Looking for a Quiet, Pittoresque village on Italian Riviera (near Genova)
May 23rd, 1998, 05:04 PM
#2
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A few years ago my husband and I spent some time on the Italian Riviera. Our favorite place was the
"Cinque Terre", a very Italian (we were the only foreigners there) string of five villages clustered within a few miles of eachother. Each village was teetering on the edge of the sea against the cliffs.
The train track and highway run through the cliffs, only emerging now and then for a spectacular view of ocean. The village we stayed in was called Vernazza. We found the most incredible place to stay
by asking for a "camera" at the bar down by the water. It was the owners mother's apartment (I guess she was away) and was beautiful. It even had a harbour view. You can hike along the coast from village to village. It really is wonderful. We arrived by train via La Spezia, but the highway almost parallelled the train track, so it should be easy to find. The only caveat I have is that it is very popular with the Italians on the weekends and was much more quiet during the week. Bon Voyage
"Cinque Terre", a very Italian (we were the only foreigners there) string of five villages clustered within a few miles of eachother. Each village was teetering on the edge of the sea against the cliffs.
The train track and highway run through the cliffs, only emerging now and then for a spectacular view of ocean. The village we stayed in was called Vernazza. We found the most incredible place to stay
by asking for a "camera" at the bar down by the water. It was the owners mother's apartment (I guess she was away) and was beautiful. It even had a harbour view. You can hike along the coast from village to village. It really is wonderful. We arrived by train via La Spezia, but the highway almost parallelled the train track, so it should be easy to find. The only caveat I have is that it is very popular with the Italians on the weekends and was much more quiet during the week. Bon Voyage
May 23rd, 1998, 10:07 PM
#3
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I saw your topic on the topics page and came in here immediately to tell you "Cinque Terre" but I see my sister beat me to it. However, Lisa went in 1990, I think, and I was there in spring 1995. The tourists had discovered this quiet area by then! Despite this, it is an excellent place to stay, very picturesque and there's some superb views from a five-hour hiking trail that connect the five towns. I must have taken a whole roll of film along that stretch! It might be a bit crazy in peak season, as is all of Italy -- I recommend May, June, September or October. Most accomodations are to be found in Vernazza, which is where Lisa stayed. I stayed in Riomaggiore, only because I was younger and not married then, and Mama Rosa's is the only hostel in the area.
As far as car accessibility goes, there apparently isn't any. It's best to take the train in, either from Genoa or La Spiezia.
Make sure you do the easiest walk between Riomaggiore and Manarola at night -- the "Via Del Amore was reopened after repairs just before I was there, and it's very beautiful by night. They have put in lighting that makes the waves and spray sparkle...very awe-inspiring!
Have fun! I loved the Cinque Terre, and so did Lisa and her husband (I read their travel journal, with permission, of course!).
Have a good time!!!
As far as car accessibility goes, there apparently isn't any. It's best to take the train in, either from Genoa or La Spiezia.
Make sure you do the easiest walk between Riomaggiore and Manarola at night -- the "Via Del Amore was reopened after repairs just before I was there, and it's very beautiful by night. They have put in lighting that makes the waves and spray sparkle...very awe-inspiring!
Have fun! I loved the Cinque Terre, and so did Lisa and her husband (I read their travel journal, with permission, of course!).
Have a good time!!!
May 23rd, 1998, 10:11 PM
#4
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I see I contradicted my big sis on the car accessibility thing...but I did just read that a car is "useless" in the Cinque Terre. Check out Italy guidebooks by Rick Steves. He is the travel guru who originally discovered the area, and is quite the expert on it.
May 25th, 1998, 09:33 PM
#6
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Hello, again.
I think you might manage okay with a stroller in the towns in the Cinque Terre, except you will have to forget the hike. The easy stretch between Riomaggiore and Manarola will be fine with a stroller, but the rest is pretty tough and the trails are not always wide or smooth enough for a stroller. Do you have a couple of those back-pack style baby carriers? That would work better, unless your boys are BIG. It would be unfortunate to miss most of the trail, because it's unbelievably beautiful, but the towns are great, too, and mostly have paths rather than stairs, as far as I could tell. I'll ask Lisa about Vernazza and get back to you on that. I didn't make it up to the northernmost town, Monterosso, but I know there is a beach there, and that might be fun with the babies. I'll post again tomorrow night, and talk to Lisa in the meantime. Till tomorrow....
I think you might manage okay with a stroller in the towns in the Cinque Terre, except you will have to forget the hike. The easy stretch between Riomaggiore and Manarola will be fine with a stroller, but the rest is pretty tough and the trails are not always wide or smooth enough for a stroller. Do you have a couple of those back-pack style baby carriers? That would work better, unless your boys are BIG. It would be unfortunate to miss most of the trail, because it's unbelievably beautiful, but the towns are great, too, and mostly have paths rather than stairs, as far as I could tell. I'll ask Lisa about Vernazza and get back to you on that. I didn't make it up to the northernmost town, Monterosso, but I know there is a beach there, and that might be fun with the babies. I'll post again tomorrow night, and talk to Lisa in the meantime. Till tomorrow....
