Apr 11, 2013 - Cinque Terre- Corniglia & Vernazza

Let me mention that the breakfasts at Villa Steno are awesome. They make you coffee to order (cappuccino for us) and their lemon marmalade made from on-site lemons is amazing. We caught the train to Corniglia where the steps up to the town were just not as bad as expected. Maybe because we were rested or maybe because they were so much easier than the prior day's stairs! We wandered about and attempted the trail to Vernazza but were turned away by the guard. I took quite a few pictures but all in all there was not much going on with this...

Apr 10, 2013 - Cinque Terre- Riomaggiore and Manarola

Today we learned how to ride the trains. Our original plan was to hike between towns but all the trails were closed due to landslides. We started with the southernmost town of Riomaggiore and had to hike up a steep hillside to get to a castle we wanted to see. The lower part was along a road with hairpin turns and the upper part was made of stone stairs going up to the castle. Views were amazing. There was an elementary school up by the castle. There was also a church. By the time we made it back down I thought my calves would seize. It was...

Apr 9, 2013 - Cinque Terre- Montorosso al Mare

Drove from Buonconvento to Montorosso in Cinque Terre. This is on the coast. Experienced an unmanned toll booth which popped out a ticket with no explanation and no request for money. Stopped to get gas for the first time. Figured out the pump, how to put it in the car and how to pay. Down the road about an hour got to another toll booth at which we learned we were to insert original ticket then it would tell us what we owed. Weather was gorgeous and views of the town were amazing as we approached. We felt so fortunate that our hotel...

Oct 19, 2012 - Cinque Terre

Hi Everyone Sorry for the late entries, but some nights we've got back to our apartment and have been so tired that all we've wanted to do is go to bed! The 18th was our 37th wedding anniversary! What a great day we had. We set off early and took a tour of the Cinque Terre and it was just beautiful.There are five little villages along the rugged coastline of the Italian Riviera and is a protected world heritage sight, with the sea on one side and the steep hills on the other. We first went to the village of Manarola, then to Corniglia -...

Oct 18, 2012 - Cinque Terre

Today we are off to the area of Cinque Terre after a couple trains we arrive in La Spezia our home for the next 2 nights, a short walk around the town and a walk to a castle them out for some dinner it is off to bed. Oct 19th finds us on a train heading from La Spezia to the Manarola one of the five towns that make up the Cinque Terre a walk about the town and then on a small mini bus to the top of the mountain where we take off hiking through the vineyards on our way to Corniglia a very nice hike, the day is sunny and warm once we get to...

Oct 5, 2012 - in Levanto

We woke to a gray cloudy day and intermittent sprinkles. Enjoyed a lovely big and leisurely breakfast while visiting with our group members. Then I wrote in my journal on our little balcony while taking in the view of a roof garden and lovely tower nearby. We decided not to take the train to any of the 5 Cinque Terre villages but spend time this afternoon roaming around Levanto. Started by walking 2 blocks to the beach to see many folks enjoying the water and the sand. Lovely wide promenade for a few blocks along the water and past some...

Oct 4, 2012 - Cinque Terre

Our lunch stop was the scenic little village of Portovenere (Port of Venus) on the tip of a peninsula in the Ligurian Sea of the Mediterranean. We sat at al fresco across from the sea wall, under an umbrella, leisurely eating and watching the tourists stream by. Ivan ordered prawns to discover he had to shuck them (6 of them) himself but didn't mind as they were so delicious. I liked my Trophia al Pesto (local pasta dish). Not a lot of time left to get photos of this lovely town before boarding a passenger ferry for the trip north to and...

Aug 23, 2012 - 5 Terre - Village People

And it's morning time. Yeah, didn't do that 8am swim and coffee action. Bed felt way much better. Checkout time was 1030am so I chilled until 1020am. Packed up again and vamoosed. Oh, wore the same green shirt from the day before. Why mess up a clean one when you are only going to sweat your butt the next day. I think it can walk. I'll wash it in Pisa with everything else. I did wear my swim shorts cuz at some point, I'm going swimming! The water is a lil chilly, but feels good when it's 95 degrees and Super Sunny. Well, didn't take long,...

Jul 31, 2012 - Pisa & Cinque Terre

PISA: We arrived by train to Pisa, walked through the very pretty town, crossed the river and as we walked around the corner…there it was…. the Leaning Tower of Pisa. An AWE moment!! A magnificent sight! It really does lean way to the left!! It was so exciting to actually see this with our own eyes!! The Campanile (tower) is where all eyes are drawn. We needed to get tickets to climb up to the top. Time permitted us to wander around the most beautiful square, Campo Dei Miracoli. Forming the centre piece is the cathedral, the battistero,...

Jun 24, 2012 - Rio Maggiore Cinque Terre

Had a sleep in, leisurely breakfast and then caught the train to Monterosso. Norm and I had a dip in the Mediterranean. No such thing as sand here. Big and small pebbles. The water was magnificent but we nearly crippled ourselves getting in and out of the water. We kacked ourselves laughing. It got deep very quickly. We sat and had a magnificent affogato overlooking the water in the shade. Nice! We caught up with Kathy and Brian after our dip and Brian decided to go in too. Kathy is getting a pair of bathers at Cannes. the weather is...

Jun 23, 2012 - Arrive Derci Roma

Hello Everyone, Left Rome this morning nice and early to beat the traffic. Made a bad error. I drove and not Brian. Made a couple of blunders. I blamed Brunhilda our GPS girl. When she tells you nothing and there are three road options if I take the wrong one I cannot be blamed. We went round a couple of places twice. Still, we have seen a lot of Rome.....twice. Still a lot of traffic on the road. I think the locals were heading to the beach for the day. Stopped at Pisa along the way. Saw the leaning tower. Cross it off the list. It does...

Jun 23, 2012 - Cinque Terre - 5 Towns

Had an awesome beach day in the cinque Terre today. We bussed over to Italy through amazing alps scenery and jumped on a train the monterrosso the first of the 5 towns on the coast. It was a packed beach and the sun rays were blistering. Me and anothe guy on our trip climbed a massive razor sharp rock jutting out into the water. Def highlight of our time, as onlookers thought they were seeing a remake of the end of 'lord of the rings'. After the epic view we jumped on a boat to tour the rest of te cinque Terre and stopped in Porte venere...