La Primavera in Cinque Terre (Spring in the Five Lands)
A quick six-night trip in the spring to the Italian Mediterranean (not a grand tour or a survey trip, but a slow-down trip)
-Fly into Milano
-Train from Milano to Monterosso al Mare/Cinque Terra
-5 nights in Monterosso al Mare/Cinque Terra
-1 night in Milano
-Fly out of Milano
--FLIGHT: CHICAGO O’HARE TO MILANO MALPENSA--
Leave O’Hare via United Airlines, departing from the International Terminal at 4:55 PM and arriving in Milano, Italy (Malpensa) at 8:35 AM (flight time is 8 hours, 40 minutes; non-stop).
Arrive Malpensa Airport; Milano to Monterosso
Arrive in Milano at Malpensa International Airport at 8:35 AM. Once we clear customs, we should find the shuttle bus to Milano Centrale stazzione. Buy two tickets (they leave every 20 min or so). About e7 each. Departs from the front of the airport outside exit 5, stops 2 and 3.
--DAY ONE: MILANO TO MONTEROSSO--
Once at Centrale, we’ll take the 12:10 PM train to Monterosso (Train No. 653 Fausto Coppi, arriving in Monterosso at 3:02 PM, a 2 hour, 52 minute journey). Two 1st Class tickets will cost about e54 total.
Arrival in Monterosso
Arrive in Monterosso at about 3:00 PM. Upon arrival, pickup a train schedule at the station for use on our trip. Also, be sure to purchase (using either the automated machine or staffed ticket booth) two 1st Class tickets from Monterosso to Milano for next week, the 6:55 AM train (Train No. 654 Versilia), arriving in Milano at 9:55 AM (a 3 hour journey). Will cost about e54 total for two 1st Class tickets. This will be the day before our flight home out of Milan.
Then exit the station and go left. Our hotel is located in front of the beach/sea just beyond the tunnel to the old town/historical center. Exit the train station (located in new town) and go left (on the only road, Via Fegina). Follow Via Fegina under the pedestrian tunnel connecting the new and old towns.
Our hotel is Albergo Pasquale (CONFIRMED with Felicita e Marco), all rooms with sea views, located at Via Fegina 8. We’ve reserved a double with private bath/shower, air, breakfast and balcony with sea view at a rate of e150 per night for five nights (TOTAL e750). Info: http://www.hotelpasquale.com/en;%20%20pasquale@pasini.com; phone is 0187-817-550. See map p. 909 in Steves.
After Getting Settled
Check-in hotel, and after getting settled, take the Steves self-guided walk through Monterosso, starting at the dock in old town, not far from our hotel. From the dock, climb a few rough steps to the top of the breakwater, to begin with an orientation view. From the breakwater (sit as long as we like; bring a beverage?), walk to the old town square (just past the train tracks and beyond the beach) called Piazza Garibaldi. After checking out the Garibaldi statue and the square’s shops/sites, just under the bell tower (with our back to the sea, the bell tower will be on our left), is a set of covered arcades where old locals hang out. Then check out the black and white St. John the Baptist Church, made of Carrara marble. Leaving St. John’s, go left immediately to another church, Oratory of the Dead. Then return to the beach and find the brick steps leading up the hill-capping convent (starting between the train tracks and the pedestrian tunnel). Follow the orange brick road skyward to a convent church, a cemetery, and a ruined castle (along with a statue of St. Francis of Assisi and a wolf enjoying the view, like you). From here, backtrack 20 yards and continue upward again, to the gate and the Cappuchin church. After visiting the church, hike uphill to the cemetery that fills the remains of the ruined castle, at the summit. From here, any trail will lead us back into town. If it’s a nice day, we can rent two chairs and an umbrella for e15 and watch the sunset on the beach with a drink (the beach, the best in Cinque Terra, is just across from the train station). OR we can do this another night.
When we’re ready for dinner, consider Miky (all pastas cooked in a thin pizza crust! Opens for dinner at 7 PM; located 100 yards north of the train station in new town, Via Fegina 4) OR Ristorante Belvedere (in old town on the harbor).
If we’re up for nightlife, Fast Bar, on Via Roma in the old town features plenty of younger travels and noisy drinkers until 2:00 AM.
--DAY TWO: MONTEROSSO--
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll spend the morning/early afternoon today reading/sunning on the beach in Monterosso, our home base (Steves says the best beach is in the new town, across from the train station). We can also finish any aspects of Steves’ self-guided tour of the town that we did not finish last night, and stroll/shop.
For lunch today, we can either eat on the beach (pizza from Il Frantoio just off Via Roma at Via Gioberti 1 OR an e5 box lunch for the beach prepared by BarDavi, located under the arch on the main drag at Via Roma 34).
Tonight, after a siesta, we’ll walk to Il Casello (see p. 913 Steves), on the beach, for drinks and a light dinner.
--DAY THREE: CORNIGLIA & VERNAZZA--
After breakfast this morning, take the train to Corniglia, and enjoy the 90-minute scenic hike between Corniglia and Vernazza. At the Monterosso train station, we’ll purchase a three-day Cinque Terra Card (combines hiking passes on all trails, along with a map and train schedule; just about e10 each for three days). No longer includes trains/buses, but they’re cheap, about e1 per ride. We should wear comfortable hiking-style shoes today.
From the Corniglia train station, we’ll zig-zag up through the town via 400 stairs to explore the sleepy main square (see Steves p. 889) before catching the trail to Vernazza (see Steves p. 875) in about 10 minutes. The hike, about 90 minutes in length, will pass some beautiful scenery, a nude beach well below the path, and a bar, before entering Vernazza.
Once in Vernazza, we’ll take Steves’ self-guided tour of the town on p. 898, and have lunch harborside at Ristorante Pizzeria Vulnetia at Piazza Marconi 29. After exploring Vernazza, we’ll catch the boat from the harbor here back to Monterosso al Mare, for a siesta and a relaxing night near the beach.
--DAY FOUR: MONTEROSSO--
Today we’ll do absolutely anything---or nothing!—in Monterosso, i.e. the beach, hiking, reading, sleeping, shopping, relaxing. We could also take a boat tour (Angelo’s? We can call Paula or stop by to check on availability, if we choose. Located right on the beach. Depends on winds/sea).
--DAY FIVE: RIOMAGGIORE TO MANAROLA--
After breakfast this morning, we’ll hit the beach once again in Monterosso, and relax for the day, reading, strolling, shopping, just hanging out.
Then, at about 6:00 PM, we’ll take the train to Riomaggiore (see p. 878 Steves). From the Riomaggiore train station, check out the colorful murals (and then pass through the long tunnel that connects the station to the town); then ride the elevator to the top of the town (included with our Cinque Terra Card); see the dramatic sea and town views and the church; then walk Via Columbo, the town’s main drag.
When done visiting Riomaggiore, return to the train station to pickup the Via Del Amore hiking trail to the next town, Manarola (just a 20-minute hike; see p. 875 in Steves for the hiking trail from the train station). We’ll take the stroll this time at around sunset, which takes place just before 8:00 PM tonight; we want to be on the trail/walk no later than about 7:30 PM.
Explore Manarola: a 30-minute circular walk will show us the town and the surrounding vineyards, ending at a fantastic viewpoint which we missed the last time we were here (see p. 885 in Steves). For dinner tonight in Manarola, we dine at Trattoria Il Porticciolo, just below the train tracks at Via R. Birolli 92.
When finished with dinner and exploring Manarola, we’ll take the train back to Monterosso al Mare: trains leave La Spezia for Monterosso (will say Per Genova) at 9:13 PM and 11:10 PM; they arrive at Manarola shortly afterward.
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Food Specialties of Cinque Terra: Seafood, especially anchovies, is the specialty of Cinque Terra. The anchovies are caught in an old-school manner, using special fishing lights to attract them called Lampara. The Tegame alla Vernazza is a typical main course, with anchovies, potatoes, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, and herbs. For Dana: an omnipresent pasta dish is Pansotti, a kind of ravioli with spinach and ricotta and served with walnut sauce. Another great pasta dish is spaghetti or trofie with pesto, that famous Ligurian basil sauce, native to this region. An old and simple dish is the Torta Pasqualina (cake): a puffy pastry cake made with borage or other vegetables, chards, artichokes or spinach with ricotta cheese and eggs.
--DAY SIX: MILANO--
Monterosso to Milano
Today we’ll depart Cinque Terre by train for Milano, to enjoy a night in the city before flying out tomorrow morning. We will have already purchased two 1st Class tickets for the 6:55 AM train (Train No. 654 Versilia), arriving in Milano at 9:55 AM (a 3 hour journey).
Once at Milano Centrale, we’ll take the Metro to Piazza Duomo for our hotel, Hotel Spadari, Via Spadari 11 (take Via Torino (located directly across the piazza from the Duomo, to our right, when facing the Duomo). Then take a right on Spadari (hotel will be on our left; see map p. 263). Hotel Spadari features an art deco interior by Milanese artist Gio Pomodoro. We’ve booked a double-king room with private bath at just under e300 per night, for one night (total cost e300): http://www.spadarihotel.com/; reservation@spadarihotel.com; phone is 02-7200-2371.
Today in Milano
After check-in and getting settled, we’ll have lunch at Luini Panzerotti, which serves up hot, delicious mini calzones (Via S Radegonda 16; from the back of the Duomo, head north and look for the lines of hungry locals). Most enjoy their meals on the nearby Piazza San Fedele.
After lunch, we’ll shop the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele before heading down Via Dante, one of Europe’s longest pedestrian only boulevards (see map in Steves p. 235), ending up at the Sforza Castle in just about 1.5 miles (no later than 4:00 PM, since the Castle closes at 5:30 PM).
Then we’ll tour the castle (and view Michelangelo’s unfinished Pieta): while the castle is free to enter, it’s e3.00 per person to enter the museums contained inside (we’ll focus on the ground level, including Room 15, where Michelangelo’s last work stands, an unfinished and therefore minimalist Pieta.
Then a siesta at the hotel before dinner.
Our Night in Milan
Tonight we’ll visit the artsy, student-oriented Brera neighborhood that surrounds the church of St. Carmine and features what Steves calls narrow and inviting pedestrian streets (see map in Steves p. 235). For dinner, we’ll choose either Al Pozzo, featuring traditional Tuscan cuisine at Via S Carpoforo 7 OR Caffe Vecchia Brera with sandwiches, crepes, and a full-service restaurant, too, at Via dell’Orso 20 (opens at 8:00 PM). Afterwards, Bar Brera at Via Brera 23 has great sidewalk seating for drinks. We could also check with our hotel about live theater or music tonight, if interested in a show.
Then we’ll return to the hotel to pack and prepare for our morning departure for home.
We should leave the hotel by 8:00 AM by taxi cab (about e90) for Malpensa Airport, arriving by 9:00 AM for our Noon flight home.
--RETURN FLIGHT HOME: MILANO TO CHICAGO--
Upon arrival at Malpensa at 9:00 AM, check in and board our 12:00 PM United Airlines Flight 9457 to Chicago (flight time is 9 hours 55 minutes, non-stop), arriving in Chicago at 2:55 PM.
::ESTIMATED TOTAL COSTS AS OF 2 SEPT 2008::
(based on 1.48 dollar to euro)
$4,000.00, excluding airfare
$6,000.00 US total, including air
-Airfare: $1,900.00 US on United Airlines (two non-stop flights)
-Lodging: (6 nights: 5 Monterosso; 1 Milano): e1000,00; $1,600.00 US
-Transportation (trains, boats, taxis): (e300) apprx $450.00 US
-Entrance Fees/Tours: e200; $300.00 US
-Per Diem (meals, shopping, etc., not including lodging): e200.00 x 6 = e1200; $1,800.00 US
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