By Mary Webb
Cinque Terre, a place under the sun and over the sea where travelers can experience not only a taste of Italy, but a huge bite! Whether by boat, foot, or train, the five villages of Monterosso, Vernazza , Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore promise something for everyone! Add shopping and sightseeing on your list for the day; oh, and don’t forget lunch, spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea and mouth-watering food await you at any one of the 5 village locations.
Originating from Southern California we decided to travel South. Starting at the most northern village of Monterosso, we pursued a coffee and looked out over the bay before we set out on our southerly hike amongst the villages. We watched several travelers lining up on a liner to spend the day out on the ocean, gaining an alternate perspective of Italy. An interesting viewpoint of history at this junction are the World War II Nazi pillbox bunkers, carved into the side of the mountain by the bay.
For a small fee, you may purchase a ticket to traverse the trails of the Cinque Terre. The Monterosso portion of the hike is the most challenging. Staring at the stairs, we began our ascent into the upper most region of the village. Move over stair master, this is the most difficult portion of the hike; make sure you have on a proper pair of tennis shoes and ample bottles of water. Intermittently between the paved steps are level pauses of reprieve, luscious scenery and ocean views. Grapevines dotted the hillside at various turns and twists. The vines were expertly manicured and I enjoyed imagining the daily hike of a conscientious vineyard worker, tending to their care.
Approaching the next Villa of Vernazza of our 2.5 mile hike was surreal! Having tuckered our calves and legs, we still had a dance in our step as we were greeted by 2 musicians! On their sax and accordion, they serenaded our descent into the picturesque view of Vernazza. It was here we were ready for a dip in the Mediterranean and a nice leisurely lunch at Al Castello.
More steps awaited us to the Al Castello restaurant, but we didn’t mind. The view at the top was stunning. This writer had the fresh shrimp; local fresh produce accompanied the sea food and fresh loaves of bread came in droves. Not a tomato was left unturned as we looked out upon the Mediterranean Sea, deciding upon our diving location underneath the terrace.
Good thing we went light on the salt at lunch, there was plenty of it in the Mediterranean! The jump in the ocean was exhilarating, made me feel a connection to this special spot on the globe. We also felt somewhat at home in talking to other swimmers, as many were from the United States. Some in our group decided to check out the Santa Margherita di Antiochia church, a quaint and beautiful building built in the 1300’s.
As we bid good bye to Vernazza, we found out soon enough that the trail to Cornigia, the third village, was closed. Recent rains washed away the dirt, making it unsafe to travel. We discovered the Cinque Terre hike was a part of the National Park of Italy. The fee we paid to partake in the hike will go towards reconstruction of this trail to Cornigia, as well as maintenance for the surrounding trail systems.
To the train! We decided upon hitting up the forth village of Manarola for a gelato and some grocery shopping. Renting a farm house in Vicchio afforded me the opportunity to use the wood burning stove and vintage range. I located some home made pesto and striped pasta at a local market to satisfy my travel partners that evening. With shopping bags in tow and a full stomach, it was time to take the trail to the fifth and last village, Riomaggiore.
The trail from Manarola to Riomaggiore is love-locked. All along the gates and fences are locks; some old and some knew, as sweethearts confess their undying love to each other against the sea. While the origination of this tradition remains unsettled, we enjoyed the creativity of the individuals. The locks are artwork in and among themselves along the beautiful scenic walkways.
Ending our hike through Riomaggiore was pleasant and low-key. I was glad we chose to start with the most challenging portion of the hike in Monterosso and ease our pace into the Riomaggiorian sunset. It was here a “pizza parlor” caught our eye; and as we sat down with the exquisite table wine and reminisced of our amazing day, we all decided… this pizza had the merriest marinara this side of Italy!
Al Castello
Via G. Guidoni, 5, 19018 Vernazza La Spezia, Italy
+39 0187 812296
