Milano to Cinque Terra

Had a very laid back start to today as our train to Cinque Terra didn’t leave until 12.05, so we had a leisurely breakfast, packed our bags and checked out of our Hotel, strolled down the street and stopped for a coffee on the way to Milan Centrale.

We are sitting out on our balcony sipping some local wine, eating some local cheese and olives, listening to the waves gently licking the shore and watching the sun go down. Does it get any better than this? ...I would say “no, Lou Lou!”

..as you could imagine how relieved I was when we finally made it to the apartment after following the lady up and down, round and round, past smelly fishy areas, underground in dank mouldy parts...I was thinking that Louise and Clare were going to kill me if it went on much further...then voila! The shutters were opened and the view was amazing and we are right here on the waters edge..unbelieveable!...I’ve tried sketching but it is better to capture the essence of the place with a camera. Clare and I have stripped off to our bras, 7pm in the evening mind you, sipping Bianco on the balcony while Lou Lou fills in the blog....dinner is at 8 and only a little walk from here, but it is the journey home up the steps that has me worried!!!....

We found our train on platform 19, found our seats and settled in. There were 3 other people in our compartment, 2 of whom turned out to be hilarious – for us! I can not begin to relay the turn of events and the conversations that went on but at one stage the three of us had to get up and leave to regain our composure. There are just some things which will have to stay in Italy!

We had to change trains – thank goodness – and again found our next train after quickly buying the ticket, running underground and back up to the platform and just jumping on in time! Phew!

So here we are in Cinque Terre, which means 5 lands or towns, in the westernmost area of the Ligurian Riviera. We are in Riomaggiore which is an old village situated in a small valley planted with vineyards. The village is called after the brook (rio) which flows through a deep winding gully down to a small beach. It is very steep here – we have to climb 72 steps up to our apartment – and what a sensational view we have. The sunset will occur right outside our room and we have an uninterrupted view of it all.