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March 30, 2007Portovenere and On To Lake GardaThere were many different hiking options around Portovenere This entire section of the Ligurian coast is surrounded with stone walls around vineyards, built without any cement and steep terraces dropping all the way down to the sea. The Cinque Terre is a National Park and Protected Marine Area... honestly, it is drop-dead gorgeous. The entire area was beyond description...  March 29, 2007Walking The Cinque Terre in Two DaysWe decided to tackle the Cinque Terre walk by starting in Monterossa heading in an Easterly direction since Monterossa was on the Genoa-La Spezia line. Most written directions start the hike in Riomaggiore, going West. Another option tourists have, is taking a ferry rather than the train to reach these little towns...very scenic but slower. The train was very crowded with other like-minded tourists intent on hiking or exploring the Cinque Terre. (Check out the APT Cinqueterre website for lots of information.) The Cinque Terre consists of five fishing villages on the hillside, all extremely picturesque. The trails are very well marked and anyone can do the entire hike or just walk parts of the steep trails connecting the villages. There isn't a motorable road between them. You must train, ferry or walk... Down from the FS Station through Monterossa heading towards the blue route along the sea The trail contours the sea for the entire distance with some ups and downs on mule tracks and steep, stone stairs. The entire length of the Cinque Terre, from Monterossa to Riomaggiore, only takes about 5 hours total walking, but we thought it would be more enjoyable to break it up into two days. Tourists were already sitting at outdoor cafes in the pretty village, drinking coffee and admiring the view. March 28, 2007Portofino and RapalloThe Italian Tourist Bureaus are usually loaded with free maps along with other information and Santa Margherita Ligure was no exception. Armed with the "Vie e Sentieri del Monte di Portofino" map, we walked through the center of town and somehow managed to find the right route up the hill towards Portofino. If I am going to get us lost at all while hiking, it is usually happens trying to get out of town and on the correct trail. ex-Marine has zero map-reading skills and usually spends his time shouting at me, "I thought you said you knew the way"..when we do get lost. (as always...I ignore him.) When I do find the way, my nickname is "Danielle Boonette." I have a Garmin GPS but find it very time-consuming entering waypoints. Today was a piece of cake. Up Monte di Portofino on trails maintained by the C.A.I. Club Alpino Italiano with incredible views down to the sea and coastline and some areas resembled a botanical park. March 27, 2007Santa Margherita LigureWe landed at Milan Malpensa Airport, took the airport bus that stops right in front of Centrale Train Station and bought 2nd class tickets to Santa Margherita Ligure. There is always someone at the train station who speaks English and we don't buy them in advance in case there is a problem with plane delays, etc. I use the Trenitalia website to do some train investigation and also Rail Europe for more detailed country passes, etc. Through Genoa...in hindsight, we've never visited Genoa and should have scheduled two days there ...off the train in Santa Margherita...and a short walk through some twisty cobblestone streets running on angles (without getting too lost)...passing many restaurants, cafes and Gelato stands... to Hotel Fiorina. A small, crowded hotel in a wonderful, central location with an extremely friendly staff. This was easy!  March 26, 2007Planning A Visit To The Ligurian Coast and Lake GardaMany people decide to travel and visit areas in Europe based on historical sites, churches, etc. Our main focus is: what kind of outdoor activity is there to work off all the calories we will eat and drink. Even in our old Marathon running days, the two of us could eat up to and beyond every calorie burned off. The Ligurian  Continue reading "Planning A Visit To The Ligurian Coast and Lake Garda" » March 25, 2007Italy's Ligurian Coast and Lake GardaSpring is one of the best times to visit Italy and it is necessary to make your plans now! You may not know where the Ligurian Coast is with its rugged Riviera Levante, but you would certainly recognize the individual towns in this area - Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Camogli. Up the coast - Genoa. Down the coast...the Cinque Terre consisting of five villages: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Menarola, Riomaggiore...and Portovenere is another picturesque town overlooking La Spezia. Parts of the Ligurian Coast is also referred to as the "Italian Riviera" and includes San Remo. Now you know what I'm talking about! ex-Marine (husband, Steve) and I are always looking for a new experience and place to go. That means searching out famous and not-so-well-known spots that are easy to travel to on our own. This is our preference but you, as well as some of our friends, may think otherwise. They like the interaction of meeting new people and traveling with a group. There are pros and cons both ways. The deciding factor for us is usually the cost...group tours are always more expensive. Wouldn't you think that would be the opposite? The more people, the less expensive? Not so. |
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. It was possible to finish the "official" Cinque Terre primarily going up and down through the little towns, or veer onto the high road climbing through vineyards and hills from Portovenere surrounding the Gulf of La Spezia. We decided to hike from Portovenere to Colle del Telegrafo, following castle walls, with its beautiful views of the coast even though Portovenere isn't one of the five official Cinque Terre villages. One of the trails began in the center and climbed up a long flight of stone stairs along the old fortress into the hills. The views stretched to La Spezia in one direction and the hills of the Cinque Terre in the other. Through Campiglia, a pine forest, down steep stairs to Riomaggiore. Without getting too lost, there was still time to walk a section of the trail (not as narrow) from Manarola to Corniglia FS Station (train station) and wait for the train back to Santa Margherita. The trails are very well marked but sometimes I miss a blaze (a bright red or orange mark on a tree or rock showing the direction). If you ever hike a distance without seeing a blaze, do a fast reverse and circle around until the trail is obvious.