Welcome to a new series on Food Lover's Odyssey, The Saturday Scene. I've been tossing around the idea of a day dedicated to sharing a few of my favorite scenes from Italy and France. Also, one of my friends, who regularly gives unsolicited critiques of my blog, told me that my posts are too long! Yes, he basically said I talk too much.
After picking both my mouth and my ego from the floor, I decided to mix things up a little and provide shorter posts and ones that are more photo-oriented for those that would like to look more and read less. So committed I am to doing it, I have dedicated every Saturday to posts that are short-on-words and long on lovely views of my two favorite countries.
An inspiration for this week's post has been a Twitter event I've been taking part in called #frifotos. I started participating a few weeks ago, and it's been a lot of fun. Every week @EpsteinTravels, the founder of the event, and his co-hosts pick a theme. On Friday people from around the world share their photos based on that theme. Yesterday's theme was "blue." If you missed the event but still want to see what it's all about, on Twitter you can check out the hashtag #frifotos and see all of the photos there. There are also two great roundups of the photos: @CorkBilly produces one here, and Wild About Travel shares their picks for the best FriFotos of the week.
Below are my contributions: the blues of Italy and France.
As Valentine's Day approaches, my mind is on romance. I've been working on a romantic Valentine's dinner menu. One where each course includes chocolate. Try as I might to focus on the menu, even a chocolate menu, my mind keeps wandering to Italy. I know I'm not the only one that connects romance and Italy, right? There are, however, particular places in Italy that are more enchanting than others.
Those places are etched in my mind as spots I want to return with that someone special. Spots that induced "oohs" and caused heavy breathing from long inhales and deep sighs. So magical, they deserve their own stories that start "Once upon a time" and end "happily ever after;" the place where the prince first kisses the princess.
Is this a cheesy, goofy, girly post? Yes, I guess so! I'm a hopeless romantic. Remember, I'm the one that rejected a gondola ride that included an offer to steer the gondola, to wait and ride with my anima gemella (twin of my soul/soulmate). Although this post may tilt way on the side of "for the girls" hopefully, my dear male readers, I haven't lost you. If you're planning to whisk someone away on a romantic trip to Italy, for Valentine's Day or any other occasion, these little wanderings of mine could certainly be of help.
Here are my picks for ten best places to kiss in Italy. You'll see a pattern in my choices. For me, water - be it an ocean, lake or river, along with long stretches of beach or promenades, and evening lights qualify as molto romantico. I know there are far more than ten, but I'm hoping you, my fellow Italophiles and romantics, will help by adding your favorite(s) to the comments:
Rome - Castel Sant' Angelo on the Terrace of the Angel
Rome has many breathtaking hilltop views, but this is my favorite and, for me, the most romantic. At the top of a castle with the Archangel Michael above, sword in hand, standing guard, your "prince charming" (principe azzurro) beside you, the Eternal City all aglow below, and the hills of Rome twinkling in the distance.
Taormina - Piazza IX Aprile
View from Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina
Piazza IX Aprile in Taormina
Most of Taormina rests on the seaside cliffs of Sicily's eastern coast. The lower part of the city is home to two beach areas. Of course it's a city for romance. The bustling Piazza 9 April is midway along the long, mainly pedestrian street, corso Umberto I. You can snuggle in a corner along the railing at the rim of the piazza and look onto the eastern coastline of Sicily and the sprawling Ionian Sea. The clock tower (Torre dell'Orologio) and St. Agostino Church are at the other end of the piazza. While I was in Taormina, every night I saw countless brides and grooms strolling hand-in-hand out of St. Agostino and the other churches in the city.
The Aeolian Islands - A boat ride around Stromboli
Definitely a spot for romance are all of the Aeolian Islands. A boat ride around Stromboli at dusk and an evening ride back to Lipari stands out in my mind as the most romantic part of the trip. Stromboli erupted and spewed it flames of lava. (If only I were with my "one true love" instead of being bothered continually by a pesky marinaio.) The pesky sailor did point out La Stella di Venere ("star" of Venus, actually the planet), which I had never seen before. On the night ride back to Lipari, you could clearly spot the Big and Little Dippers, called Orsa Maggiore and Minore in Italian. (If the sailor wasn't good for romance at least he was good for learning a few new words in Italian.)
Vernazza - From Above or Along the Harbor
I couldn't leave "my happy place" off the list. At dusk atop the hill overlooking Vernazza, you will certainly be alone. I would suggest bringing a bottle of wine AND a flashlight. Winding your way down in the dark, can be a struggle, even without having had any wine. For those who don't want to climb, the harbor is just as romantic.
Anywhere in Venice
Saint Mark's Square - Venice
I believe the water and the reflections of the city - its lights, its buidings, its glass - flickering above the water's surface does something to your senses. How can you not feel amorous here? Kiss on bridges, in a quiet calle, along the small canals, on the steps of Santa Maria della Salute, on Giudecca - looking out at the Doge's Palace and the Campanile, in the back seats of an empty vaporetto. Possibly the best place of all is St. Mark's Square when it's virtually empty, very late at night.
Florence - Ponte Santa Trinita: Looking onto the Arno and the Ponte Vecchio
While students, tourists and young lovers pack the Ponte Vecchio, take a stroll along the Santa Trinita bridge for a bit of quiet, and a view of the Ponte Vecchio and the lights along the Arno.
Camogli - The Beach at Dusk
Camogli, one of the many picturesque towns in Liguria, has a long stretch of beach. After the daytime crowds depart, this stretch of beach allows you to carve out a private spot for smooching and watching the sun set on the Ligurian Sea. To top it off, Camogli celebrates lovers during St. Valentine's Day and the week preceding it. The festival is called "Innamorati a Camogli." Hotels have special deals for couples, there are art and poetry competitions dedicated to love, and hearts are strung everywhere in the city. You can add your heart to the fishing nets along the harbor.
Sorrento - Belvedere di Sorrento
View from Belvedere di Sorrento
Naples and the Gulf of Naples from Sorrento
Behind the Convent and Cloister of San Franceso is the terrace called Belvedere di Sorrento. You have sweeping views of the coastline, a look down the cliffs onto the Marinas Grande and Piccolo of Sorrento, and out onto the Bay of Naples. Many couples end their walks through Sorrento here, cuddled together against the terrace railing or along the park benches.
Lago Maggiore - The Terraced Gardens on Isola Bella
The island on Lake Maggiore houses Palazzo Borromeo and one of the most spectacular gardens in all of Italy. The terraced gardens lush with greenery, flowers and statues are a sight all by themselves. Adding to the beauty are the white peacocks that roam the gardens, the views of Lake Maggiore and of the mountains, snow-capped in Winter and Spring. The variety of plants in the garden provide color from March to October. The beauty of both the gardens and the surrounding views make it a perfect place for a prince and his princess. Actually, legend has it that the ladies of Count Borromeo's household asked him to build the palace on the island because they didn't want to hear the prisoners' cries from the dungeons in the mainland's castle.
Napoli - Via Partenope
Via Partenope is part of a long stretch of road that edges along the sea, the lungomare, in Naples. It runs from the neighborhoods of Santa Lucia to Mergellina. Along the Via Partenope stretch is a long promenade with views of Castel d'Ovo and Mt. Vesuvius in the background. Other lovers have left their mark along this classic lovers' stroll. Along the promendade, look out for padlocks, painted with couples' names and locked around poles.
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Where are your picks for most romantic spots and the best places to kiss in Italy?
I'm sitting on a rock. The sun heats my face. The warmth penetrates my body from the sun above and the rock below. The waves slap against the rocks, even splash me a little, and then swish away. The music that the ebb and flow makes gives me the sensation of rocking back and forth with it. In front of me, little boats painted in primary colors shimmy against the harbor's shore. Their gem-like reflections dance on the water's surface. In the background, children laugh and play on the beach or shriek as they jump from the high rock behind me. Once in a while, the churchbell chimes to let me know time is still moving. Bright umbrellas against terracotta buildings fill the piazza. It's a happy place.
It's all interupted by someone nudging me and saying, "Miss Ayer, I'm finished. Is everything ok?" Reality.
My body was actually in a dentist's chair. My mouth was cranked wide open by what looked like two mini tire jacks. To prevent anything from falling into my throat and choking me, a rubbery blue "shield" stretched from inside one end of my mouth to the other. As if things weren't bad enough, the dentist was drilling. The shake jarred my entire head and the screech of the drill grinding away at my teeth pierced my ears; it was too much for me. I wanted to scream, cry, smack the dentist away from my face, and run away. I could feel my heart racing and my body start to tremble. I didn't move.
I stayed and instead calmed myself. I closed my eyes and mentally ran away. I've done this since childhood because fear of the relentless teasing from my brother, sister, and even my dad was greater than the near panic attacks at the dentist's. Even now, all grown up, I hate the dentist's chair. And, last year I spent way too much time there. (I'm certain pastries and chocolate had nothing to do with it.) Each time I started to hyperventilate, I took myself to the exact same place. The Cinque Terre in Italy. Specifically, to the harbor in Vernazza. It's my happy place. One I've returned to again and again, both mentally and physically, almost every trip to Italy.
The Cinque Terre is no secret, made popular by Rick Steves before I ever traveled there. It's so ON the beaten path, that many criticize it and its crowds. Those who were there 20 and 30 years ago reminisce about its raw beauty before being trampled on by the masses. I wasn't there then, so I can't make the comparison. Almost 14 years ago marks my first visit. In fact, in the last 18 months, I've been there 3 times, late May, early September and at the peak of tourist season in July. Yes, it is crowded, mostly during the day and worse when the large tour groups pack together. I seem to see past the crowds though and still see each of the five lands as tiny and special.
I've searched along Liguria's coast for a place less crowded and one I like better; Camogli, Portofino, Portovenere, Santa Margherita Ligure, Rapallo, Lavagna and more. Although Camogli and Portovenere came close, for me, those five little lands that teeter on the rocky Ligurian coastline still have more charm. It's my escape by the sea.
When I'm tired of risking my life crossing the street in Italy's cities, want to run from the inland heat, or just want to stop researching for a minute, the Cinque Terre is the first place that comes to mind. I can rent a lettino (sun bed) or plop down on a rock and relax.
Ok, there are a few "culinary" things I'd like to do: cook in the galley with Ciak, for example. There's also a certain pesto guy who I'd like to give me a personal pesto-making lesson. Oh, there's the terraced vineyards that I'd love to work during harvest for just a short while. You know, one or two days before it actually feels like the back-breaking work it is. Of course, all these good intentions fly right out the train window as soon as the train pulls into Monterosso's station, where the beach beckons me from the station's terrace.
View of Monterosso's Beach from the Train Station's Terrace
The five lands that make up the Cinque Terre are, from north to south, Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. Each town butts right up against the shoreline. No matter if my room is on the marina or high on the cliff, every night I fall asleep to the sound of waves lapping against the rocks. Each morning I wake to the same sound, and also a churchbell chiming.
Monterosso al Mare is the biggest of the five towns. It is divided into old town and new by a tunnel. In the new town you’ll find the popular umbrella-lined beach, promenade, and a few hotels and restaurants. You can find gorgeous views and photo ops of the new town and coastline from the rocky outcrops at each end of the beach. The old town is a maze of narrow alleys (caruggi) where you’ll find shops, most of the hotels, eateries, and restaurants.
Vernazza, shaped like a horseshoe around its harbor, seems to have only one street, via Roma, one piazza, Piazza Marconi, and the harbor. However, many narrow caruggi branch out from both sides of via Roma. These caruggi take you back and up into the stacked homes of Vernazza. At the end of via Roma is the piazza, where pastel-colored facades and umbrella-covered tables line the rim of the piazza. Anchoring each end of the marina is the church, to one side, and a ruined castle, il castello, to the other.
Corniglia is the most remote of the five towns, mainly because you have to climb to get to it from all sides, the walking paths from Manarola or Vernazza, or the 365 steps from the train station. The rainbow of colors that make up the village's buildings nestle themselves among green hills filled with grape vines.
Manarola buildings fall in a step-like fashion and appear to tumble right into the marina. The main road circles its way up from the train station to the top of the city.
Riomaggiore is the most southern of the five lands, usually known as the first. It once had a major river running through it (which has been paved over). Hence the name: rio (dialect for river) maggiore (major).
Via dell'Amore trail along the Sentiero Azzurro
A few of my favorite things to do in the Cinque Terre:
There is the famous Sentiero Azzurro, the walking path that connects the five lands. The most rigorous stretch is from Monterosso to Vernazza. The easiest is the Lover's Lane hike (via dell' amore) from Manarola to Riomaggiore. The hike, in total, takes between 5 to 6 hours. You can break the hike into 2 or 3-day segments to make it less strenuous and give you time to enjoy other activities.
See it from the sea. Catch the ferry that goes to each land, and you get a whole new perspective of each town from the water. A day pass, 15 euros last summer, lets you travel to each town, hop off, walk around, take a swim, and/or eat, and hop back on to go the next town. The ferry travels outside the Cinque Terre to Portovenere.
See each of the 5 towns by train. You can buy a day pass for a few euros and travel to and from each town all day (they also have multi-day passes). Train travel is the quickest, least strenuous, and most budget-friendly means of seeing each town.
Rent a kayak or paddleboat. From Monterosso’s beach, you can rent kayaks and paddleboats and row or peddle your way out to sea.
Relax on the beach. Monterosso has the only traditional stretch of beach. For 15-18 euros (prices vary with season and there are half-day prices), you can rent two sunbeds (lettini) with an umbrella. This is my favorite activity. Between Vernazza and Corniglia, there is another smaller stretch of beach, the secluded clothes-optional Guvano beach. Guvano has an entrance fee, 5 euros. You can find a warm rock in Vernazza, Manarola or Riomaggiore for free. Monterosso also has free public areas.
Grilled Calamari from Ristorante Miky
Eating:
Of course there's the lovely Ligurian food, mostly from the sea. Pesto Genovese is the most well-known dish of the region. Anchovies are fresh from the sea, nothing like the canned ones in the States. You'll find them marinated in lemon (acciughe al limone), salted (acciughe salate) and with pasta. For breakfast or a snack, there is also focaccia.
Here are my favorite places to eat in the Cinque Terre:
in Monterosso -
Ristorante Miky - Everything is delicious here, but the grilled calamari, shown above, was a standout.
Ristorante Ciak - La Lampara - In the old town of Monterosso. My absolute favorite is the risotto ai frutti di mare
Fornaio Monterosso - For the focaccia - It's at the end of the promenade going away from the old town. Mornings and afternoons, when the focaccia is fresh out of the oven, is the best time to stop by.
in Vernazza -
Ristorante Vulnetia - It's tucked away in the back left corner of Piazza Marconi. I especially liked their spaghetti con le vongole, stuffed mussels and either pesto dish, trofie or trenette.
Taverna del Capitano - This restarant is on the other corner of Piazza Marconi, at an angle from Vulnetia. I like their anchovy specialties, especially the anchovies four ways and with spaghetti, and the spaghetti allo scoglio.
I've included more photos of the Cinque Terre and Ligurian food in the slideshow below:
Useful Websites:
Cinque Terre Ferries - Information on ferries for the Cinque Terre and the Golf of Poets
Is it only people in the food industry that have in-depth discussions about the dishes that would be part of their last meal? Maybe. After one forkful of this dish, Ravioli di Pesce ai Fruitti di Mare, maybe even after one sniff of the dish, I knew it would forever be included in my last meal menu.
The ravioli di pesce (fish ravioli), black and white ravioli (the black coming from the nero di seppie), enrobe a flaky fish filling. The ravioli were good on their own, but what pushed the dish to "most memorable" status were the fruits of the sea and the sauce. The juices, released by the opening of the shellfish, were the main flavor of a sauce of pure simplicity. Only a little herbs, tomatoes and maybe wine were added. The waitress brought it to me in a covered metal bowl. The dish was recommended to me by locals, so I didn't know exactly what was under the lid. Scents of the sweet and salty sea floated up as I lifted the lid revealing ravioli mingled together with mussels, clams, calamari, and shrimp. It's a feast of all my favorite things; pasta, seafood, and the sauce brought it all together. I used all of the bread they gave me to mop up the last drippings of sauce.
The restaurant, Il Desco dei Fieschi, is in Lavagna. Lavagna is one of the coastal towns I visited in my attempts to find one as charming as any of the Cinque Terre. In terms of charm, Lavagna, which means slate and chalkboard in Italian, lives up to its name. Maybe that was a little harsh. Lavagna has its required stretch of an umbrella lined beach, grand old villas with flower box windows, ornate door and window trimmings, and Tromp L'Oeil facades. Placed anywhere else, Lavagna would sparkle. But, when it's next to gems like Camogli, The Cinque Terre, Portofino, etc. it doesn't shine. They do have one very interesting festival every August 14, the Torta dei Fieschi. It's a colorful medevial celebration through the streets and ends under the Torre Fieschi (Fieschi Tower). There a gigantic cake (torta) is sliced and handed out to those who have found the matching half of their tickets, to symbolize finding one's anima gemella (soul mate).
I have to thank the very kind people at Hotel Stella di Mare in Lavagna for suggesting I try out the restaurant and this dish. Even though Lavagna doesn't win in the charm category, I will return, if only for the ravioli di pesce ai frutti di mare. In fact I have to return again, because it’s now on the menu for the last meal I’ll ever eat.
Il Desco Dei Fieschi is located in Piazza della Liberta, 42 – phone: 0039 0185 392765
Lavagna is an hour train ride from Genova and a 30-minute train ride from Monterosso.
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What dish would be part of your last meal? Where would you want to eat it?
On the train ride from Milan to the Cinque Terre, the lady next to me said, “Once I get to Genoa, I’m on vacation.” She explained that once we left Genoa, our view for the rest of the ride would be of the blue Mediterranean Sea, and to her the sea meant vacation. She was partly right. We had a view of the sea, but we also saw one picturesque beach town after another, strung together like jewels on a necklace. Some of these gems I’ve visited before. Others I’ve just passed by on the train. This trip I lingered in Liguria a bit longer than planned and visited (or revisited) some of its coastline towns.
Lore has it that Camogli (pronounced cah-mō-yee) gets its name from Ca’ mogli (case delle mogli), meaning house of the wives. A name dedicated to the wives, of sailors and fishermen, who looked after the town while their husbands were away at sea. The name actually dates farther back than that, from Camuli, the Ligurian-Celtic deity. (I like the “houses of the wives” version better.) It is somewhere in size between a town and a village is divided by the rocky outcrop that houses the Dragon Castle and the town's basilica. One one side is the beach, and the other is the harbor.
From the beachfront, tall pastel-colored houses climb up and back against the hillside. The houses’ reflections dance upon the sea with each little wave. The facades are also elaborately decorated in Tromp l’Oeil. It’s not really a window frame you’re seeing; no it’s just a painting of one. So many times I did a double take to see that the woman or cat in the window was not real, but a painting. You could spend weeks weaving your way in and out of the caruggi (narrow alleyways) of the town and discerning Tromp l’Oeil from reality.
The harbor, which is packed with little boats, is located at the north eastern tip of the curved coastline. Camogli is still a fishing town, and the harbor smells of the sea and fish. Fishing nets are strewn on the ground and hung on railings to dry. An old lighthouse sits at the end of the harbor's entrance.
Besides walking the beachfront and meandering through the maze of caruggi, there is plenty to do and see in Camogli:
Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta - The town's church while looking quite plain on the outside has a very decorative baroque interior.
Museo Marinaro - To learn about Camogli's seafaring history, visit the Marinaro Museum.
Hike – There are four hikes you can do, ranging in time from 30 minutes to about 4 hours. (I would strongly advise against attempting any of these hikes during a July heat wave with temperatures of 40°C, 80% humidity and only a half liter bottle of water with you.)
A 30-minute hike to San Rocco – An uphill climb from Camogli takes you to the pretty church, San Rocco. The views of Camogli are also gorgeous.
An hour-hike to Punta Chiappa – Point Chiappa lies at the end of Camogli’s arched coastline. It’s reachable only by foot or boat and is an idyllic place to swim.
3 hour hike to San Fruttuoso – A rigorous hike from Camogli, San Fruttuoso is both an abbey and the name of the village that lies in an indentation of land in the Portofino Promontory.
4 hour hike to Portofino – For those who love activity, take the long hike, with a steep incline from San Fruttuoso, to Portofino.
Take a Ferry – You can actually avoid any physical activity and ride in one of the ferries. Golfo Paradiso Ferries will take you to each of the locations mentioned above.
Beach Activities – Soak up the sun on a lettino (sun bed) rent a kayak or paddleboat (definitely my favorite activity while in Liguria).
Foodie Finds in Camogli:
Outdoor Food Market – Market day is every Wednesday from 8am – 1pm along Via della Repubblica.
Camogliesi and Focaccia – You can find tasty versions of these local specialties at Pasticceria e Focacceria Revello along the beachfront on Via Garibaldi. They claim to have been the first to make the town's sweet treats, camogliesi, a rich pastry made with chocolate and rum flavored cream.
Festivals in Camogli:
Sagra del Pesce – A huge street festival and fish fry to pay homage to Saint Fortunato who looked over the fishermen as they headed out to sea after World War II. A huge frying pan is set along the harbor, and fish is fried and distributed, free of charge, to those attending. It’s held on the second Sunday of May.
Stella Maris – A more serious and religious festival held on the first Sunday in August. Garland clad boats, canoes, rafts, and any other kind of floating device head out to Punta Chiappa for a special mass. At night the town lights are dimmed and lights are sent out to see, either from a small boat or with candles set inside paper cups. Each light represents a sailor's soul.
Innamorati a Camogli - The Saint Valentine's Day celebration starts the week leading up to St. Valentine's Day. During the week, Camogli is entirely dedicated to lovers. Hearts are strung everywhere, even on fishing nets. The weekly Wednesday market's theme is love. There are poetry and art competitions dedicated to love. The winning artist will have his/her painting cast onto the next year's commemorative plate, which some restaurants give to lovers celebrating St. Valentines in Camogli. "Ahhhh, how sweet," you're probably saying fecetiously. (But, being such a dreamy town, this is a perfect place to celebrate being in love.)
Getting There and Useful Websites:
If you’re coming from the north, it’s a 30-minute train ride from Genova’s P. Principe station, from Milan, about 2 ½ hours. Coming from the south, it’s a 1-hour train ride from La Spezia. Italy’s rail system website
Camogli Tourist Board (Its physical location is across from the train station on Via della Repubblica.)
Trofie al Pesto is probably the most famous of dishes from Liguria. The dense green pesto wraps itself around each turn of the trofie, and in each strip of pasta there is a taste of Liguria.There are only seven ingredients in the pesto sauce; basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, two types of cheese, pine nuts, and salt.
The official recipe for Pesto Genovese makes it clear that not any ingredient will do. The ingredient list calls for very specific types of ingredients and those of the highest quality. The basil must be basilico Genovese, of course, and it states that the basil should also be young and fresh (giovane e fresco).The olive oil should be extra-virgin, from Liguria and not be too strong. The garlic should be sweet and of the best quality. The Parmigiano Reggiano must be DOP grade and the Pecorino can only come from one of four regions; Rome, Tuscany, Sardegna or Sicily.If your pesto doesn’t meet the list of requirements, you cannot call it Pesto Genovese.
The directions for preparing the pesto, at times reads more like the Kama Sutra.They begin by stating, “To make real Pesto Genovese you need a marble mortar, a wood pestle and a lot of work and patience.”The directions continue on like this: Add a little of the salt and a little of the basil leaves, don't add either all at once. With a gentle and prolonged movement rotate the pestle against the mortar to slowly coax the flavor from the leaves.Your movements should not be too harsh or too slow.Too harsh and you risk bruising the leaves and making them bitter, too slow and you risk oxidation. (I had to double check that I was actually reading a cooking recipe and not something else.) The official recipe allows for making pesto in a food processor, but warns that it won’t be as good (nor as fun).Along with an official recipe, there is also a Pesto Genovese Consortium, and a bi-yearly Pesto Championship. Ligurians take their pesto seriously.
You might be inclined to think that with all these rules and regulations, all the pesto in Liguria is about the same.Hardly.Each home, trattoria and restaurant has its own uniquely flavored and textured pesto.(I guess it’s all in the wrist motion of the maker.) Some are good, while some sauces are thin, watery even, and lacking much basil flavor.Others are thick, chewy and an overdose of basil.For me a perfect pesto keeps basil as the star but brings all the other ingredients together in a way that creates a balance of density and creaminess.
One of my favortie pesto sauces comes from Ristorante Pizzeria Vulnetia in Vernazza (the Cinque Terre). Vulnetia, with its small cluster of umbrellas, hides in the corner of Piazza Marconi, the piazza on the marina. It can easily get lost amongst the bigger umbrellas of the other guide-book listed trattorie in the piazza, but it's definitely worth a visit.
Most people would say they worked up their appetite in the Cinque Terre by hiking the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Path) that links the five towns of the Cinque Terre together. The hike is something one should do in a lifetime; however, I would suggest pacing yourself as the total hike is about 5 1/2 hours. The walk from Monterosso to Vernazza is about a 1 ½ hour hike with a steep incline. The views of the towns as you walk down into them will take your heaving breath away.
Since I’ve done the hike a few times, I decided instead to work up my appetite by laying under one of the colorful umbrellas along Monterosso's beach, swimming a few laps, and watching men in speedos walk by (yet another reason why I love Italy).
For dinner, I decided to stay in Monterosso. Seafood (frutti di mare) and Risotto make one of the most beautiful combinations. The rice, while not as creamy as other risotto dishes, is full of the flavors of the sea. The only problem is that you need a minimum of two people to order it. You'll usually see the dish on the menu as Risotto alle Due. I was dining solo but REALLY wanted seafood risotto. I asked the waiter if I could order it only for myself. He said YES! I was so excited, that I picked the first “risotto alle due” on the menu without looking to see that it was risotto al nero di seppierisotto ai frutti di mare instead of . Those of you that read my post on Nero di Seppie from Venice know that it’s a dish I had only planned on trying once. Risotto ai frutti di mare, on the other hand, is quite possibly my all-time favorite dish in Italy. My disappointment when I saw the dish of black rice the waiter set in front of me was worse than that of a child whose sand castle was just demolished by a wave. But, what could I do? I didn't want to say, "Oh, I made a mistake and meant to order the second risotto alle due on the menu" (called risotto alla marinara, NOT this black plate you've specially prepared for me (called risotto Lampara on the menu) So, I ate some, and some more, and some more. After my third serving, I picked the rest of the calamari out of the risotto because I was just too stuffed to finish the whole bowl.
Chef Ciak runs things from his long narrow kitchen at the back of the dining area. One side of the kitchen has all the seafood used in the dishes on ice and ready to go. The other side has stoves ablaze as “Ciak” moves swiftly from one dish to the other preparing each dish looking up only to call for a pick up. The waiters call out the orders and when Chef Ciak's finished he calls back to them to pick it up. If waiters don't pick up the order quickly enough, a louder shout comes from the kitchen.
I’ve been to Ristorante Ciak, also called La Lampara, many times before and every dish I’ve had there is delicious, but the Risotto ai frutti di mare is still my favorite. Other dishes I’ve had that are good are the spaghetti allo scoglio and spaghetti al pesto. The antipasto selection also looks good, and is on the list to try on my next visit.
Besides the delicious meal, another good thing about staying in Monterosso for dinner was the view of the beach under the moonlight.
After working for most of June in France (a subject of several posts to come), I’m spending July in Italy. The plan was to spend 5 days in Milan. Milan was hotter than Hades, humid and smoggier than Los Angeles on a bad day. I’d try to put makeup on but was sweating it off before I even finished putting it on. After the third day of this heat and the inability to wear makeup, I chucked all my plans and got on a morning train to the Cinque Terre.
I had no reservation for a hotel or room, but I desperately needed fresh air and the sea. I called a number I had for the affitacamera (room for rent) I rented last year. They didn’t have a room but gave me a number of a friend. The friend only had an apartment. We were disconnected before I could ask what was certain to be an outrageous price. When I called back, they just told me to meet them at the COOP when I got into town. At the COOP, I was greeted by Gemmina and his “friend” who had a room available. The friend, Ilario, tossed my 50 pound suitcase, which I not-so-fondly call la bestia viola (purple beast), over his shoulder and led me to my room. Yes, I know how lucky I am--a room at the last minute, for a great price, on Sunday in the Cinque Terre AND someone to carry my over-packed suitcase up the 60 or so steps!
Two of the top reasons why I love Italy are the sea and its seafood, so my first meal in the Cinque Terre was something from the sea, Spaghetti allo Scoglio (spaghetti with crustaceans). Scoglio in Italian literally means rock, or the seashore bluffs, on or near which the crustaceans live. The dish included mussels, clams, and shrimp. The sauce’s main flavor comes from the juices that the mussels, clams and shrimp release as they cook. Olive oil, a little pinch of hot peppers (pepperoncini), and parsley finish the sauce, maybe one tomato and white wine are in the sauce, too. I had this at the Taverna del Capitano on the Marina in Vernazza. I think those yellow umbrellas to the left of the photo are from del Capitano.
While traveling through Italy, internet access isn‘t easily available, so I will keep posts short--sometimes sweet and sometimes savory--and as frequent as possible. They’ll include the regional or local dish from wherever I am in Italy and a little “dish“ on my travels.
I love Vernazza, it’s a long row of multicolored houses, with only one main street that leads from the train station straight to the cove that makes up the harbor and its rocky beach. Monterosso with its turquoise sea and umbrella-lined pebble beach is where I‘ll be tomorrow, either swimming or laying on my lettino (sun bed). I think I’ve been coming to the Cinque Terre every year for far too long because the restaurateurs recognize me. A sure sign (sigh) that it's about time I ventured out a bit. After my 4 days here, I’ll see if I can find another Ligurian town as charming as the Cinque Terre. That's gonna be a hard task, but we'll see what I can find.
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What are your top reasons for loving Italy? What is your favorite beach in Italy?
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