Friday, February 13, 2015

Cinque Terre...Five of the Best!

Cinque Terre or Five Lands, stretches along the northwestern coast of Italy. What a lovely place to visit!

Cars and motorbikes are not allowed in the Cinque Terre villages. If you're energetic and have good hiking boots, then hike the beautiful trail connecting the five villages. It will take you about 5 hours just to walk it, so choose another day for shopping and sightseeing. A shorter walk is the Via Dell’Amore or Lover’s Walk which is the section from Riomaggiore to Manarola. Doing the Lover's Walk will allow you time for shopping, sightseeing and stopping for a selfie with your sweetie as well!

Riomaggiore's small harbor and tower houses (case torri).

Monterosse del Mare is the most northern and largest of the five villages.
Vernazza was once the wealthiest and still considered the prettiest by many.
Corniglia is the quietest and most remote of the five. Corniglia is the only Cinque Terre village not directly connected to the sea. There are 377 steps up to the town. You can walk from the train station or take a shuttle bus.
Manarola is the fourth and oldest of the five villages.
Riomaggiore is the fifth and most southern of the Cinque Terre villages and is  nestled between two steep hills.   


·      The Statue of Neptune (Il Gigante) guards over the bay at Monterosso del Mare. It was created in the beginning of the 20th century by sculptor Arrigo Minerbi as a decoration of Villa Pastine.


A busy day at Monterossos's Beach of Fagina

A beautiful sunset from any of the Cinque Terre villages is the perfect way to end your day. Add a glass of Italian wine and the day is complete!

Sunset from Riomaggiore





 

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Thirsty in Italy!

 Everyone gets thirsty in Italy...
Pigeons in Sienna get thirsty.

Dogs in Fiesole get thristy.

AND... 
Humans everywhere in Italy get thirsty too, but for them the quencher is -
WINE!