit hot for a late September morning... I decided to take the more laborius hike from Corniglia to Monterosso, which is at a higher altitude than the reuglar trail that most people do at Cinqure Terre.  It was well worth it, by the time I got to Monterosso, it was in the late afternoon.  The water was just so inviting and I took a swim and a nap on the beach.  The second day, it was rainy, the sea was rough.  Pictures on day two looked completely different from day one.  And the rain, clouds, and wind gave the place a more dramatic look.  Still, it was a beautiful place. 

  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 300
  • Not yet rated

• That's Amore: Our Italian Adv

  • From: blairherzog
  • Description:

    To celebrate the twentieth anniversary of our first date, my husband and I took a trip we'd long talked about but never gotten around to planning - a journey to Italy.  It was difficult deciding which areas of Italy to see, but we finally chose the Cinque Terre, Tuscany, and Rome.  To say our trip surpassed my wildest dreams would be an understatement.  Welcome to our Italian adventure!

    The Charming Cinque Terre

    After flying into Milan, it took several trains to reach the Cinque Terre (which means Five Lands), but it was completely worth venturing off the beaten path to visit this quaint, charming, and friendly coastal area of Italy.  The Cinque Terre consists of five small hillside towns that each looks like it's literally spilling into the ocean.  The towns have all been in existence since Medieval times and have the ancient lookout towers and historic stone churches to prove it.  The shops are quaint, the people are friendly, and the views are breathtaking.  We especially enjoyed just roaming the streets, as well as the twisting stairs and alleyways (which also qualify as streets in a place as old as the towns of the Cinque Terre,) taking pictures of lovely archways and windows, and watching the locals hanging their laundry out as they conversed from window to window.

    Getting Around the Cinque Terre

    Don't expect taxis here, and whatever you do, don't plan on renting a car.  In the Cinque Terre, there are three options: trains, hiking, and boats (although boats may not be available year round.)  Oceanside trails passing through olive groves and terraced vineyards connect the five towns of Monterossa, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore and are a lovely way to travel - but be warned, the trails get progressively more difficult the farther north you go.  So, based on your hiking ability, we advise hiking between the more southern towns and taking the train between the northern towns.  We used the low-priced Cinque Terre Treno Card, which admits you to both the trails and the trains.  And we sometimes found the train schedules difficult to follow in the Cinque Terre, so when arriving at the station, we advise asking a clerk when the next train to your destination is due.  Overall, the trains are a pretty easy way to hop between the towns if you choose not to hike or tire of it.

    Where To Stay in the Cinque Terre

    We chose to make the town of Manarola our home base.  It's the least touristy of the towns and we found our hotel, the Ca' d'Andrean simple but perfect for our stay.  It's a steep walk up the hill with luggage, but worth it for the view of lemon trees and terraced hillside gardens out our shuttered window each morning.  The staff here was especially helpful in mapping out future parts of our trip.  For nice, clean accommodations, we highly recommend the Hotel Ca' d'Andrean.

    While Manarola was our favorite, when we visit the Cinque Terre again, we will gladly consider staying in any of the other towns.

     

    Highlights of our Time in the Cinque Terre

     

    We found something truly unique and delightful at every turn in the Cinque Terre, so it's hard to narrow it down, but here are a few faves:

    1. The quaint, bustling Riomaggiore waterfront
    2. The especially charming Medieval streets of Corniglia (pronounced Cornelia, by the way)
    3. The view of Vernazza from the trail leading to Monterosso
    4. The ancient monastery high atop Monterosso

    Cinque Terre Fun Facts

    1. Cat lovers rejoice: Cats are plentiful in the Cinque Terre - you will see them everywhere you go, including on the trails.
    2. Residents of the Cinque Terre towns are more likely to own a boat than a car.
    3. Before the 20th century, each town was so isolated that most people married residents of their own tiny community.

    Finding Romance in the Cinque Terre

    Romance was pretty much everywhere here, but here are a few tips for romantic moments with your significant other:

    1. Look out over the Mediterranean by moonlight from Manarola's "vineyard walk."
    2. Dine on Vernazza's waterfront Piazza Marconi
    3. Stroll between Manarola and Riomaggiore on the wide promenade of the Via dell'Amore - the "walk of love."

    If you want to stop and smell the roses - or the sweet scents of lemon trees and lavender in the air - schedule some time for the Cinque Terre in your trip to Italy. We spent only two and a half days there and wished we'd had more time to simply soak up the slow-paced seaside charm of this traditional slice of Italy. Italian charm at its best.

    Under the Tuscan Sun

    From the Cinque Terre, we took the train to LaSpezia, where we rented a car. Warning: Driving a car in any sizable Italian city is a challenge when you can't read the signs and don't know the general rules and customs of the road. But once you get out of the city into more rural areas, driving is fine.

    Our plan to drive through Tuscany, hitting as many hill towns as possible along the way, worked out well. We spent two days meandering the twisting roads across rolling gold and green hills, stopping to soak up Medieval history along the way. It was amazing to be driving along and suddenly see an ancient fortified city appear in the distance.

    Where to Stay in Tuscany

    We made our home base at the Castel Bigossi, a lovely thousand-year-old castle in the heart of Tuscany near the fort town of Monteriggioni. It was off the beaten path, but we enjoyed the drive through the countryside, dotted with still more historic towns, each time we returned there. The exterior and grounds of the Castel Bigossi were lovely - the perfect Tuscan postcard - and the staff was friendly, talkative, and helpful. The interior was an unusual mix of modernity (spiral staircases and an elevator) and history (ancient wood beams on the ceiling of our bedroom) and all the rooms in the castel are spacious suites - more room than we needed, but we didn't mind. This would be a great place to stay for a longer visit than the two nights we spent there.

    Other thoughts on accommodations: Tuscany also boasts many agriturismos - these are working farms that also provide bed-and-breakfast type accommodations. And if you're more of a city person, all the hill towns offer rooms, as well.

    Getting Around Tuscany by Car

    Like I said above, once you're away from traffic, driving is a breeze, but be warned: Italian street signs and American street signs differ greatly. In Italy, roads are not marked with any sort of name or number, so it's hard to tell where you are most of the time, even when following a map. You are instead guided by arrows that point the way to the nearest town in any direction, and these tend to appear in groups at the frequent roundabouts.

    Also, be prepared for crazy drivers who will merrily pass on blind curves and motorcycle riders who consider it perfectly acceptable to pass between two cars without a lane. Our advice: Drive safely and normally, but be on guard.

    Medieval Hill towns Aplenty

    The Tuscan landscape is dotted with lots of Medieval hill towns, each with its own personality. Meandering through these places was fascinating not only because we were walking streets and seeing buildings that have been there for nearly a thousand years, but also because these are all still thriving communities where people live and work. Wandering the stone streets and piazzas, I expected to see knights in shining armor come riding up on horseback any minute.

    It would be difficult to see all the hill towns in the region (yes, there are that many,) so we picked a few that sounded especially appealing based on guidebooks and advice from our hotel staff. A few of our favorites were:

    1. Montepulciano: This is a must for wine-lovers, but even without being into wine, we enjoyed the Medieval sights here a great deal. We spent time hanging out at the large Piazza Grande with its unfinished Duomo, built around 1600.
    2. San Gimignano: Fabulous Medieval architecture, including fourteen remaining watch towers, some dating from the 10th century. And if that's not enough for you, this town also boasts the World's Best Gelato in 2006, 2007, and 2008 at the Pluripremaia Geleteria
    3. Montalcino: What made Montalcino outstanding for us was the fabulous castle-like fortezza (that's a fort) built in the 14th century. Dark clouds looming overhead while we were there made it appear particularly eerie.

    Note: As hill towns go, Siena is the largest in the region and pretty much considered a must-see. Personally, we were disappointed by how modern and commercialized even the historic part of town is (Foot Lockers and other American mall-type stores lined the stone streets.) But it's still worth a stop for the stunning Duomo, dating from 1215, and the huge Piazza Il Campo where a wild, no-rules horse race is run every July and August.

    But Back to the Rolling Tuscan Hillsides

     

    We made a small project out of locating some of the best-known postcard views of Tuscany's cypress-lined roads - a task made more difficult by the lack of road signs. However, before leaving home, we Googled on the topic and found other travelers' notes on how to reach some of these scenic spots. Finding them felt like a special victory! But with or without them, we came home with countless pictures of fields teeming with red poppies, villas flanked by vineyards, and some lovely cypress-lined roads we stumbled across on our own.

    Note: As we traveled the winding roads that criss-cross Tuscany, we were kept company by the abundance of American music on the radio - everything from Dionne Warwick to Bruce Springsteen to Green Day.

    Finding Romance in Tuscany

    Romance is pretty easy to find in Tuscany, too, but here are some recommendations:

    1. Enjoy in the stunning view from the walls of Montepulciano over a glass of their famous wine.
    2. Stroll the quiet town of Volterra after dark.
    3. Take a lazy drive along cypress-lined roads, delighting in fields of wild poppies, Italian villas, and ancient fortresses.

    Tuscany is a must-see for those who enjoy lovely, rolling landscapes. The rich Medieval history and striking hill towns are wonderful perks to this region teeming with romantic ambience.

    All Roads Lead to Rome

    All roads may lead to Rome, but here's a tip: leave your rental car at the airport and take the train into the city. Even that was a bit of a challenge - remember, Italians don't seem to value signage as much as we do in America - but it was still by far the best choice.

    You can look at Rome in two ways: it's a zoo or it's a party. Choose the party attitude and you'll have a much better time. This large, busy city seemed to have as many pedestrians as cars, and it was usually unclear who had the right of way, especially on small streets left over from older times.

    Getting Around Rome

    To walk or take the train around town? It's a toss-up. Rome is a walking city, but things are often farther away than they appear and you can put many a mile on your sneakers by day's end. On the other hand, some of the subway terminals were confusing to navigate and had broken ticket machines, or they were far enough out of the way that it just seemed simpler to walk.

    The streets are confusing - remember, this is a very old city, full of twists and turns. Our advice: Follow the signs toward major landmarks and don't be frustrated if you get lost. On one particular evening, after listening to street musicians for a while at the popular Piazza Navonna, we started the twisting trek toward our hotel, following signs and making good progress - we thought - until, about fifteen minutes later, we emerged right back onto the Piazza Navonna. We just looked at each other and cracked up laughing.

    Where to Stay

    We made our home in Rome the LaResidenzia Hotel, near the Via Venetta, a major thoroughfare. Despite the fact that two lap dance clubs sit directly across the street from the hotel, we were very happy with our choice - which is to say we never really saw any traffic at the clubs and they seemed very quiet. Like our other Italian accommodations, the staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Sitting areas in the lobby were spacious and elegant, our room was nice with lots of storage and a turn-down service, and a pretty good breakfast buffet was included in the price of the room.

    Ancient Rome - Walking Through History

    If you're a history lover, this is why you're here. We loved the Colesseum and the Forum, as well as Palatine Hill (where many Roman rulers built their palaces.) Our advice: It's worth it to pay for the tours here. Not only do you get good, interesting information along the way, if you enter with a tour, you bypass the long lines to get in.

    We spent a couple of hours roaming around the Colesseum, and more time outside, just taking pictures and enjoying the ambience of the area. As this was a sight I'd only dreamed of seeing, it felt almost surreal to actually be there. I had the same reaction to the Roman Forum and enjoyed knowing I was walking the same paths Julius Caesar and so many other historic figures had traveled. I found myself wanting to take a picture at every step to be sure I captured it all, and I truly felt the impact of being in the cradle of modern Western civilization.

    Roaming Around Rome

    Of course, there's much more to see here than just the ancient ruins. We enjoyed sitting on the Spanish steps, hanging out at the Trevi Fountain, touring the Pantheon (an amazing piece of ancient architecture,) and taking in the views from the Victor Immanuel Monument (although not as famous as some stops in Rome, you can't miss it on your way to the Colesseum - it's an enormous building that looks like a giant wedding cake.)

    Rome is filled with countless piazzas - or town squares - both great and small, and each has it's own personality. Some are large, sporting numerous cafes, shops, fountains, and street artists, while others are smaller and less busy. It was fun to be walking along a narrow street and suddenly exit into another new piazza and see what it had to offer.

    Adventures at the Vatican

    How many people can say they've been kicked out of St. Peter's Basilica? I don't know, but we are now among that number. More to come on that in a moment.

    First, some facts. This is another place where it's wise to pay extra and enter with a tour group - it cut our wait considerably and we truly got a lot out of the tour. Also, you must where clothing that covers your shoulders and knees to be admitted to St. Peter's Basilica.

    Our tour covered St. Peter's Square, the Basilica, and the Vatican museum, including the Sistine Chapel. Upon entering the Basilica, we'd barely gotten started when an angry man approached our tour guide and began yelling at her in Italian. She reported that we were being thrown out because he didn't believe we were a real tour group and that she'd bring us back later. Weird but true, and we never did really understand what happened there. But on with the show.

    We were, honestly, a little let down by the Sistine Chapel, which I'd long looked forward to seeing. It's an amazing piece of art, yes, but the ceiling is higher than I'd envisioned, so it's really pretty difficult to see. The whole room was packed with people craning their necks to try to take it in, which made everyone prone to bumping into each other. Plus you can't take pictures (understandable) and you can't talk (less understandable.)

    After the chapel, it was back to the church, but we had to pretend we were not a tour group. (Again, confusing, I know.) But we enjoyed the un-tour of the basilica and were taken aback by the scope and size. Particularly notable items in the church: the famous Pieta by Michelangelo, the enormous canopy marking the (official but who knows) burial spot of St. Peter, and a statue of St. Peter to which, tradition holds, one should hold onto the toe, make three wishes, and they will come true.

    One nice thing about being kicked out of St. Peter's Basilica: when we returned, hours had passed, and the sun shone through small windows in the dome, casting a heavenly glow on the floor, which made for amazing photos.

    A Few Tips for Your Time in Rome

    1. You can sit on Roman ruins in the Forum and Colesseum - they are so plentiful that they are literally set about to be used like park benches - but whatever you do, don't sit on the ground near the Trevi Fountain (policemen blew a loud whistle in my ear for this and looked at me as if I'd knowingly committed a heinous crime.) And definitely don't sit anywhere inside the Victor Immanuel Monument, where you will also be firmly chastised by a whistle-wielding guard.
    2. Hungry for a taste of home? McDonald's are everywhere in Rome, and we happened to visit what might be the fanciest one on earth - a two-story affair complete with marble stairs, replicas of famous Roman statues, and a separate gelato bar, dessert bar, and breakfast bar in addition to the normal counter.
    3. Need to use the bathroom? In Rome - and everywhere else in Italy - it's wise to carry some toilet paper or (as I opted for) individually packaged Wet Ones. Toilet paper just isn't a hot commodity there. And be prepared to find yourself squatting over a hole in the ground - which, oddly enough (to us Americans anyway,) usually come complete with fiberglass inserts around the hole, so that it's not dirty, but it's quite awkward and just makes you ask: Why? In Rome, we often took advantage of McDonald's bathrooms - they weren't the cleanest, but we knew we'd at least get a commode.
    4. Want to drink a Coke? Your best bet - again - is McDonald's. At gelato shops or bars (in Italy, a bar is what we think of as a quickie mart crossed with a snack stand or deli) you'll usually pay the equivalent of $3 or $4 for a 20 ounce bottle, and should you be unfortunate enough to be thirsty near the ancient sites, you may pay up to $8 at a portable concession stand.

    Finding Romance in Rome

    Rome is busier and a bit more challenging in ways, but you still need not look far for romance here:

    1. Toss a coin over your shoulder in the Trevi Fountain and it's said you will return to Rome.
    2. Share a bicycle built for two at the city's largest park, the Villa Borghese
    3. Share a bottle of wine on the Spanish Steps, then stroll the city as dusk turns to night. The Forum and Colesseum are particularly striking to behold at nightfall.

    Ah, Rome. Two-thousand years of history and culture and architecture. It's a lot to take in, but it would be a crime to visit Italy without fully embracing it's exciting, bustling capital.

    Ciao!

    We travel a lot, but our trip to Italy was truly the romantic adventure of a lifetime.

    Final tip: Take your time exploring romantic Italy, and eat a lot of gelato because it's just not as good at home, no matter what anyone says.

     

     

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 2442

• Picturesque Manarola

  • From: blairherzog
  • Description:
    The picturesque town of Manarola was our home base in the Cinque Terre. The Cinque Terre means "Five Lands" and is comprised of five small towns near the Italian Riviera. These towns, which have been spilling down the mountainsides since Medieval times, are small communities that give a taste of traditional Italian life. Above the towns, the hillsides are terraced with grapevines and lemon trees. We stayed in Manarola, the least touristy of the towns, and loved it. Everywhere we went in this area, the fresh air was filled with sweet scents.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 935

• Cinque Terre: Three of

  • From: caringinthemoment
  • Description:
    On our honeymoon, Tom and I fulfilled a lifelong dream to hike the world-famous Cinque Terre walk, connecting five beautiful cliff-dwelling towns along the Mediterranean Sea in Northern Tuscany. In the end, we made it about halfway through the 12-mile walk. Here, we bring you along on this beautiful day. Come join us!
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 1262

• The prize at the end, a dip in

  • From: pmerz
  • Description:
    During our Italian Holiday in July of 2006 we just had to do the famous hike between the five villages in Cinque Terre, even though we were warned it might be too much for our 9 and 6 year old daughters. We reasoned we could always get off the trail at any of the villages and take the train back to Riomaggiore and our hotel. As you can see, the trail starts off as more of a promenade ambling lazily along the water's edge between Riomaggiore and Manarola, where it's actually called the via dell'amore, or walk of love. Once pass Manarola however, the trail immediately narrows and heads straight up the cliff with heart-stopping views of the rocks and water below. Between Corniglia and Vernazza the trail is truly at its most difficult, winding up and through vineyards and actually containing a series of stairs that would put any serious stair machine aficionado to the test. (the picture of the girls where they're NOT happy was immediately after the stairs) Pass Vernazza things start to calm down a little, and the reward at the end is a dip in the Ligurian Sea at Monterosso, followed by a fun train trip back through all the villages in an old train on tracks cut straight through the cliffs that open out onto stunning views. Absolutely necessary items for hiking the Cinque Terre: sturdy sneakers or sandals, (we all did it in Teyva sandals), one water bottle per hiker, (you can refill in each village), swimsuits, (we wore ours under our clothes), and towels. My husband was our pack mule, and carried the towels and water bottles in a back pack.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 419

• The girls are NOT happy at thi

  • From: pmerz
  • Description:
    During our Italian Holiday in July of 2006 we just had to do the famous hike between the five villages in Cinque Terre, even though we were warned it might be too much for our 9 and 6 year old daughters. We reasoned we could always get off the trail at any of the villages and take the train back to Riomaggiore and our hotel. As you can see, the trail starts off as more of a promenade ambling lazily along the water's edge between Riomaggiore and Manarola, where it's actually called the via dell'amore, or walk of love. Once pass Manarola however, the trail immediately narrows and heads straight up the cliff with heart-stopping views of the rocks and water below. Between Corniglia and Vernazza the trail is truly at its most difficult, winding up and through vineyards and actually containing a series of stairs that would put any serious stair machine aficionado to the test. (the picture of the girls where they're NOT happy was immediately after the stairs) Pass Vernazza things start to calm down a little, and the reward at the end is a dip in the Ligurian Sea at Monterosso, followed by a fun train trip back through all the villages in an old train on tracks cut straight through the cliffs that open out onto stunning views. Absolutely necessary items for hiking the Cinque Terre: sturdy sneakers or sandals, (we all did it in Teyva sandals), one water bottle per hiker, (you can refill in each village), swimsuits, (we wore ours under our clothes), and towels. My husband was our pack mule, and carried the towels and water bottles in a back pack.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 375
  • Not yet rated

• View from the easy part, the v

  • From: pmerz
  • Description:
    During our Italian Holiday in July of 2006 we just had to do the famous hike between the five villages in Cinque Terre, even though we were warned it might be too much for our 9 and 6 year old daughters. We reasoned we could always get off the trail at any of the villages and take the train back to Riomaggiore and our hotel. As you can see, the trail starts off as more of a promenade ambling lazily along the water's edge between Riomaggiore and Manarola, where it's actually called the via dell'amore, or walk of love. Once pass Manarola however, the trail immediately narrows and heads straight up the cliff with heart-stopping views of the rocks and water below. Between Corniglia and Vernazza the trail is truly at its most difficult, winding up and through vineyards and actually containing a series of stairs that would put any serious stair machine aficionado to the test. (the picture of the girls where they're NOT happy was immediately after the stairs) Pass Vernazza things start to calm down a little, and the reward at the end is a dip in the Ligurian Sea at Monterosso, followed by a fun train trip back through all the villages in an old train on tracks cut straight through the cliffs that open out onto stunning views. Absolutely necessary items for hiking the Cinque Terre: sturdy sneakers or sandals, (we all did it in Teyva sandals), one water bottle per hiker, (you can refill in each village), swimsuits, (we wore ours under our clothes), and towels. My husband was our pack mule, and carried the towels and water bottles in a back pack.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 448

• We walked UP these stairs!

  • From: pmerz
  • Description:
    During our Italian Holiday in July of 2006 we just had to do the famous hike between the five villages in Cinque Terre, even though we were warned it might be too much for our 9 and 6 year old daughters. We reasoned we could always get off the trail at any of the villages and take the train back to Riomaggiore and our hotel. As you can see, the trail starts off as more of a promenade ambling lazily along the water's edge between Riomaggiore and Manarola, where it's actually called the via dell'amore, or walk of love. Once pass Manarola however, the trail immediately narrows and heads straight up the cliff with heart-stopping views of the rocks and water below. Between Corniglia and Vernazza the trail is truly at its most difficult, winding up and through vineyards and actually containing a series of stairs that would put any serious stair machine aficionado to the test. (the picture of the girls where they're NOT happy was immediately after the stairs) Pass Vernazza things start to calm down a little, and the reward at the end is a dip in the Ligurian Sea at Monterosso, followed by a fun train trip back through all the villages in an old train on tracks cut straight through the cliffs that opens out onto stunning views.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 438
  • Not yet rated

• Beginning our "walk" in Riomag

  • From: pmerz
  • Description:
    During our Italian Holiday in July of 2006 we just had to do the famous hike between the five villages in Cinque Terre, even though we were warned it might be too much for our 9 and 6 year old daughters. We reasoned we could always get off the trail at any of the villages and take the train back to Riomaggiore and our hotel. As you can see, the trail starts off as more of a promenade ambling lazily along the water's edge between Riomaggiore and Manarola, where it's actually called the via dell'amore, or walk of love. Once pass Manarola however, the trail immediately narrows and heads straight up the cliff with heart-stopping views of the rocks and water below. Between Corniglia and Vernazza the trail is truly at its most difficult, winding up and through vineyards and actually containing a series of stairs that would put any serious stair machine aficionado to the test. (the picture of the girls where they're NOT happy was immediately after the stairs) Pass Vernazza things start to calm down a little, and the reward at the end is a dip in the Ligurian Sea at Monterosso, followed by a fun train trip back through all the villages in an old train on tracks cut straight through the cliffs that opens out onto stunning views.
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 419
  • Not yet rated

• View of Vernazza from the trai

  • From: pmerz
  • Description:
    During our Italian Holiday in July of 2006 we just had to do the famous hike between the five villages in Cinque Terre, even though we were warned it might be too much for our 9 and 6 year old daughters. We reasoned we could always get off the trail at any of the villages and take the train back to Riomaggiore and our hotel. As you can see, the trail starts off as more of a promenade ambling lazily along the water's edge between Riomaggiore and Manarola, where it's actually called the via dell'amore, or walk of love. Once pass Manarola however, the trail immediately narrows and heads straight up the cliff with heart-stopping views of the rocks and water below. Between Corniglia and Vernazza the trail is truly at its most difficult, winding up and through vineyards and actually containing a series of stairs that would put any serious stair machine aficionado to the test. (the picture of the girls where they're NOT happy was immediately after the stairs) Pass Vernazza things start to calm down a little, and the reward at the end is a dip in the Ligurian Sea at Monterosso, followed by a fun train trip back through all the villages in an old train on tracks cut straight through the cliffs that opens out onto stunning views.
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• The Gem of Liguaria

  • From: tbvolks
  • Description:

    The chugga-chugga clackety-clack of the train changes to a loud whoosh as we enter another long, dank tunnel en route to Riomaggiore, the southernmost village in the Cinque Terre.  With all the windows open to allow circulation in the stuffy car, wind whips the curtains about, striking startled passengers in the face.  The tunnel smells of musty basement and salty sea.  

    Popping out of a tunnel, the train rounds a curve in the tracks and I see the next village before us.  Buildings, like pastel colored Legos stacked atop one another, jut out of the cliff side.  Far below, the turquoise Mediterranean Sea turns cerulean and navy as it stretches toward the horizon. 

    Finally, the train reaches Riomaggiore.  A long tunnel walkway decorated with mosaic tiles leads town from the train station.  Emerging from the tunnel, my friends and I pause and take a look around.  The main thoroughfare, Via Colombo, steeply winds its way up the center of town.  Bins of fresh fruits and vegetables sit outside a small grocery store.  College students bearing enormous backpacks pass us, and continue up the street. 

    We have arrived.

    In the midst of Liguria, the Italian Riviera, the five fishing villages of the Cinque Terre (five lands) perch along the cliffs of western Italy between Levanto and La Spezia.   A train line connects the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, which are virtually inaccessible by car.  The only automobiles I encountered in Riomaggiore were an ambulance and a van carrying produce.  Visitors and natives alike get around on foot. 

     

     

    The primary reason tourists flock to the Cinque Terre is to hike.  Trails connect all five of the villages and can be traversed in one day for a fee of three euros.  Just about everyone who comes to visit the Cinque Terre will tackle at least one leg of the trek between villages. Grueling at points, it is well worth the effort for the breathtaking scenery to be found along the way.  Start early in the morning to avoid crowds of hikers and midday heat.   

    Beginning in Riomaggiore, it is only a 20-30 minute stroll along the Via del Amore (walk of love) to reach Manarola.  Looking back at Riomaggiore or northward toward the other villages, the view is stunning.  Pause for a minute to look at the cerulean Sea and watch frothy, white capped waves crash against the cliffs.  This section of trial is perfect for a sunset stroll. 

    Manarola is much like Riomaggiore.  The boxy pastel buildings all seemed jammed on top of one another as if a cubist painted the city into the cliff.  From Manarola the path veers away from the coast culminating in a steep climb up the terraced hillside to Corniglia.  In Corniglia my friends and I lost the path.  After wandering through town to a dead end overlooking the water, we asked a woman in a souvenir shop for directions.  From Corniglia on we began passing the same hikers and having them pass us, like a game of leapfrog, for the remainder of the hike.  Later in the day, it seemed more people were out and the narrow trails began to feel congested at times. 

    The track from Corniglia to Vernazza winds in and out amongst vineyards and back out to cliffside views of the dazzling Mediterranean Sea.  This portion of the hike becomes more challenging as the path seems to be leading further and further up into the mountains.  Along this stretch, my friends and I met a family from Minneapolis, MN.  At the same

     

    resting point way up above Corniglia, we stopped and took pictures for each other.  Two days later on a train to Rome, we sat by the same family and shared war stories about our respective vacations in Italy. 

    Vernazza is the most distinctive-looking of the five villages.  Here my friends and I stopped for lunch.  Sitting on the pier with the remains of an 11^th Century castle at its furthest point, we guzzled icy cold water and devoured soft, buttery focaccia, mozzarella and tomato sandwiches.  For one euro you can climb the staircase in the castle, called Castello Doria, for another incredible view. 

    The final leg of the trail, from Vernazza to Monterosso, rivals any Stairmaster workout.  Stone steps wind up into the cliffs leaving the Sea behind.  Traipsing through vineyards, you eventually begin the steep decent back to the waters edge.  Although it only takes approximately 1 and ½ hours, it feels like longer.  When we reached Monterosso, we went straight to the beach and took a cool off swim.  The sand of the beach was darker and the pull of the current much stronger in the Sea than I had experienced in the French Riviera.

    Aside from hiking, the Cinque Terre offers the opportunity to go boating, scuba diving or sunbathing.  Monterosso boasts the largest public sand beach of the five villages; Vernazza has a small sandy beach, while the rocks along the Sea provide ample space for sunbathers in the other villages.  In Riomaggiore, Coopsub Cinqueterre Diving Center rents scuba and snorkel equipment and offers guided dives anywhere along the coast. 

    Over the past ten to fifteen years, the Cinque Terre has become a destination of choice in Europe.  Todd Whitaker, a 27-year old mortgage broker from Watkinsville, Georgia, went to Cinque Terre for a day trip while staying in Pisa this fall.  He said it was

     

    “definitely the best day trip [they] took the entire vacation” which included stops in Paris, Avignon, Nice, Monte Carlo and Monaco. 

    Aside from the hiking, what sets the villages of the Cinque Terre apart from other destinations is its unique setting tucked into the side of the mountain and the picturesque beauty of each individual town.  Laundry hangs drying on window clotheslines.   Villagers sit outside their places of business chatting and greeting passersby with an amiable “Ciao.”  Restaurant windows are left open, and people strolling past will stop for a chat with owners or diners.  “The people were friendly, and most owners sat down with us to chat for at least a few minutes,” remembers Kellie Pelletier, a public relations account supervisor in New York City, who visited this fall. “One extremely good looking waiter sat down and drank grappa with us until closing (on the house).” 

    Jordan, a young American who was living in Riomaggiore, befriended my friends and me during our stay.  He invited us to his apartment for a home-cooked meal of chicken with penne pasta, peppers and pesto cream sauce.  At Bar Centrale, a combination bar/restaurant/gelateria in town, we also benefited from a pair of gelato-scooping brothers who relieved us of our bill for the night.  Later we found out one of the brothers had a crush on my friend.  

    The Cinque Terre specializes in a number of distinctive dishes, among them lasagna al pesto, which originated in Vernazza.   Other regional specialties include stuffed mussels and acciughe al limone, anchovies cooked in lemon served chilled.  The vineyards that cover the hillsides nearby produce grapes for Cinque Terre, a dry white table wine, and sweet white Sciacchetra, both produced locally. 

    Due to the increase in tourism, some visitors worry that the Cinque Terre area will suffer from overexposure and lose its charm.  This is a legitimate concern.  During peak season, which lasts from Easter to October, you’re likely to see more tourists then natives.  You won’t encounter many problems if you don’t speak Italian either.  “You go into a bar and everyone is drinking beer in a bottle standing up, Corona or Budweiser,” says Robert Bartletta who has been visiting the Cinque Terre yearly for the last 25 years. “It’s like being in St. Louis.”  In fact, they light off fireworks in Monterosso on the fourth of July to accommodate all the vacationing Americans.  Nonetheless, it is nice to know that the Cinque Terre is part of the National Park System which has laws in place protecting it from overdevelopment.  Developers look to nearby Levanto as a site for additional restaurants, hotels and bars.  And the villagers of the Cinque Terre don’t mind visitors; the economy of the region relies on tourism. 

    Let’s Go Italy says “the five bright fishing villages of Cinque Terre will bring your spirit sweet silence.”  Whether you are pausing for rest on the Via del Amore, perching on a rock in the harbor of Riomaggiore or sipping a cappuccino at Bar Centrale in town, close your eyes and enjoy this “sweetness.”  Then open your eyes and look around.  In Cinque Terre the view in any direction is spectacular. 

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  • 1 year ago
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• Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy

  • From: ktmae55
  • Description:

    You may have the universe if I may have Italy. ~ Giuseppe Verdi

     

    Dan and I went to Italy on our Honeymoon. We were married in Detroit so we first flew to Chicago and then on to Pisa, via Madrid. We flew on Iberia, because they had the best prices, and were very happy with the service.

     

    We landed in Pisa and caught the bus from the airport to the train station (about 5 minutes). At the train station we shared a pizza and a pint of beer – our first official meal on the honeymoon!

    Then we boarded the train to Manarola on the Ligurian Sea in Cinque Terre, which means Five Lands. The five towns that make up the Cinque Terre used to be sleepy fishing villages, but have become quite popular with tourists in the last ten years or so. After about an hour on the train, the terrain began getting hillier. We went through a very long tunnel and suddenly came out to a beautiful view – a near sheer drop off of a cliff down to the sparkling blue Ligurian Sea. We got off the train in Manarola and followed the directions up, up, up to the near top of the seaside cliff and found our cute little hotel – Arpaui.

     

    

     Just a few of the over 100 steps to our hotel.

     

    It was actually more of an apartment – just a place with 4 separate rooms and a terrace that faced the sea. There was no front desk or room service and the woman who let us in didn't live there and spoke hardly any English. But we managed to communicate with gestures, paid her the 200 euros for 3 nights, and then settled in.

     

    Our view was amazing – a picture perfect scene. Once we looked down out of our window and saw the clear blue sea and people jumping into it off the rocks we got a second wind, threw on our suits and ran down to the water. We found a small lagoon area off to the side of town where the water was calm and clear. Dan jumped in first, while I stood there afraid. Finally the voice in my head said "you are on your honeymoon, now jump!" The water was cold but it was so refreshing after the long travel. We drew a crowd splashing around and eventually were joined by some boys from Chicago who had been traveling around for the last 3 months. We took turns jumping off the rocks while enjoying the beautiful scenery around us.

     

    

     The view from our window.

     

    After we washed up we headed into town for dinner. We ate at a little bistro where the waitress spoke English and we were served complimentary pesto crostini to start. Cinque Terre is famous for its pesto, which is said to have originated here along with foccaccia. I bought a jar to bring home (and now wish I would have bought 10!) I had the pesto gnocchi and Dan had the swordfish pasta, both of which were delicious. We finished up with some gelato and then retreated to our beautiful deck to watch the sunset and talk to some Australians who were in the room next to us. We woke up at 4am and peeked outside our window which looked out into the sea, and saw the lights of the other towns. It looked so magical and almost surreal. I just kept saying that I couldn’t believe we were actually there.

     

    

    The towns at dawn.

     

    After sleeping a bit more, we went into town for breakfast of café (espresso) and nutella pastry and then set out to do the hike. There are 5 towns, 3 to the north of ours and one to the south. We hiked north to the first town of Corniglia - easy until we hit the stairs. Corniglia is up off the sea so it was about 400 stairs up to the town. I thought I was dying. Then we did the very difficult hike on to Vernazza which took us about 2 hours. There were all these “super hikers” on the trail with hiking sticks – I hated them. Halfway between the two towns there was a bar so we stopped for a beer (and I wondered how that guy gets to work each day!) and then had some yummy lunch of pesto foccaccia in the town of Vernazza. We were really tired so we took the train to the next and north-most town of Monterosso. Monterosso is the beach resort town – they have more expensive hotels and they are the only town with a beach, though it is made of pebbles and rocks, not sand. While we were there it started to rain so we took the train back to our town. The other towns were nice, but we loved Manarola and are so glad we stayed there.

    Manarola, seen from the trail to Corniglia. 

     

    When we got back to Manarola the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining again. Exhausted after the hike, we swam for a bit, then washed up and then went to dinner. This time our waiter spoke no English, but somehow we managed to order wine and mussels (a first for me but again I wanted to try something new and I was so glad I did). Then we struck up a conversation with 2 Italian women who spoke English. They helped me order the sea bass with the head and skin removed. Dan ordered lasagna. My fish came, but it still had the head and skin on and unfortunately our friends had already left. I was apprehensive but Dan removed it and it was so good - worth the trouble of cleaning it ourselves. Dan's lasagna was also the best lasagna we've ever had - the sauce was so light and the pasta layers were so thin. For dessert we had the best tiramisu either of us have had. That meal still lingers in my memory for being so amazing.

    After dinner we headed across the street to the bar. On our way in we met two women from Chicago. They had struck up a conversation with 2 Italians, one of whom was the owner of the bar. He pulled out his guitar and played while one of the women sang and soon it turned into a full blown sing-a-long with us, the Italian men, the 2 Chicago women, 3 girls from Ireland, a local couple from Manarola, the bartender, and later our waiter from dinner all singing along to U2, Beatles, Billy Joel, and other American classics.

     

    

     

     

    

     

    

    Our sing-a-long.

     

    They also treated us to a traditional Manarola song that was just beautiful. The bar was supposed to close at 10, but the owner closed the doors and let us stay until about 11:30. On they way out we were told to be very quiet. They said if you are too loud in the streets late at night, the locals will pour water on your head out their windows. Dan and I walked (quietly) down to our hidden lagoon and then decided to take a midnight swim.

     

    Looking through town towards the sea, fishing boats lining the streets.

     

    The next morning we were a bit tired so we just wandered around Manarola, took the walk to the one south town of Riomaggiore (a very short, easy flat walk). While we were on the walk we saw a tour group and heard this rather large German woman say indignantly "I did not pay all this money to walk around looking at rocks!" which became a running joke of the trip. Then we took the train back north to Monterosso and the boat back to Manarola to get a view of the towns from the water. Upon arrival we learned there is no dock in Manarola – the boat pulls up to the rocks and a ladder is extended with wheels on the end of it. Whenever a wave hit, the ladder bobbed up and down on its wheels on the rocks. It was slightly scary exiting the boat! For dinner we hit the local market for some buffalo mozzarella, pesto bianco and a few more slices of the local foccaccia (it was addicting). We ate it up on our veranda, watched the sunset, and then went to bed early.
     View of town from our patio.

     

    The next day we said good bye to Manarola. I was so sad to leave. I could have spent the whole honeymoon there. I love it's laid back vibe, friendly fun people, great food, and wonderful views. Dan and I really want to go back there and stay for at least a week!

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  • 1 year ago
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• Our Honeymoon in Italy - June

  • From: ktmae55
  • Description:

    We went to Italy on our Honeymoon. We were married in Detroit so we first flew to Chicago and then on to Pisa, via Madrid. Over the years I have developed a pretty intense fear or flying so I took two xanax, a sleeping pill and, upon waking mid-way through the flight, had a few small sips of wine. We arrive in Pisa around 10 the next morning and waited about an hour for the train to Manarola.

    We shared a pizza and a pint of beer – our first official meal on the honeymoon! Then we boarded the train to Manarola. After about an hour, the terrain began getting hillier. We went through a very long tunnel and suddenly came out to a beautiful view – a near sheer drop off of a cliff down to the sparkling blue Ligurian Sea. We got off the train in Manarola and followed the directions up, up, up to the near top of the seaside cliff and found our cute little hotel – Arpaui. It was actually more of an apartment – just a place with 4 separate rooms and a terrace that faced the sea. No front desk or room service and the woman who let us in didn't live there and spoke hardly any English. But we managed to communicate with gestures, paid her the 200 euros for 3 nights, and then settled in.

    Our view was amazing – a picture perfect scene. Once we looked down out of our window and saw the clear blue sea and people jumping into it off the rocks we got a second wind, threw on our suits and ran down to the water. We found a small lagoon area off to the side of town where the water was calm and clear. Dan jumped in first, while I stood there afraid. Finally the voice in my head said "you are on your honeymoon, now jump!". I did. The water was cold but it was so refreshing after the long travel. We drew a crowd splashing around and eventually were joined by some boys from Chicago who had been traveling around for the last 3 months. We took turns jumping off the rocks while enjoying the beautiful scenery around us.

    After we washed up we headed into town for dinner. We ate at a little bistro where the waitress spoke English and we were served complimentary pesto crostini to start. Cinque Terre is famous for its pesto, which is said to have originated here along with foccaccia. I bought a jar to bring home (and now wish I would have bought 10!) I had the pesto gnocchi and Dan had the swordfish pasta, both of which were delicious. We finished up with some gelato and then retreated to our beautiful deck to watch the sunset and talk to some Australians who were in the room next to us. We woke up at 4am and peeked outside our window which looked out into the sea, and saw the lights of the other towns. It looked so magical and almost surreal. I just kept saying that I couldn’t believe we were actually there.

    

    After sleeping a bit more, we went into town for breakfast of café (espresso) and nutella pastry and then set out to do the hike. There are 5 towns, 3 to the north of ours and one to the south. We hiked north to the first town of Corniglia - easy until we hit the stairs. Corniglia is up off the sea so it was about 400 stairs up to the town. I thought I was dying. Then we did the very difficult hike on to Vernazza which took us about 2 hours. There were all these “super hikers” on the trail with hiking sticks – I hated them.

    Halfway between the two towns there was a bar so we stopped for a beer (and I wondered how that guy gets to work each day!) and then had some yummy lunch of pesto foccaccia in the town of Vernazza. We were really tired so we took the train to the next and north-most town of Monterosso. Monterosso is the beach resort town – they have more expensive hotels and they are the only town with a beach. While we were there it started to rain so we took the train back to our town. The other towns were nice, but we loved Manarola and are so glad we stayed there.

    When we got back to Manarola the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining again. Exhausted after the hike we swam for a bit, then washed up and then went to dinner. This time our waiter spoke no English, but somehow we managed to order wine and mussels (a first for me but again I wanted to try something new and I was so glad I did). Then we struck up a conversation with 2 Italian women who spoke English. They helped me order the sea bass with the head and skin removed. Dan ordered lasagna. My fish came, but it still had the head and skin on and unfortunately our friends had already left. I was grossed out but Dan removed it and it was so good - worth the trouble of cleaning it ourselves. Dan's lasagna was also the best lasagna we've ever had - the sauce was so light and the pasta layers were so thin. For dessert we had the best tiramisu either of us have had. That meal still lingers in my memory for being so amazing.

    After dinner we headed across the street to the bar. On our way in we met two women from Chicago. They had struck up a conversation with 2 Italians, one of which was the owner of the bar. He pulled out his guitar and played while one of the women sang and soon it turned into a full blown sing-a-long with us, the Italian men, the 2 Chicago women, 3 girls from Ireland, a local couple from Manarola, the bartender, and later our waiter from dinner all singing along to U2, Beatles, Billy Joel, and other American classics.

    

    They also treated us to a traditional Manarola song that was just beautiful. The bar was supposed to close at 10, but the owner closed the doors and let us stay until about 11:30. On they way out we were told to be very quiet. They said if you are too loud in the streets late at night, the locals will pour water on your head out their windows. Dan and I walked (quietly) down to our hidden lagoon and then decided to take a midnight swim.

    The next morning we were a bit hung over so we just wandered around Manarola, took the walk to the one south town of Riomaggiore (a very short, easy flat walk). While we were on the walk we saw a tour group and heard this rather large German woman say indignantly "I did not pay all this money to walk around looking at rocks!!!" which became a running joke of the trip . Then we took the train back north to Monterosso and the boat back to Manarola to get a view of the towns from the water. Upon arrival we learned there is no dock in Manarola – the boat pulls up to the rocks and a ladder is extended with wheels on the end of it. Whenever a wave hit the ladder bobbed up and down on its wheels on the rocks. It was slightly scary exciting the boat! For dinner we hit the local market for some buffalo mozzarella, pesto bianco and a few more slices of the local foccaccia (it was addicting). We ate it up on our veranda, watched the sunset, and then went to bed early.

    The next day we said good bye to Manarola. I was so sad to leave. I could have spent the whole honeymoon there. I love it's laid back vibe, friendly fun people, great food, and wonderful views. Dan and I really want to go back there and stay for at least a week!

    We took an early morning train from Manarola and got into Florence around 11am. We stored our bags at the train station and wandered around Florence. We stayed near the train station and saw most of the tourist sights. We also wandered a market and fell in love with this amazing piece of leather luggage. After a light pizza lunch we took the bus 20 minutes into the countryside to our B &B – La Limonaia. Apparently, if you call ahead Guilio will come get you from the bus stop, but we walked. It is not a far walk at all, but it was difficult with luggage and I was starting to get worried that this B &B was a bad idea. We were out of breath when we arrived, but once we saw the place we knew we had made the right choice – it was so cute and had a great view of the Tuscan countryside.

    Christina, one of the owners, showed us around the place. It was very charming and what you would expect of a traditional Tuscan villa. It was very old - apparently Galileo had lived there briefly! She told us her friend Cristian was coming around 7 to talk to us about wine and we would have our aperitif at that time. We booked the 4 day honeymoon package so it was included in our stay. We assumed aperitif meant a glass of wine and maybe some cheese. We were so wrong! Around 7 we entered the wine bar and met Guilio and Cristian, who is a sommelier and a cellar master for Fattoria le Sorgenti vineyards, where we would do the wine tour on our trip . Also, he was really cute! I felt bad thinking that on my honeymoon, but there was no denying Cristian was one hot Italian! We were given a printed listing of our itinerary for the next 3 days. We enjoyed some mini sandwiches and some grissini (breadsticks) with proscuitto and talked to Cristian about the wine. All was delicious and we assumed that was it for the night. Wrong again. After Cristian left, we moved to a table for more wine and several courses - a Tuscan cold quiche (pretty good), some marinated veggies and artichokes, tuna stuffed peppers with sun dried tomatoes (not for me), and my favorite, some goat cheese topped with the most amazing herbs and some of Guilio's olive oil (soooo yummy). Then we had some Vin Santo (sweet dessert wine) with chocolate chip cake and then some port wine from Sardinia. After that we certainly didn't need to go out to eat as we had planned, so we went for a short walk around the countryside.

    The next morning we woke up to a huge breakfast spread of cakes, fruits, cheese, meat, breads, muffins, coffee and juice. We had a bit of time to relax afterwards and get ready for our cooking class with Donatella. Donatella (Christina called her “Mama”) spoke no English so Christina had to translate. We learned how to make the pasta dough and roll it out. It was so fun. I had a hard time mixing but was really good at rolling it out, and Dan was the opposite. So I guess we make a good team – he mixes I roll. Then we made ricotta and spinach ravioli and some tagliatelle. We also made the sauce for each - tomato for the tagliatelle and butter and sage for the ravioli. We sat down and were served an aperitif and wine, then each pasta course, then more Vin Santo and some biscotti for dipping. All was very delicious and I can't believe how simple it was.

    Then we changed and got ready for our spice tour with Pierre. We were picked up and driven to his farm and walked around learning about the herbs that he grows. It was interesting but I have never really been into cooking with herbs and spices so I zoned out a bit at times. Dan loved it, but city girl that I am; I wasn't as enthused about the many flies and birds flying around me. I tried to not act like I was miserable and afterwards Dan said "sorry you had to deal with that" and I said I was trying not to let him notice and he said "I just know you. Bugs and dirt aren't really your thing". But after the tour, we sat down to sample the many herbs and herb/salt blends with some wine and cheese. This part was definately “my thing”! Wow, they were so good so we bought 5 jars of various blends for only 19 Euro. I had been converted and now I can't wait to cook with all the herbs and spices!

    That night, we were on our own for dinner so Guilio drove us into his small town to a beautiful restaurant that had a terrace overlooking the countryside. We had crostini, salad, wine, potatoes, steak and ravioli for only 50 euros. We shared a cab home with the other couple who was staying there who was also on their honeymoon and also from Chicago!

    The next morning we were up early for another great breakfast, this time with an omelet of cheese and those delicious herbs as well and then off to the wine tour. Guilio drove us, the other couple, 3 girls from Florence, and Cristian around the vineyard for a tour of the grounds and some wine education. We also met the owner of the vineyard who was out working in the field. After the tour, it was time for the vineyard lunch. After the lunch, we got dropped off in Florence for the afternoon. We got some more lunch, just a snack really, and went back to find the leather luggage that I had wanted. We haggled a bit on the price and were able to get it at a really good deal and now I have a beautiful Italian carry-on! We were both tired by about 6 so came back to the inn to get ready for our special private candlelit vineyard dinner.

    This was the highlight of the trip !!!! Guilio drove us up to the top of the vineyard hills, overlooking all of the Fattoria le Sorgenti vineyards where we could see Florence in the distance. We pulled up and at the top of the hill, under a tree was a table set with candles just for us. Cristian and (I can't remember his name!) the vineyard owner's son were there manning the grill. Cristian poured us some sparkling chardonnay and we had bread and olive oil, tomato crostini, and a salad topped with olive oil and some of Pierre's herbs. I was in ecstasy.

    

    Then came the meat - the best lemon grilled chicken I have ever had, along with sausage, ribs, and pork, and enough to feed 4 people easily! All served with the vineyard's award-winning Scirus wine. The best wine I have ever had in my entire life! We really enjoyed talking to Cristian, but the men also gave us ample time alone to enjoy the sunset and then we had more wine and some yummy chocolate cannoli for dessert. It was one of the most romantic and memorable experiences of my life! We were served wine by the man who made it, our food was cooked at the vineyard by the owner's son, and the food was seasoned with the herbs of the man we met the day before! I felt like it was a dream, all this was just for us?! It made me feel like we were millionaires, when actually we had only paid $250 per night for the entire package!

    The next day we slept in and then had more wonderful breakfast, chatting with Christina about life, Italy, Tuscany, politics, and more. One of my favorite things about staying at La Limonaia was talking with Guilio and Christina. They are such warm hearted amazing people. They have such pride for their country and for what they do. They have created such an amazing place. They also do a bunch of other tours – a truffle hunt, pizza making class, cheese making, etc.

    We spent our final day in Tuscany doing some shopping. I got a 5 Euro pashmina and Dan got 5 Euro sunglasses. I bought a really cute dress and a jacket at Zara for 100 Euro. Then we headed back to the inn to rest up for our final dinner. At 7, other couple joined us for dinner in the wine bar. We had pecorino cheese served with saffron honey and then, ecstasy – some more cheese served with truffle infused honey. Oh my god!!!! Guilio agreed to sell us two jars after we could not stop raving about it. Then we had a cold bread soup (actually pretty good), veal with tomato sauce and some artichokes (tasty), and a really good Brunello wine. For dessert it was a fantastic chocolate chip gelato cake and some sweet port-like wine.

    The next morning we sadly said good bye to La Limonaia and to Guilio and Christina. This is an amazing special place and these are such welcoming people. This is another place that we really want to come back to!

    The next morning we took the train to Venice. We got off the train in front of the Grand Canal and got so excited! We quickly realized however, that our map to the hotel was completely useless. We argued and bickered and wandered aimlessly and asked for directions and took wrong turns and sweated and groused for about an hour before finally finding our B & B, tucked in a courtyard off a square, down a narrow twisty alley, over a bridge about a 5 minute walk from the Rialto bBidge. Then our B & B was up 4 flights of narrow, winding stairs. By the time we arrived we were drenched in sweat and cranky. This was our least favorite B &B. the host weren't all the friendly to us and to get to the hotel portion, we had to walk in their house which was very odd and uncomfortable. We got checked in and showered and changed and set out around 4 to get some food.

    

    Venice is odd. It's beautiful and amazing but it’s also hot and crowded and the people are kind of rude (when you have 70,000 residents against 11 million tourists per year I suppose you get cranky) and it was much dirtier that I expected. There was trash on the ground and in the canals and there was a lot of graffiti.

    As soon as we left the hotel we got lost. We found a square to sit and have a beer and a slice of pizza for 3 Euro. We quickly found out that if you are willing to stand and eat, or maybe eat outside walking or sitting on the ground you can get food really cheaply. But if you want to sit and eat, expect to pay a fortune. After the pizza and beer we wandered some more, stopping at bars along the way for a prosecco for me and "spritz" for Dan. The spritz is white wine, soda, and campari and most places charge 1 Euro for a glass. Finally we stumbled (almost literally after all those spritzes and processos) into a cichetti bar. Cichetti is like Italian small plates. We asked for cichetti for 2 and got 2 HUGE plates of bread, veggies, meats, and cheeses for 22 Euro. We pigged out and then decided to walk around some more, since we had no idea where our hotel was. Then we randomly found it all of a sudden! In Venice there are signs everywhere pointing the way to either the Rialto or San Marco so Dan decided to go to Rialto and find our way from there to our hotel. He figured no matter where we were in Venice we could find Rialto and from there we could find our hotel. So we did that, and on the way back to our hotel we found a crepe shop and got a delicious nutella and gelato stuffed crepe for 3 Euro.

    The next morning we had a light breakfast at the B &B and then set out to explore Venice. I had just read "City of Falling Angels" and wanted to find some landmarks from the book so we found the Santa Maria Della Salute church, the Fenice opera house, and then just walked around San Marco and various neighborhoods of the island. We of course got lost a lot again but it was fun. We had some pizza, fries (we had a craving!) and wine for 27 Euro for lunch (so much because we sat at a table. They charge a cover charge of 1 -2 Euro per person but then you don't tip. Also they charge for water – sometimes as much as 4 Euro! Our pizza was 11 Euro, the fries were 5, wine was 7, water was 2, and cover was 2) and then we headed home and took a nap and a shower.

    Around 5 we got up for more prosecco, spritz, and cichetti. This time we found a string of cichetti bars and ordered per piece instead of just saying a plate for 2. Over the course of 3 hours we had some mini sandwiches, some deep fried potato balls, a deep fried crab claw, and lots of cheese and proscuitto and lots to drink, and spent about 40 Euro having a great time in all these little bars where we were the only people speaking English. Then somehow we took a wrong turn and ended up on the side of the island we had never been on. It’s funny in Venice how you can be surrounded by tourists and then one wrong turn down a narrow twisty street and you are completely alone. There was NO ONE around and we even saw a parking lot with cars! You know you are lost in Venice when you find the place where the cars are! Then luckily we found another bar, had another drink, and got directions back to Rialto. By this time it was 11 and everything was closing so we stopped by the crepe place for more dessert and then headed home.

    The next morning we had breakfast and then set out to figure out how we would get to the airport in the morning. We went back to the train station to the tourist office and ended up buying a 24 hour transportation pass. To get the most of it, we hopped on a water bus (the only kind there is on the island) and went to Murano, the island famous for it’s beautiful blown glass. We walked around and looked at the glass shops and bought some glass wine stoppers and then had lunch. Gnocchi in cheese sauce for me and mushroom ravioli for Dan with a bottle of water, for 19 Euro. Then we went back to the B & B and took a looooong nap. All this walking was really tiring us out! We got up at 5 and went down for a slice of pizza and a spritz, did some window shopping at Gucci, Chanel, Hermes, and all the other super pricey stores. Then we stumbled upon an amazing little pastry shop. We had a prosecco and spritz with some free bar munchies and then had 2 mini dessert pastries that were soooo yummy. It was our pre-dinner dessert. Then we wandered for about an hour trying to decide where to eat. I wanted fish and Dan wanted lasagna but we didn't want to spend more than 50 euros on food and wine. When you get wine in a bar it is 1-2 euros per glass. If you can find "house wine" it is less than 10 Euro for a liter. But all the nice sit-down dinner places only have it by the bottle for 15 Euro or more, plus 4 Euro for water, and 4 Euro for cover change. That's over 20 Euro and you haven't even ordered food yet!!!

    We finally found a place that seemed reasonable and ordered a 7 Euro bottle of wine and 2 Euro bottle of water (I swear my Venice water bill was about 50 Euro and we did not budget for that!!!) and Dan ordered a 7 Euro salad. Dan ordered a taglioline with white veal ragu and I ordered swordfish with fried zucchini flowers. Dan's pasta was good, but not 18 Euro worth of good. The zucchini flowers were actually good, but I knew as soon as I saw my 20 Euro swordfish that I was not going to like it. It was all black parts and when I cut into it, it was very raw, even red in some parts. YUCK. We waited and waited for our waiter to come back. Finally a different waiter came back to take Dan's now empty pasta bowl. He was about to take mine when I pointed out that I didn't eat any of it. He got our waiter who came and asked what the problem was. I tried to explain that it was raw and he said that fish should be medium and I said yes but not raw. And that is didn't taste very fresh – it was fishier than swordfish should be. He got very mad and took the plate away and next thing we know the Italian speaking owner of the store comes out to our table holding the GIANT raw fish on a plate screaming "fresca" at us and waving the plate around. We didn't know what to do so we just kept saying that we didn't like it. Then the waiter came and took away our bread and put down the bill, a polite way of kicking us out I suppose. What we should have done was stormed out, but instead we paid the 60 Euro bill and then I went and got a 2 Euro slice of pizza. I was soooo mad. I was embarrassed and frustrated and Venice had taken its toll on me and I started crying. So we decided not to go to San Marco for a drink, or to take a 100 Euro gondola ride and instead went back to the crepe place and took it bad to the room where Dan cheered me up with impressions of the fat German tourist (I did not pay all this money, to have a fish waived in my face!)

    We were up the next morning at 5 to get to the airport, fly 2 hours to Madrid and then fly home. I took more xanax and sleeping pill so it all went by very quickly. Overall it was a wonderful honeymoon. Manarola was magical, and Tuscany was amazing with such wonderful people. Venice was neat to see, but it wasn't my favorite place. I think I would go back to Venice at some point, but I am in no rush. I would like to see it in winter when it is very quiet as it was beautiful when no one was around at 5am. I would also lower my expectations and not plan to have a “fancy” meal. Venice is not known as a culinary destination, yet because of the crowds they can afford to charge a lot. We tried to avoid the touristy places on the Grand Canal but I think we got much better food for our money and had much more fun when we just ate at the cichetti counters with the locals.

     

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