2018 Italy Vacation, Day 11: Vernazza & Hiking to Monterosso al Mare

We bought Cinque Terre cards at the Oasi Hotel that would give us unlimited train service and access to the hiking trails (part of the Italian national park network).  We checked out and lugged our single suitcase up the hill to the train station.  After a short wait, we boarded for the approximate 25 minute ride from Levanto to Vernazza in Cinque Terre. 

Cinque Terre is a mountainous, sea-side region lying between Genoa and La Spezia on the Ligurian Sea, a.k.a. the Italian Rivera.

Car access to the five villages is limited and most tourists reach Cinque Terre by train.  Travel between the villages is either by train, ferry, or by foot through the Cinque Terre National Marine Park (and World UNESCO site) along a network of trails.

After a short delay, we arrived in Vernazza and met Christian, our host from La Marina Rooms where we would be staying for the next three nights.  Christian was very gregarious and affable, and gave us a short tour of the little town on our way to the room.  He told us if we climbed up and down the hill between the harbor and the train station more than once, we would become honorary locals (day-trippers and tourists only make that trek once!).

Each of the villages in Cinque Terre is built around a ravine and so just above the train station, we saw where the water traverses down from the surrounding mountains and courses to the Ligurian Sea.

Almost all the way to the harbor, Christian steadied our suitcase on his shoulder and started humping it up through a labyrinth of narrow alleyways ...

past makeshift devotionals...

until we finally reached the green door and the entrance to La Marina Rooms. Our room wasn't quite ready yet, so we were escorted onto the veranda where we were forced to stare at the sea and listen to the waves crashing outside our window. 

It was so relaxing, I think we both fell asleep in the warm sun and sea breeze.  

 Once the room was ready, we dumped our stuff and went to explore Vernazza.  It's a charming little village with a humble piazza (Marconi) surrounded by restaurants and bars near the harbor.

Near the Castle Belforte, there is a tunnel that leads to a beach.  It's where the village stream used to hit the sea.  A 2011 flood deposited landslide material and debris from damage in the town here destroying the beach.  Some ambitious sunbathers still stretch out on the rocks to remember their past youth.  The color of the water is amazing!

After our short spin around town, Kathi and I made our way to the Castle Belforte for a lunch reservation at the "Lover's Table".

It sits on a perch over the water with an unobstructed view of the sea.  Heavenly!

Our waiter promised to take our picture, but photo-bombed us instead.

Then he took one for real.

We enjoyed the fuss and the champagne while we waited for the food to arrive.  Being in pesto country, Kathi ordered trofie pasta with pesto, and I got the "taste of the sea"

Kathi's pasta was amazing, and my dish, well, it had just about every local sea creature you could think of and all fried - whole fish, shrimp, crabs, octopus, etc.

In the end, nothin' left but a pile of bones and tails....

After lunch, we went to check out the Santa Margherita church at the far end of the harbor.  It was beautiful inside and a cool escape from the hot sun.  The church contains three portable crosses that are replicas of historic crosses that the locals like to believe were carried by Vernazzan ships during the crusades in the Holy Land.

We returned to the room for a short siesta and to plan our next moves.  I was keen to hike from Vernazza to Monterosso al Mare and Kathi wanted to head back to Levanto by train to rescue a lonely bottle of wine from our car at the Oasi Hotel and see if she could pick up a mortar and pestle she had her eye on (at Il Laboratorio del Pesto alla Genovese) and then we'd both meet up in Monterosso for dinner. 

We gathered our things, and headed out.

I explored the area north of the train station and located the "Pirate" cafe where Christian told use we could get a nice breakfast. Around 5 pm, trying to avoid the heat and beating sun, I returned to the middle of town, hung a right, and hopped on the trial.  I climbed as I wound my way through the city alleyways until I eventually popped out above the city.

After about another 10 minutes, I got this view looking back at Vernazza...

Compared to the ferry, you get a real sense of how small the town is.  Climbing still higher, the view widens and you can get a glimpse of Corniglia, peeking out from the hillside.  It's the next village south along the coast.

This photo shows the nature of the "trail" - stair stepping ever upwards!  All those days preparing on the stair master were worth it!

A gate decoration bordering the trail...

Following the white and red marker, the trail continues upward.

All along the trail, these markers were posted to gauge your progress and to provide your position in case of emergency.  Check out the International Aerial Aid Signal instructions in the lower right :)

Vernazza's getting further and further away.  The water and the rocky coastline is stunning.

The trail passed through this olive grove.  I'm assuming the netting is stretched out to capture olives that drop from the trees when ripe.  Send me a message if you can confirm or correct this assumption.

Along the route, you pass this "cat colony".  There were a handful of cat houses so the kitties could get out of the hot sun and there was a sign about helping out with donations for the care and feeding of the cats.

This cathouse was occupied.  I can't recall if the project was to rescue orphan cats or just a quirky Cinque Terre thing.  

I did see one rat in the trees but I didn't know if the cats were here to keep the rats out of the olive groves, or if the rats were drawn to the cat food left out in the open.  On my hike, I only saw the one rat in this vicinity - hmm...

Repeatedly passing over ridge and through vale, I eventually got my first glimpses of Monterosso al Mare.  As I approached, the slopes were terraced with vineyards.

To climb the steep slopes, tend to vineyards, and harvest the grapes, the vignerons install these monorail tracks up the side of the mountain and use gas-powered engines to carry them and their train of bucket cars up and down.  I would have liked to see this in operation; it all looks pretty precarious! 

Close to Monterosso al Mare, you pass this vineyard that offers a tour of the vines and wine tasting.  You have to hike to get there, but it would be pretty easy from the MaM side.  Next time, for sure!

All downhill now.  Monterosso al Mare (MaM), here I come!

Arriving from Vernazza, I first encountered the "Old Town" section of MaM with the train tracks bisecting the Piazza Giribaldi honoring the revolutionary who, in the 1860s, helped unite the people of Italy into the modern nation.

Colorful umbrellas designate the fee beaches.  I hustled through the Old Town to meet up with Kathi who was undoubtedly waiting for me.  

Under the trestle that holds up the elevated train tracks there were several photographs that showed a historic, bygone MaM.

Continuing on past the rock outcropping that separates Old Town from the "New Town" harbors, I searched the wide boardwalk until I found Kathi.

Sweaty and a little gross, we snuck into the fee beach area among the hoy paloy and Kathi held my clothes as I stripped down to my Patagonia shorts (designed to double as swim trunks!) and took a dip in the Ligurian Sea - so refreshing!

I toweled off and donned a fresh shirt and we went in search of a restaurant to have dinner. We found a boardwalk cafe that would give us a view of the sea as we ate.  We had to wait for a good seat, but it was worth it.  After dinner we enjoyed our sunset passeggiata as we slowly made our way towards the Old Town and the train station.

With our Cinque Terre card, the train ride was free and within a short 15 minutes, we were back in Vernazza.  We walked around the harbor to enjoy the lights and pleasant ambiance.

We climbed up the alley steps to our room at La Marina Rooms.  We were both tired, but I was determined to get a night shot of Vernazza from the heights.  I grabbed my headlamp and tripod and stepped out into the evening sea breeze.  My leg muscles complained as I climbed the town's stone steps one more time, to reach the proper vantage point.    

I fumbled around the the tripod, connected the camera, and messed around with unfamiliar  settings, taking a number of test shots.  Like a blind squirrel, I did get lucky and captured this image.

I hazily made my way down the train into town, trying not to trip or fall.  I climbed the steps to our room, dumped the gear and crawled into bed for an overdue sleep.

2018 Italy Vacation, Day 9: Cortona

On day nine of our Italian vacation, we rose, got dressed and ambled across the terrace and down the stairs for another sumptuous breakfast.  All the wiser, we first ordered our cappuccino and it arrived before we even returned with our plates full of cheese, pastry and cakes, bacon, and other delights.

For our fifth day in Tuscany, we decided to visit the town of Cortona.  From Asciano, we headed east, through San Gimignanello, and then onto the autostradale (highway) to the SP32 exit, through the village of Appalto, through the countryside to Le Fosse, through Camucia and into the foothills below Cortona.

Along the way we stopped to admire the Italian country estates.

 Views of the fertile valleys of Tuscany...

... and the fields of sunflowers.

Climbing up towards Cortona, we parked the VW near the Porta Colonia entrance.  In addition to the standard daypack with raincoat, water bottle, sunscreen, and other items, we also brought a picnic lunch in the handy sack LR made from a Keep Norfolk Beautiful t-shirt. 

The ancient Etruscan walls that surround Cortona, looking towards the Piazza Del Duomo.

 We entered through the city walls and into the Piazza Mazzini. 

and Kathi immediately made a new friend.

I'm, enchanted by Italian windows and doors - so welcoming.

 Walking along the city wall and the Via delle Mura del Duomo, we arrived at the Piazza Del Duomo and were struck by this bronze statue of a man and a woman intertwined, arms outstretched, branches emerging and leafed out.

 

We entered the Catholic Church - the Duomo di Cortona.  Looking down the length of the nave, with it's beautiful white columns, arches, and decorated ceiling - the interior was quite stunning!

 A close up of the alter...

 Kathi, wrapped in her "shawl skirt" out of respect, paid a tribute and said a prayer at this devotional to the Mother Mary and baby Jesus.

Each of the devotionals was quite striking.  This is the Crucifix by Andrea Sellari.

The Madonna del Pianto

Across the Piazza, we toured the Diocesan Museum.  It contains some of the best artwork from the town's churches including the Annunciation (1430) by Fra Angelico.

The angel asks if Mary will bear God's son.  The angel's words are in the top and bottom lines, Mary's response, consenting yes, are upside down (logically, since it's directed to God who would be reading while looking down from heaven.

In the same room lies this triptych (1436) of the Madonna and Child also painted by Fra Angelico. 

This alterpiece is from the thirteenth century church of Santa Margherita and portrays Santa Margherita da Cortona with scenes from her life (dated 1298-99) made only a year after her death.  The panel was made for the Monastery of Santa Chiara, and is the oldest known representation of the Blessed Margherita.  

Heading downstairs to the lower refectory...

There is a vault with frescoes (1545) by Giorgio Casari, the architect and painter who designed the Uffizi in Florence.  On the alter is a circa 1500 painted terracotta pieta.

Leaving the Diocesan Museum, we continued up through the Piazza Franciolini and into the Piazza Luca Signorelli.  Since we had toured the Etruscan Museum in Volterra, we skipped the Etruscan Museum in Cortona (even though Cortona was a large Etruscan center), and proceeded on to the Piazza della Republica.

The shopkeepers knew where to put the boxes and baskets of pasta to entice us inside...

 The town square since Etruscan times, the piazza is dominated by its City Hall and grand staircase.


It seemed like as good a spot as any, so we unpacked our provisions and enjoyed our picnic on the steps of City Hall.

This is the way lunch is supposed to happen, eaten slowly, savoring the the cheese, the meat, the fruit, the bread, with a good wine buzz and a splash of frizzante!  After the meal, we lazily ambled up the Via Nazionale and poked our heads into the narrow alleyways to catch a glimpse of life off the beaten tourist path.

With an ever watchful eye, I discovered more creative street art, even in the ancient Etruscan city of Cortona.

Here is a poster advertising hikes sponsored by the Etruscan Museum.  The middle offering advertises a hike along the city walls of Cortona with stops to taste Etruscan cuisine.  Next time for sure!

The streets of Cortona were less populated with tourists and we enjoyed the freedom the light traffic afforded.

We arrived at the Piazza Garibaldi where Kathi stopped to relax under the trees while I explored about.

Looking down the Via Gino Severini and onto the Tuscan countryside beyond.  Cortona lies at the edge of Tuscany, the last town in Charlemagne's empire and the last under the Medici rule; Umbria is just about one mile away.

We were outside the city walls, now peaceful and manicured, you could get an appreciation of how formidable they must have appeared during Etruscan times 2,500 years ago.

 Along the wall was a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci and his ideas that led to flight.

Within a few steps, I arrived at the Catholic Church - Chiesa di San Domenico, completed in 1438.

It was built outside the city walls near where the Porta Peccioverardi once stood.  The stone brick lacks the customary plaster veneer, but the peaked portal and single small oculus brighten the interior nave with elaborate side alters.

The main alter piece is a triptych by Lorenzo di Niccolo depicting the Coronation of the Virgin, the Annunciation, and the Crucifixion donated by Cosomo I de'Medici in 1440.

Here's an example of one of the many exquisite lateral alter pieces - Madonna with Angels by Luca Signorelli.

Just behind the church is the public park Parterre, with its fountain with twin dolphin riders.

The park was a lovely space and I could image spending quiet afternoons here reading, sharing a picnic, and enjoying the company of friends.

I must get more rectangular clay pots!

At the entrance to the park is a monument for all the Cortonese ho had fallen in war.  Such a beautiful sculpture and image.

Rejoining Kathi, we made our way back through the untrammeled streets of Cortona ...

... and retrieved the car for the short drive to the Church of Santa Margherita, dedicated to a Franciscan nun and canonized saint (in 1728) of Cortona.

The interior, columns, and ceiling were all exquisitely decorated.  The main alter displays her "incorrupt" embalmed body.

 A nun maintaining the candles for the devotionals inside the church.

 The church's beautiful dome.

One of the side alters...

 The shroud of Turin on display?!!!!

 A quiet bench sits outside the transept. 

Behind the church is a bell tower and monastery of the Franciscan Order overlooking the beautiful Tuscan farms, fields, and orchards below.

I love the clay pots.

We hopped in the car and drove up the winding road above the Basilica to the Fortezza del Girifalco.

Kathi waited under the shade of the trees while I climbed the tower to walk the ramparts of the fort walls.

Looking out at the countryside as I go...

 Climbing higher and looking down at the Basilica di Santa Margherita below.

Climbing up several floors, I was able to gain access to the fortress' ramparts for sweeping views of the surrounding Valdichiana (Chiana valley).

The fortress was built between the fifth and sixth century BC and commissioned by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosomo I de'Medici.  The castle sits on the ruins of a similar fortress from the Etruscan, Roman, and medieval periods, but it was repeatedly looted and sacked during the wars with Arezzo (prior to Italy's unification).

The Valdichiana...

Looking back to the south...

Looking to the east along the ancient wall of the city and into the Valdichiana.

It was mid afternoon and Kathi wanted me to see Assisi, so we made a hasty retreat from Cortona although I got the feeling we only scratched the surface of this lovely town.  I would definitely come back to enjoy it at a slower pace.