Northern Italy IX: Cinque Terre 2, Milano 3

On our final day in Cinque Terre, I set out alone early in the morning to get a view of Vernazza from the other side. I need to look for a trail south to Corniglia. Signs are poor and I run up stairs only to end up repeatedly at the front door of a small hotel, restaurant, or a private home. A little old lady points me in the right direction and I am finally out of the tiny center. You realize these towns are built on rocky shores for survival and tourists' discovery of the charm here may be quite amusing to the natives who are now surely enjoying the economic benefits. On my way back down, I pass a couple coming up the stairs. The lady complains in a British accent to her husband, "We were supposed to chill for 6 days and the only thing we do is hike!" She is right - this is the wrong place if you are seeking the sun, solitude or glamour.

Vernazza: Other than the reminder on the left, there is little trace of the flood of October 2011 that nearly destroyed this town permanently. Now the main drag is filled with tourists instead of mudslides. 

Vernazza: negotiating the ubiquitous stairs to get daily work done. Calling on the traditional work ethic to cater to tourists.

Vernazza: Even while getting lost, I see the old Italian charm with all the grime and decay everywhere.

Vernazza: finally a vista from the south side, worth the little climb in early morning

Vernazza: the same guys delivering bottled water to the restaurant catch up with me.

It feels like we are ahead of schedule, partly because we have saved time not hiking all the trails connecting the five towns. I make an executive decision to explore further north from Cinque Terre. Santa Margherita Ligure is reached by changing trains at Sestri Levante. By now we are experts on taking the train in Italy, knowing all the beauties and faults of the system. Santa Margherita, kind of a low-key fishing town, is also an entry point for Portofino, which is not served directly by the train.

Santa Margherita Ligure: "Lasagne Pesto" is one layer of pasta? Tastes good though. Have to try pesto where it was born. (Nearby Genoa, capital of Liguria, gets the credit.)

Santa Margherita: a wedding celebration in the harbor in this fishing town, an unassuming neighbor of Portofino

To mention Portofino as part of Cinque Terre is not only inaccurate but probably an insult to both. While Cinque Terre fights to retain its ruggedness despite the tourism, Portofino, ever since it's been discovered by the Hollywood set, unabashedly flaunts opulence. Arriving by ferry from Santa Margherita, I almost miss the inlet. It's tiny but how pretty it is. Little more than a cove really, it opens up like a storybook page. I am already feeling satisfied with the decision to come here and also by ferry rather than bus. This seems like a place the British lady this morning would approve of! 

Portofino: arriving at a tiny harbor oozing glamour

Portofino: if the above was the inlet view, this is the outlet view.

Portofino: what do we have here? As if to welcome us, the tiny town square is packed with 15 - 20 Ferraris on some sort of a tour or race. 

Portofino: dozing off seems about the right activity on a lazy afternoon in front of luxury stores.

Portofino: Ferraris and yachts filling the tiny harbor

Portofino: "La Dolce Vita" is right.

Portofino

Portofino: people taking a short water taxi ride to a 130 ft yacht after shopping

Portofino: Ferraris are gone but the harbor has enough glitz.

Portofino: passing time at the harbor with local favorites - foccacia with tomato, ham and cheese, and paciugo on right (basically a fruit sundae)

Portofino: there is a camouflage house here...

We return to Cinque Terre to visit Riomaggiore, the largest and the only town of the five we have not seen. The train is again packed but most visitors seem to tolerate the scene almost reminiscent of the New York subway!

Riomaggiore: the trail to Manarola, dubbed Via dell'Amore, Lovers' Lane, is closed due to a landslide. The gated is locked and there are plenty of love padlocks as well.

Riomaggiore: It's early evening and the moon is out. So are many locals to tend their gardens.

Riomaggiore

Riomaggiore: where the "major river" used to run

Riomaggiore: In the main drag, next to the amaryllis bed, we try the local product, farinata, chickpea flour pancake, similar to socca on French Riviera.

Riomaggiore: settling on a spot to see the sunset, after skipping over rocks, amongst mostly English-speaking 20-somethings 

Riomaggiore: at sunset

Riomaggiore: the sun has set and most young people are leaving.

Riomaggiore: It is all quiet after the sunset.

Back in Milan, before flying out, we go up to the rooftop of the Duomo. For the more expensive elevator option, the staff to visitor ratio is very high. It's not really the "roof" as described in guidebooks (and the actual designation seems to be the "terrace") and we don't need to walk on top of the spires!

Milan: walking up toward the "roof" of the Duomo

Milan Duomo: spires close up

Milan Duomo: A view from the top includes Gallery Vittorio Emanuele (left upper) and the modern skyline in the background

Milan: dinner at Il luogo di Aimo e Nadia. The manager tells us Chef Daniel Humm from Eleven Madison Park is a big fan and was here last night, showing us his autographed cookbook (upper left). 

Milan: Il Luogo di Aimo e Nadia. It seems a lot easier to get a table at most top European restaurants than their counterparts in U.S., maybe because of the economy. We have this alcove to ourselves. Despite being mentioned in the first edition of Patricia Schultz' "1000 Places to See before You Die," the meal is not particularly memorable, except a couple of dishes including this dessert and the squid above.

Northern Italy VIII: Cinque Terre 1

The local train from La Spezia that serves all Cinque Terre towns is crowded and 20 minutes late.. We get glimpses of the Ligurian Sea but the train ride is mostly through the tunnels, 32 of them in all, an engineering feat but not a great introduction for those who came seeking the region's special charm. At Vernazza, the single person manning the ticket office/information booth is not helpful and utters all the trails are closed except from Vernazza north to Monterosso. When asked about the ferry schedule, he simply says to go check at the dock. The infrastructure at the tiny train station could use improvement. Train schedule updates on the monitors are confusing, unlike at other stations so far on this trip. The person at the shop in Vernazza where I pick up the keys to our reserved apartment is disinterested. English is heard everywhere. Americans seem to make up by far the largest foreign contingent. So why would so many people would be interested in coming to this cramped crowded corner of Italy? Is this a case of a major hype and overselling?

From the layout of Vernazza, I know we have to go up north for the best view since it is already late afternoon. The stairs leading out of town are almost indistinguishable from those leading to houses. We are finally up over the town climbing toward Monterosso, but take a wrong turn and find ourselves on some precarious footing. Shortly after we trace back to the right track, Vernazza opens up in front of us in a classic view. OK, I am beginning to understand the enormous popularity of Cinque Terre - small towns in the picturesque setting by the sea.

Vernazza: just out of town, getting lost in the trail. This is not a place to test my coordination. I am leaning against the wall and gingerly stepping down.

Vernazza: the false start did reward us with this view

Vernazza: Now back on the proper trail.

Vernazza: the walls for the trails and terraces for vineyards are the result of hard work by the locals who often have to rebuild without mortar.

Vernazza: the little harbor/square at dusk lined with restaurants

Vernazza: the seafood risotto at this popular restaurant is salty and a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps we are spoiled by the sublime saffron risotto at Dal Pescatore last week.

Vernazza: local life goes on despite the tourist commotion down below on the square.

Since the trails south of Vernazza are closed, we take the train to Corniglia the following morning. The train is again crowded and running late. There are a bunch of people with the full hiking outfit and gear. I can see it is a good hiking place but if you came for peace and quiet on the seaside, you are at the wrong place!

Corniglia: Zig-zagging up from the train station to the center. Longer than Walter's Wiggle in Zion National Park!

Corniglia: Who wouldn't agree with this sign in front of a shop?

Corniglia: a break for Granita di Limoni

Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre town located on a hill.

View of Manarola from Corniglia: Even in the mid-day haze, the cute setting of Manarola is evident.

Corniglia

In late afternoon, we start on the only trail open which is between Vernazza and Monterosso. The path is quite crowded but the views are again spectacular. The hike takes an hour and a half, which we rate 3 out of 10 in terms of difficulty, but it is obviously a huge challenge for some people we pass. At least we haven't seen anyone wearing high heels. 

On the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso: A lookout for Vernazza is a natural stopping point for hikers.

Vernazza to Monterosso: Looking back toward Vernazza yields a move-over-Big-Sur view. Not a bad place for love padlocks (foreground). 

Monterosso coming into view under the bright sun 

After arriving in Monterosso, we take the train south to Manorola, where we spend a very enjoyable evening until the sunset. Despite the crowds including many Rick-Steves-guidebook toting Americans, you can still find some solitude if you look for it. 

Monorola: As soon as we arrive in late afternoon, we go up to a view point where photographers and young lovers are gathered.

Manorola: while waiting for the sun to go down, we go up to what is likely a cemetery with the best sea view. During the Napoleonic rule, because they were considered health risks, cemeteries had to be relocated to outskirts of the town.

Manorola: strolling along geranium-lined trail on a warm evening.

Manorola: finally the town is painted in gold as the sun goes down.

Manorola: the view deserves an encore.

Manorola: The sun has set.

Manorola: waiting for the train back to Vernazza at the tiny train station that opens up to the sea.