CINQUE TERRE - Trails Closed Both Directions but the Alternatives Worked!
Oct 14th, 2013, 09:54 AM
#21
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Thanks Karen. I think a day trips on your own would be great. The tours pouring in seemed so rushed. My husband wants to go back to Florence for a week someday and I've already said OK, as long as we can take a train to CT for one of the days and do some things we didn't get around to this time.
All those stairs do not fall into the category of something I still want to do though!
Did you love Lucca? I loved renting the bikes and riding around the top of the walls!
All those stairs do not fall into the category of something I still want to do though!
Did you love Lucca? I loved renting the bikes and riding around the top of the walls!
Oct 15th, 2013, 08:10 AM
#23
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Well, I've tried continuing my report twice since Sunday and nothing is adding! Has this happened to anyone else? Will it add later? I don't want to keep trying to see later that the same passage was added two or three times.
Of course, if there's a problem going on, you won't see this either!
Of course, if there's a problem going on, you won't see this either!
Oct 15th, 2013, 08:12 AM
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FERRY
We hopped on the next ferry from Portovenere to go back because we wanted to pass Manarola and go at least as far as Vernazza to see it from the water. We couldn’t get all the way to Montorossa and return because the ferry connection didn’t work for us to get back. The other nice thing about this afternoon ride was that the sun in the west just lit up all the towns so I got better pictures than before.
We got off at Vernazza after the beautiful approach from the water, did a little shopping and again I was struck by the crowds. This place is always hopping. As much as we enjoyed the activity, that’s not our style for a place to stay. We stopped at the recommended tiny Batti Batti Friggitoria on the main street and bought a paper cone of fried calamari, some of the most tender calamari I’ve ever eaten, and came back to the harbor. We then visited S. Margherita de Antiochia, the main church just next to the cove. We noticed a sign announcing the events of the International Music Festival of Cinque Terre and noted that there would be an organ concert that we might enjoy in Riomaggiore that night.
We were able to take the last ferry back to Manarola (yea for the pass) and once there, decided that dinner that night would be from the take-out Pizzeria il Discovolo down near the harbor. A couple types of pizza slices, a slice of focaccia, 2 mini calzones, Torta di Riso (a sweet rice tart from the region – it was delicious) and a bottle of wine cost us 13.50 Euros. We gathered plates and wine glasses from the apartment and went to enjoy the sunset on the terrace of the main building. How beautiful! A private picnic with the perfect view of the water, setting sun and the coastline as the lights came on.
We hopped on the next ferry from Portovenere to go back because we wanted to pass Manarola and go at least as far as Vernazza to see it from the water. We couldn’t get all the way to Montorossa and return because the ferry connection didn’t work for us to get back. The other nice thing about this afternoon ride was that the sun in the west just lit up all the towns so I got better pictures than before.
We got off at Vernazza after the beautiful approach from the water, did a little shopping and again I was struck by the crowds. This place is always hopping. As much as we enjoyed the activity, that’s not our style for a place to stay. We stopped at the recommended tiny Batti Batti Friggitoria on the main street and bought a paper cone of fried calamari, some of the most tender calamari I’ve ever eaten, and came back to the harbor. We then visited S. Margherita de Antiochia, the main church just next to the cove. We noticed a sign announcing the events of the International Music Festival of Cinque Terre and noted that there would be an organ concert that we might enjoy in Riomaggiore that night.
We were able to take the last ferry back to Manarola (yea for the pass) and once there, decided that dinner that night would be from the take-out Pizzeria il Discovolo down near the harbor. A couple types of pizza slices, a slice of focaccia, 2 mini calzones, Torta di Riso (a sweet rice tart from the region – it was delicious) and a bottle of wine cost us 13.50 Euros. We gathered plates and wine glasses from the apartment and went to enjoy the sunset on the terrace of the main building. How beautiful! A private picnic with the perfect view of the water, setting sun and the coastline as the lights came on.
Oct 15th, 2013, 09:48 AM
#28
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RIOMAGGIORE
We decided to go to Riomaggiore that night for the organ concert so we went to the train station and went as far as the first stop. We knew it would be a short ride so timed it this time…1 minute 29 seconds start to stop! This time we expected a dark station so once the train stopped, we were prepared. We quickly opened the doors and in fact we were still in the tunnel with a very narrow walkway running along the side of the train. Wow! Minimal light, no signs. As soon as we got off, the train started moving. Had we not been waiting at the door and watching for a green light to come on on the door, we would have missed our stop. We rescued some other people who hadn’t noticed that they were at the ‘station’ by opening the door for them. They were shocked that they could get off.
Tip #10 – going to these small stations at night, stand by the train door just before it’s time to get off the train. When the train stops, a green button should light up on the door if you are actually at the stop. If you push it and the door opens, check to confirm that others are disembarking and be prepared for a narrow walkway if you are not at the main platform – it is in fact part of the station. The platform is so much shorter than some trains that the trains extend into the tunnel. It was nerve-wracking at first - who gets off in a tunnel??!! - but we did this several times and got more comfortable with it. I’m sure unsuspecting people miss their stops all the time because of this. We easily could have.
MOSAIC TUNNEL
The first amazing thing to see in Riomaggiore is the mosaic running the entire length of the 200 meter long pedestrian tunnel from the train station to the main street. Called the “Sequenza dell Memoria”, it’s a beautiful length of “Sequence of the Memory: Sea Levels and Sky Levels” created by local artist Silvio Benedetto between 2004 and 2007 to show images of the region. The materials used were varied: thousands of handcut colorful tiles (of course) and marble, interspersed with tiny bits of mirrors, 3-D stony outcroppings of pebbles or rocks or large stone slabs, and even large (cement-filled I imagine) seashells. I never saw such an original mosaic! You go from the abstract rocky and mountainous regional landscape, to the undersea world of bright blues of the water and brilliant colors of fish, coral, octopus, jellyfish, and the enormous signature starfish in the middle, then on to the muted colors of the moon, stars, planets, sun and sky and back to the drab grey stonework at the end.
I found this quote of the artist online and it summed up my own experience:
<<“Sometimes I make visible that what is secret in me, sometimes the things penetrate me to re-emerge, sometimes they watch me, other times I watch that what I have realised with detachment: it is a sequence of the memory” says Silvio Benedetto. A sequence that Silvio Benedetto defines: “A sensation that the passer-by has perceived and persists in him also when he is already gone away... the sensation to have seen something, like happens to us when we have the impression to see fantasy animals or faces and who knows what else in the variegations of the marble, in the shapes of the moving clouds, in the steep rocks: the see, a seagull, a boat, a storm, like in a magic story… Benedetto therefore speaks of a long dynamic composition and of spectators in movement, however he has searched and realised precise and determinated moments of rest where the spectator finds a declared subject: the moon, the sun, the stars, creatures from the bottom of the sea.>>
I had all these sensations and recommend getting off at this station even if only to see this artwork. I wish I was this talented!
We decided to go to Riomaggiore that night for the organ concert so we went to the train station and went as far as the first stop. We knew it would be a short ride so timed it this time…1 minute 29 seconds start to stop! This time we expected a dark station so once the train stopped, we were prepared. We quickly opened the doors and in fact we were still in the tunnel with a very narrow walkway running along the side of the train. Wow! Minimal light, no signs. As soon as we got off, the train started moving. Had we not been waiting at the door and watching for a green light to come on on the door, we would have missed our stop. We rescued some other people who hadn’t noticed that they were at the ‘station’ by opening the door for them. They were shocked that they could get off.
Tip #10 – going to these small stations at night, stand by the train door just before it’s time to get off the train. When the train stops, a green button should light up on the door if you are actually at the stop. If you push it and the door opens, check to confirm that others are disembarking and be prepared for a narrow walkway if you are not at the main platform – it is in fact part of the station. The platform is so much shorter than some trains that the trains extend into the tunnel. It was nerve-wracking at first - who gets off in a tunnel??!! - but we did this several times and got more comfortable with it. I’m sure unsuspecting people miss their stops all the time because of this. We easily could have.
MOSAIC TUNNEL
The first amazing thing to see in Riomaggiore is the mosaic running the entire length of the 200 meter long pedestrian tunnel from the train station to the main street. Called the “Sequenza dell Memoria”, it’s a beautiful length of “Sequence of the Memory: Sea Levels and Sky Levels” created by local artist Silvio Benedetto between 2004 and 2007 to show images of the region. The materials used were varied: thousands of handcut colorful tiles (of course) and marble, interspersed with tiny bits of mirrors, 3-D stony outcroppings of pebbles or rocks or large stone slabs, and even large (cement-filled I imagine) seashells. I never saw such an original mosaic! You go from the abstract rocky and mountainous regional landscape, to the undersea world of bright blues of the water and brilliant colors of fish, coral, octopus, jellyfish, and the enormous signature starfish in the middle, then on to the muted colors of the moon, stars, planets, sun and sky and back to the drab grey stonework at the end.
I found this quote of the artist online and it summed up my own experience:
<<“Sometimes I make visible that what is secret in me, sometimes the things penetrate me to re-emerge, sometimes they watch me, other times I watch that what I have realised with detachment: it is a sequence of the memory” says Silvio Benedetto. A sequence that Silvio Benedetto defines: “A sensation that the passer-by has perceived and persists in him also when he is already gone away... the sensation to have seen something, like happens to us when we have the impression to see fantasy animals or faces and who knows what else in the variegations of the marble, in the shapes of the moving clouds, in the steep rocks: the see, a seagull, a boat, a storm, like in a magic story… Benedetto therefore speaks of a long dynamic composition and of spectators in movement, however he has searched and realised precise and determinated moments of rest where the spectator finds a declared subject: the moon, the sun, the stars, creatures from the bottom of the sea.>>
I had all these sensations and recommend getting off at this station even if only to see this artwork. I wish I was this talented!
Oct 15th, 2013, 10:04 AM
#29
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ORGAN CONCERT
Riomaggiore was almost silent once we arrived this evening. No one on the streets, restaurants not too busy, and it was only 9 pm. It’s not fair to judge this town based only on the nighttime walk from the station to the church so I’ll keep my thoughts on that to myself. Pictures that I’ve seen give an entirely different impression.
We trudged up the long hill to the upper part of the village and found the San Giovanni Battista church glowing in the darkness. The interior walls were a simple white but the arches were grey and white striped and there were beams on the ceiling. Very pretty. There were the requisite beautiful marble statues throughout. The concert started and we mostly enjoyed the Baroque music played by Ignacio Ribas Talens until it was time to catch our train back. There was a little café next to the station where we had some drinks and watched a cat chase a mouse until our train arrived.
Riomaggiore was almost silent once we arrived this evening. No one on the streets, restaurants not too busy, and it was only 9 pm. It’s not fair to judge this town based only on the nighttime walk from the station to the church so I’ll keep my thoughts on that to myself. Pictures that I’ve seen give an entirely different impression.
We trudged up the long hill to the upper part of the village and found the San Giovanni Battista church glowing in the darkness. The interior walls were a simple white but the arches were grey and white striped and there were beams on the ceiling. Very pretty. There were the requisite beautiful marble statues throughout. The concert started and we mostly enjoyed the Baroque music played by Ignacio Ribas Talens until it was time to catch our train back. There was a little café next to the station where we had some drinks and watched a cat chase a mouse until our train arrived.
Oct 15th, 2013, 02:25 PM
#30
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PORTOFINO
Today was our trip to Portofino, DH’s choice. He had always wanted to see it.
We had been told that Manarola’s Ristorante Aristide across from the tunnel from the train station was the place to go for breakfast so we started our day here. I have agree – the pastries were fresh and DH said that coffee was outstanding.
We had a little train mishap and were then on our way, albeit later than intended, and unfortunately cutting into our time for today. We had to go to Riomaggiore to catch a train for S.Margherita Ligure, unfortunately needing to change trains in Sestri Levante along the way. (You can get the faster direct train but that was not to be!) The bright side to this was that we had enough time to walk the 5 blocks to the tourist bureau in Sestri Levante and were able to obtain schedules and information about trains, busses and ferries for the rest of the day before continuing on to S.Margherita Ligure. Our train fiasco probably ended up saving us more time than we lost in the end.
We arrived in S.Margherita Ligure, bought our bus tickets and had about 15 minutes to wander around. This looked like a beautiful little town, right on the water with a mountain backdrop. From there, we took the bus to Portofino. What a beautiful drive along the coast. Sun, sea, mountains, marinas, beaches, yachts, palm trees. Did I mention the yachts?! Also entertaining…every time we rounded a curve and met another car, there were just inches of leeway for us to pass each other, even less once we made it to Portofino.
Tip #11- to take the bus from S. Margherita Ligura to Portofino, turn left out of the train station and buy your tickets at the little straight ahead café at the end of the station. The bus stop is at the other end of the station from the café and costs 1.50 Euros, one-way.
Portofino’s outskirts were marked by a pretty yellow and grey striped church. Within minutes, we had unloaded from the bus and were passing everything from souvenir shops to stores such as Dior. What a mix! The waterfront was amazingly beautiful! The buildings were similar to those at Portovenere, but seemed so much more upscale, maybe because of the enormous luxury chartered yacht moored in the middle and dominating the landscape. (We looked it up online - 450,000 Euros, about $607,000, + expenses, to charter it for a week!!!
Anyone interested?!)
So we bought our ferry tickets for 8 Euros.
Today was our trip to Portofino, DH’s choice. He had always wanted to see it.
We had been told that Manarola’s Ristorante Aristide across from the tunnel from the train station was the place to go for breakfast so we started our day here. I have agree – the pastries were fresh and DH said that coffee was outstanding.
We had a little train mishap and were then on our way, albeit later than intended, and unfortunately cutting into our time for today. We had to go to Riomaggiore to catch a train for S.Margherita Ligure, unfortunately needing to change trains in Sestri Levante along the way. (You can get the faster direct train but that was not to be!) The bright side to this was that we had enough time to walk the 5 blocks to the tourist bureau in Sestri Levante and were able to obtain schedules and information about trains, busses and ferries for the rest of the day before continuing on to S.Margherita Ligure. Our train fiasco probably ended up saving us more time than we lost in the end.
We arrived in S.Margherita Ligure, bought our bus tickets and had about 15 minutes to wander around. This looked like a beautiful little town, right on the water with a mountain backdrop. From there, we took the bus to Portofino. What a beautiful drive along the coast. Sun, sea, mountains, marinas, beaches, yachts, palm trees. Did I mention the yachts?! Also entertaining…every time we rounded a curve and met another car, there were just inches of leeway for us to pass each other, even less once we made it to Portofino.
Tip #11- to take the bus from S. Margherita Ligura to Portofino, turn left out of the train station and buy your tickets at the little straight ahead café at the end of the station. The bus stop is at the other end of the station from the café and costs 1.50 Euros, one-way.
Portofino’s outskirts were marked by a pretty yellow and grey striped church. Within minutes, we had unloaded from the bus and were passing everything from souvenir shops to stores such as Dior. What a mix! The waterfront was amazingly beautiful! The buildings were similar to those at Portovenere, but seemed so much more upscale, maybe because of the enormous luxury chartered yacht moored in the middle and dominating the landscape. (We looked it up online - 450,000 Euros, about $607,000, + expenses, to charter it for a week!!!
Anyone interested?!)So we bought our ferry tickets for 8 Euros.
Oct 16th, 2013, 04:57 PM
#33
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LIGHTHOUSE (“FARO”) AND CASTELLO BROWN WALK
I had heard that the walk to the Portofino lighthouse was worth doing so I left DH by the harbor and went through the path in the woods past Castello Brown to the lighthouse. It was a pleasant walk through the woods, by the castle and outbuildings, and along the castle walls and vineyards, but pretty steep and rugged. It turns out that there was a more gradual path leading off to the right just before reaching the water. Get off the bus and walk down between all the shops toward the water. The gradual path goes off to the right just before you get to all the cafes bordering the water – follow the small signs posted on a building set back a bit. We were just so blown away by everything once we arrived that we didn’t think to look for any signs. The other steeper rugged path leads up to the castle all the way at the end of the walkway past the docks and restaurants around the other side of the cove. It gets steep immediately.
The lighthouse was nothing spectacular in itself, but I loved the walk. It took about 20 minutes and there were nice views of the water and coastline. Once there, I saw about half a dozen kayaks paddling along the coast. Now, that would have been fun! I took the more gradual path down and on the way stopped at the yellow church, San Giorgio. I loved the mosaics designs out front, but the view of Portofino from there was spectacular.
Next it was time for the ferry, but first gelato! The place just across from the ferry dock had wonderful gelato. The melon tasted like the sweetest ripest cantaloupe you could ever eat. Delicious! The dark chocolate was excellent too.
I had heard that the walk to the Portofino lighthouse was worth doing so I left DH by the harbor and went through the path in the woods past Castello Brown to the lighthouse. It was a pleasant walk through the woods, by the castle and outbuildings, and along the castle walls and vineyards, but pretty steep and rugged. It turns out that there was a more gradual path leading off to the right just before reaching the water. Get off the bus and walk down between all the shops toward the water. The gradual path goes off to the right just before you get to all the cafes bordering the water – follow the small signs posted on a building set back a bit. We were just so blown away by everything once we arrived that we didn’t think to look for any signs. The other steeper rugged path leads up to the castle all the way at the end of the walkway past the docks and restaurants around the other side of the cove. It gets steep immediately.
The lighthouse was nothing spectacular in itself, but I loved the walk. It took about 20 minutes and there were nice views of the water and coastline. Once there, I saw about half a dozen kayaks paddling along the coast. Now, that would have been fun! I took the more gradual path down and on the way stopped at the yellow church, San Giorgio. I loved the mosaics designs out front, but the view of Portofino from there was spectacular.
Next it was time for the ferry, but first gelato! The place just across from the ferry dock had wonderful gelato. The melon tasted like the sweetest ripest cantaloupe you could ever eat. Delicious! The dark chocolate was excellent too.
Oct 17th, 2013, 06:16 AM
#35
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Thanks for letting me know that the tips are helpful...I sometimes wonder if there are too many details, but I know that I would have appreciated knowing them beforehand.
Trying to get this done in between working! Sorry it's taking so long.
Trying to get this done in between working! Sorry it's taking so long.
Oct 20th, 2013, 07:29 PM
#38
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SAN FRUTTUOSO
Instead of reversing our trip to go back to Cinque Terre from Portofino, we took the ferry to San Fruttuoso, and then to Camogli. There is a beautiful abbey at SF, tucked into the bank of a tiny cove, with a rock beach in front of it. My understanding is that the only way in is by boat or a 2 ½ hour hike. We did not hike! Our intention was to get off the first ferry, go to the other dock about 30 seconds away and catch another ferry which is timed to leave once the first arrived. Well, the first ferry got to SF 10 minutes late so we watched the other sail away without us. No big deal, they left fairly frequently. In the meantime, I noticed a pretty grey rock with a bright white stripe around it on the beach. I decided it would make a good souvenir. Then I saw another, then another. I quickly realized that the entire beach was covered with these small striped rocks and before I knew it, I had collected quite a few! (OK – I admit – they were all so pretty that I ended up with 4 ½ pounds. Shhhhhhh! Don’t tell DH!)
We didn’t go into the abbey, but instead enjoyed watching the fishermen, the people on the beach and some chefs in an upstairs window of the abbey lowering down a bucket to retrieve supplies. There were a couple of places to get a snack on the beach, but we didn’t go over.
The second ferry finally arrived and we boarded. Payment for this ferry is at a little table at the dock shortly before the departure, another 8 Euros to continue on to Camogli, a small fishing village, recommended by the ticket person in Manarola.
Tip #12 – At San Fruttuosa, the Portofino ferry docks at a different dock than the ferry to Camogli because they are run by different ferry lines. Even if you are not continuing to Camogli, go over to that dock (the one closer to the beach) to see a beautiful mosaic picture on the rock wall.
Tip #13 – don’t sit on the beach chairs unless you plan to rent them.
Tip #14 – don’t pick up 4 ½ pounds of rocks!
Instead of reversing our trip to go back to Cinque Terre from Portofino, we took the ferry to San Fruttuoso, and then to Camogli. There is a beautiful abbey at SF, tucked into the bank of a tiny cove, with a rock beach in front of it. My understanding is that the only way in is by boat or a 2 ½ hour hike. We did not hike! Our intention was to get off the first ferry, go to the other dock about 30 seconds away and catch another ferry which is timed to leave once the first arrived. Well, the first ferry got to SF 10 minutes late so we watched the other sail away without us. No big deal, they left fairly frequently. In the meantime, I noticed a pretty grey rock with a bright white stripe around it on the beach. I decided it would make a good souvenir. Then I saw another, then another. I quickly realized that the entire beach was covered with these small striped rocks and before I knew it, I had collected quite a few! (OK – I admit – they were all so pretty that I ended up with 4 ½ pounds. Shhhhhhh! Don’t tell DH!)
We didn’t go into the abbey, but instead enjoyed watching the fishermen, the people on the beach and some chefs in an upstairs window of the abbey lowering down a bucket to retrieve supplies. There were a couple of places to get a snack on the beach, but we didn’t go over.
The second ferry finally arrived and we boarded. Payment for this ferry is at a little table at the dock shortly before the departure, another 8 Euros to continue on to Camogli, a small fishing village, recommended by the ticket person in Manarola.
Tip #12 – At San Fruttuosa, the Portofino ferry docks at a different dock than the ferry to Camogli because they are run by different ferry lines. Even if you are not continuing to Camogli, go over to that dock (the one closer to the beach) to see a beautiful mosaic picture on the rock wall.
Tip #13 – don’t sit on the beach chairs unless you plan to rent them.
Tip #14 – don’t pick up 4 ½ pounds of rocks!
Oct 21st, 2013, 03:10 AM
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Hi Shelley!!! We enjoyed meeting you too and especially sitting and talking to you two at the lunch!
Thanks for chiming in here and I hope to see you at the next gtg too. I hope the new date works for everyone!
Thanks for chiming in here and I hope to see you at the next gtg too. I hope the new date works for everyone!
