Three generations of women on a two-week tour of Italy – an awesome experience!
Day One
We left home in a well packed car on Sunday 12 July and drove to Gallarate, less than half an hour, to have lunch with Italian friends. About 3pm we got on the road again and headed for the really little town of Carrodano, up in the hills above the Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast. This was the first night of our adventure and the fun was just beginning. Did I mention this was a really small town? No restaurants! At the recommendation of the receptionist/night-manager we drove down to the coast to Levanto and dined at a beachside bar. For Caitlin and I this was the first time we had been at the seaside since leaving New Zealand – Caitlin and Iris did a little celebration dance at the water’s edge.
Day One
We left home in a well packed car on Sunday 12 July and drove to Gallarate, less than half an hour, to have lunch with Italian friends. About 3pm we got on the road again and headed for the really little town of Carrodano, up in the hills above the Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast. This was the first night of our adventure and the fun was just beginning. Did I mention this was a really small town? No restaurants! At the recommendation of the receptionist/night-manager we drove down to the coast to Levanto and dined at a beachside bar. For Caitlin and I this was the first time we had been at the seaside since leaving New Zealand – Caitlin and Iris did a little celebration dance at the water’s edge.
Day Two
Monday morning we began to explore the Cinque Terre region. This extraordinary area of five towns clinging to the very rugged west coast of Italy is a National Park, a Protected Marine Area, and a UNESCO World Heritage site - the first of several we visited on our tour. We took the train from Levanto to Riomaggiore, the southern most of the five ‘terre’, and began the return journey by walking along the Via dell'Amore or ‘lover’s way’ to Manarola. Lovers write their names on padlocks which they affix to the wire stays – ‘locked in love’.
At Manarola we stopped for a gelato and waited for the ferry to arrive.
Many people chose to walk the entire 12km back to Monterosso al Mare but with a 382 step climb up and down between Corniglia and Vernazza we decided to take the ferry and see the villages from the water.
Back at Monterosso al Mare we had lunch and shopped before Caitlin and Iris took the plunge trying out their newly purchased swim suits. Feeling refreshed from the water we trekked back to the train station at the northern most end of Monterosso and trained back to Levanto.
Heading south on the way to Firenze (Florence) we passed Carrera and from the road could clearly see the great, blindingly white scars on the distant hills where the carrera marble is mined. Detouring slightly we made a short stop in Pisa to see the tower – and it really does lean at an incredible angle. One can climb to the top but the view from the ground was more than enough for me. We took the obligatory photos, bought a book and got back on the road.
Arriving in Firenze at the ‘Hotel Alexander’ just off the motorway we checked in, schlepped our bags to the fourth floor and collapsed, only rising to go in search of a nearby eatery. With almost nothing on offer locally we gave in and settled for a doner kebab and a beer – excellent choice as it turned out. Dragged our weary butts back to the hotel and we were out cold for the night by 8.30pm!
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