After breakfast on the terrace and with the promise of a beautiful day we headed to two of the southern towns only accessible by train or ferry. There were/are trails connecting all five towns but rains in 2012 caused damage to some. From Vernazza we can access Corniglia (to the south) and Monterosso (to the north), the others we will access by train.
Riomaggiore is the southernmost of the five towns. We were on an early train, but the day beckoned many. The towns are carved into the hillside of, not even valleys, but crevices in the mountains that stretch to the sea. A single road, in most, leads from the sea to the town. Multitudes of stairways and alleyways branch off the road leading to homes and other pathways.
All the towns are, of course, known for their seafood, but Riomaggiore is famous for its cones of ‘calamari fritti’; fried calamari served with a lemon wedge and wooden skewers to spear it! So fresh and perfectly cooked it was a welcome treat. Tom found a foccaceria next door and ordered the very Italian ham & pineapple focaccia!! A cappuccino and a Diet Coke and we were set!
Refreshed and fed we wandered the walkways and climbed the stairs throughout the town, capturing views and glimpses of daily local life. You wonder what it is like to live in one of these villages inundated, as they are, with tourists almost year round.
We decided to take the ferry from Riomaggiore to Manarola so we could see the towns from the sea. Ferry service is quite regular and ticketing and boarding efficient. We were able to get a nice view of Riomaggiore as we left the harbor, however, we pulled into the ferry stop south of Manarola so were cheated of the town view.
We arrived in Manarola in literally 10 minutes!! Smaller, but equally quaint, we mastered the hills and the stairs to explore. The reward is a triple gelato! We opted for the train back to Vernazza, as did a thousand other Saturday day trippers!
At the stop at Corniglia the train was so full they didn’t even open the doors! We were the next stop and happy to be free of the crowd. A stop at the market for a cold beer and we retreated to our hotel room for some R&R.
Because it was the weekend we were able to talk to both girls via FaceTime. So nice to hear their voices, see their faces and gather their news. With good news on all fronts, we signed off for the day.
We went back out to a much quieter town and enjoyed a small bite at a local pizza shop. A stroll around the town and waterfront before heading back to the hotel. There is a storm approaching tonight and threatens to continue tomorrow. Still, we slept with the doors open and fell asleep to the rhythm of the sea.
¡Ciao America! 