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.