Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera

1 Comment / February 10, 2011

The Cinque Terre Hike

The Cinque Terre is one of those destinations that everyone should try to visit some time in their lives and the eight mile Cinque Terre hike is an absolute must for anyone who is fit and able to walk. The Cinque Terre (pronounced Cheeng-Kway Tear-ray; tear as in to cut, not as in tear from the eye; and be sure to roll the r’s) means five lands and is a collection of five hillside villages located on the rugged Ligurian Coast of Italy or the Italian Riviera. The village of Vernazza, in particular, you will immediately recognize from travel photos you have seen many times in the past. From north to south the villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

Start at Monterosso

I caught the train at 8 AM in Genoa to the north and from that point on everything went like clockwork, making this one of the most enjoyable days of my trip. We stopped at little towns all along the way picking up more people at each stop until the train was standing room only. It was pretty obvious where everyone was heading, since most had shorts, hiking shoes and day packs. I met people from all over the world on the short train ride and we all chatted excitedly about our plans for the day. Some, like me, were going to get off at Monterosso, the northern most village, and hike south. Others were going to stay on the train until they got to the southern most village of Riomaggiore and hike north. Later that day along the trail I would pass some of these same people going the opposite way and we would all call out a cheerful greeting as we recognized one another from the train.

Best Hike Ever!

The train arrived in Monterosso at 10:30 AM and I was immediately able to find a nice hotel, aptly named Hotel Cinque Terre, which I will feature in the next article on Awesome Accommodations. By 11:30 AM I was on the trail enjoying the spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea as I hiked through the terraced hillsides of vineyards and olive orchards between each of the five villages. The weather could not have been nicer and I was glad I had come prepared with good hiking shoes and plenty of water. The eight mile hike took me four hours and I got back on the train at the fifth village of Riomaggiore heading back to Monterosso by 3:30 PM. Be sure to check out the video of the Cinque Terre Hike below!

Take the Train Back

If you only have the time or energy to do one portion of the hike, I recommend the section between Monterosso and Vernazza. It is the most difficult stretch, but I believe the most beautiful and Vernazza is one place you would not want to miss. The train stops near each of the five villages so even non-hikers can enjoy these quaint little towns. The train system makes it extremely handy in that you need only do the hike in one direction and can then take the train back to your starting point. After returning to Monterosso I enjoyed the evening exploring this beautiful area in more detail and had a nice dinner at a sidewalk café. Looking south as the sun went down I could see the lights of the other villages I had visited earlier in the day twinkling off in the distance.

Don’t Miss This Video of the Cinque Terre Hike!

A Photo Gallery of the Cinque Terre


Vernazza
Vernazza
Corniglia
Manarola
Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore
Monterosso
Monterosso
Monterosso

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The French and Italian Rivieras

February 6, 2011

The French and Italian Rivieras

From Marseille, France to Genoa, Italy

The six hour train ride from Marseille, France to Genoa, Italy took us through a series of stunningly beautiful settlements along the Mediterranean Coast, many with instantly recognizable names like Toulon, St. Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monte Carlo, San Remo and Savona. From the Cote d’Azur in Southeastern France we crossed the border into Italy and continued along the Ligurian Coast to the port city of Genoa. While not necessarily a tourist destination, Genoa was the boyhood home of Christopher Columbus and has many historic buildings worth a look, including several interesting churches and the palaces of some the noble families of earlier times. I enjoyed window shopping along the plazas and walking through the narrow streets, but one could easily get lost in the maze. Genoa was to be my jumping off place for the Cinque Terre, where I hoped to be the next day. If all went as planned I would catch the early morning train to Monterosso, quickly find a hotel there, and set out on the eight mile hike between the five seaside villages.

Colorful Buildings Along the Genoa Waterfront

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Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

1 Comment / January 31, 2011

Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

It was by pure luck that I found this outstanding hotel in Marseille! When traveling by train, I usually try the hotels near the station, making it easy to catch the early train the following morning. More times than not, I find something available at a reasonable rate, but not this time. After checking several hotels near the station and not finding any that met my standards for one reason or another, I decided to look farther into town.

Location, Location Location

I took a wrong turn, though, and ended up down by the seaport docks in a ‘not so good’ part of the city and it was about 6 PM by this time! Quickly retracing my steps, I was soon heading down into the heart of Marseille. The first hotel I checked was the Hotel Hermes and they had a nice room with private bath for the equivalent of $70.00 (Fifty Euros). Breakfast was a little extra, but well worth it. The Hotel Hermes is right on the Vieux-Port, the main harbor of Marseille, and had a view across to Notre Dame de la Garde on the hill across the water. The location could not have been better and it was within walking distance of most of the main sights.

An Awesome Accommodation

The staff at the Hotel Hermes was friendly and helpful and I was able to use their computer to get on the internet and check my email at no additional charge. There was a terrace on the rooftop which looked out over the entire area and I ended my day enjoying the breathtaking nighttime view from that vantage point. If you are looking for a nice, reasonably priced hotel in Marseille with an excellent location, I recommend checking out the Hotel Hermes.

My Room at the Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

Dining Room at the Hotel Hermes, Marseille, France

http://www.hotelmarseille.com

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Marseille, France

January 25, 2011

Marseille, On the Mediterranean Coast

Marseille was not originally penciled in on my rough itinerary, but ended up being one of my favorite stops on the trip. Located on the Mediterranean coast in the Provence region of France, it is truly a destination worthy of a visit by even the most discriminating tourist. Surrounded by rocky hills typical of the Mediterranean coast, Marseille is the largest commercial seaport in France. As the second most populous city in France, its international flavor will immediately resonate with visitors. With its elegant hotels, incredible yachts and well-heeled citizens, one would be hard pressed to find any remnant of its former life as a bastion of French communism.

History and Culture

Steeped in history and loaded with interesting sights, Marseille has enough to keep you busy for several days and, when you consider what’s available in the surrounding area, a week might be more like it. But even with only one day, I was able to take in many of the sights, including Notre Dame de la Garde, the beautiful cathedral overlooking the city; Vieux-Port, the harbor filled with yachts and guarded on each side at its entrance by Fort Saint-Jean and Fort Saint-Nicolas; La Corniche, the road and walkway along the coast; the Palais du Pharo, residence of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III; and the wide boulevard of La Canebiere. My Awesome Accommodations at the Hotel Hermes right on the Vieux-Port will be featured in my next posting, so be sure to check back.

Marseille, France

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The Mediterranean Coast of France

2 Comments / January 22, 2011

Barcelona, Spain to Marseille, France on the Mediterranean Coast

For the next five days of my circuit around Western Europe by train I would see some of the most famous landmarks and most beautiful scenery in the world. It would take me along the Mediterranean coast from Spain to Italy, with stops in Montpellier, Marseille, Genoa, the Cinque Terre, Rome and finally Naples and the Amalfi Coast. I had seen this region once before looking ashore from the decks of a U.S. Navy ship, but this excursion would give me a whole new perspective looking from shore out to the blue sea from the window of a first class train.

Stopover in Montpellier

We left Barcelona around 9 AM on June 1 and followed the northeastern coast of Spain along the Med for the short distance before crossing the border into France. The train passed through the coastal towns of Perpignan and Narbonne before making a stop around 1:30 PM in Montpellier where I had to change trains. The two hour stopover gave me time to get out and enjoy the main square of this lively city, which was bustling with activity and filled with music.

On to Marseille

Back on the train we passed through Nimes and Arles, getting frequent glimpses of the water and the seemingly endless number of picturesque little seaside villages. It was the perfect time of year for a visit…incredibly beautiful weather without the summer crowds. I didn’t want the trip to end as we arrived in Marseille around 5:30 PM. Now I would have to hustle, as it was getting a bit late to start looking for a hotel. I needn’t have worried, since within an hour I was relaxing in what turned out to be one of my Awesome Accommodations, ready to head out to explore another city.

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Barcelona Bacchanal

January 14, 2011

Barcelona, Spain

Part Three of a Very Long Day (Two Days, Actually!)

It was a beautiful ride through the countryside of Spain on that early Sunday morning as the train quickly made its way from Madrid to Barcelona. I was wide awake with anticipation despite having gone without sleep for two days by this time. As you can imagine, I was desperately in need of the proverbial ‘shower, shave and shhh…shelter’, so when the train pulled into Barcelona around 11 AM I decided to take no chances and booked a room through the Tourism Office right at the train station. Having heard that available hotel rooms were often difficult to find without reservations in this city and that bargain rooms were virtually nonexistent, I was pleasantly surprised when they were able to book me in a very adequate hotel right on La Rambla, the main pedestrian avenue in central Barcelona. For the equivalent of $63.00 I got a nice room with private bath at the Hotel Fornos, including breakfast.

La Rambla

Reenergized after a few hours rest, I headed out to explore the city of Barcelona. All I had to do was walk out the front door of my hotel and I was on La Rambla (Las Ramblas). Without worrying about cars, visitors can stroll this tree-line boulevard, watching the street performers, or window shopping or just cooling off with an ice cream cone. Going in the direction of the waterfront I passed the Monument a Colom, commemorating Christopher Columbus, and emerged onto an open square with a beautiful view to the west of the Castell de Montjuic (Hill of the Jews), a fortress overlooking the city.

Down by the Waterfront

It was a short walk to the harbor area on the Mediterranean Sea where tourists can visit the museum, an aquarium, a modernistic shopping center and the Olympic Village built for the 1992 Summer Olympics. As an inveterate ‘people watcher’, I found myself milling around this area for several hours enjoying the sights as I mingled with the crowds. I had as much fun as all the kids watching everyone feed the schools of fish from the footbridge going across the port.

Wrapped in Scaffolding

On every trip there will be a few disappointments…important sights missed for one reason or another. Sometimes you just don’t have time to see everything or the venue may be closed at the time of your visit. In Barcelona it was the spires of the famous gothic Barcelona Cathedral (La Seu) wrapped in scaffolding. Looking on the positive side, however, it is good to know that landmarks such as this are being maintained and preserved for posterity. For the rest of my day in Barcelona, I walked the narrow streets of the old neighborhoods, including Barri Gotic, La Ribera, and El Raval. After a relaxing dinner I returned to my hotel and hit the sack early. It had been a very long two days, but I wouldn’t have changed it for the world!

Barcelona, Spain

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