European Vacation: Italy Part Five
With the sun past the zenith, we hightailed it out of the smog-filled skies above Firenze and headed northwest towards Cinque Terre. Many of our friends had once traveled to this destination with high praises upon their return, so needless to say, we were excited to see what all the hype was about.
After a few missed turns and mild mishaps in the coastal capital city of La Spieza we made it to the last section of windy road the curved up and over the headlands of the Adriatic Sea. Eventually, after breathtaking views of the crystal clear turquoise waters, we arrived in the town of Manarola, although we thought we were in Cinque Terre itself.
What we learned was that there are five little coastal villages that make up the place called Cinque Terre, although they are encapsulated by a national park of the same name. Cars are practically obsolete in this string of castles by the sea, as the only means of getting from one to another was by train or hiking trail.
The Blue Walk or Lover's Walk was definitely blue and definitely romantic. It wound up and around the edge of the cliffs overlooking the Adriatic. Tucked in against the far southeastern corner of the Bay of Poets, as it was once called, this quaint little village was very appealing for its relaxed atmosphere and friendly vibe.
From about 500 to 1000 feet Elevation the trails continued to wind through olive groves and vineyards, with the sound of the crashing surf beckoning below. From East to West the hamlets are named: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Cornigilia, Vernozza and Monterosso. Each town had its own distinct flavor and arrangement, but all the towns shared one thing in common: the houses and buildings were cut into extremely steep cliff walls. This gave them a feel of being in a castle overlooking the foggy sea. Evidently these fortressed towns were a first line of defense from marauding mariners. They communicated by lighting huge fires at the tops of the towers, alerting the other towns into action.
Our first evening in Manrola was exquisite. The local, organic produce, meat and wine was hard to match. Each taste of bread and cold cuts reminded us where we were – this is Italy! And yes, the food is as good as advertised! Relaxing and watching the sun set into the a pool of orange, red and purple, we were very grateful to be in this slower-paced environment after frenzy in Firenze.
ER Harris
~admin
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wrote on
oh what beautiful photgraphs
oh how much i want to return to la bella Italia