Dale... on the rocks. (Shaken, not stirred.)
We started in Riomaggiore, the first of the towns. It is very similar in shape to that of Vernazza, with its upper section and the harbor divided by the train station. It is not as commercially polished or cute as Vernazza, but is still very cool to look at with rows of houses clinging to the steep hills. The walk around the town is called the “Via d’Amore” (Way of Love) – and while not quite as romantic with four guys and my wife, was still breathtaking to say the least.
The second town, Manarola, was easily my second favorite behind Vernazza. It has the same laid-back, resort feel (as compared to the more working feeling of town #1) and a main street that is filled with nice restaurants, coffee bars, and small shops. We enjoyed cappuccinos and lattes along the water and admired the view. If the weather had been warmer it would have been a great place to relax on the rocks above the water.
We skipped the third town, Corniglia, as it is not directly on the water and involves a steep hike to reach, instead shooting all the way to the last town, Monterosso. This is the most ‘tourist’ of the group, with a ‘South Beach Miami’ feel of cheap tourist traps and the only sandy beach of the five. On a sunny July day this would be incredible, however the overcast skies and choppy water made us get back on the train and return to Vernazza.
That night, we did have the most incredible dinner of our entire time in Italy at the Restaurant Belforte in Vernazza. Sitting about 100 feet on top of the sea at the very edge of town, the entire restaurant is cut into a huge rock with panoramic vistas and breathtaking patios. The evening before we had met a very nice local girl named Machela who helped run the restaurant, and had invited us to dine there the following evening. What we experienced blew us away! Course after course were placed in front of us, including huge plates of seafood pasta filled with mussels, shrimp, and clams, spicy risotto, fresh grilled fish, and sweet sorbetto. Eric and Dale could not stop smiling, while Wei Wong was too full to even talk. If you ever make it to Vernazza, the splurge is well worth it to have a meal that you will always remember at Belforte.
The detail of Cinque Terra is everywhere...
My travel advice for anyone looking to visit the Cinque Terra is to do your research first. Book well in advance via email with a local B&B (visit www.ricksteves.com for a listing of places)… or just know that you’ll meet some friendly local on the train who will become a friend and point you in the right direction. I would say that Vernazza is by far the best of the towns, however does fill with the most tourists so a good alternative for those seeking quiet would be Manarola. It is heaven for hikers, but for beach bums the French Riviera might be a better option. We did love it, and if you come looking to get away from it all than you might just find a new home in the Cinque Terra.
~ J. Twice
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