Italy: Cinque Terre Part 3

Hello again, I hope you enjoyed Cinque Terre Parts 1 and 2. Today I will tell you a little about the actual walk I did. 

There are a number of walks in the National Park, varying in intensity and length, including a coastal walk which is the one I did. As I mentioned a few days ago, two sections of the coastal walk are closed. At the time (July 2014) you could start the walk from Monterosso or Corniglia; I started in the latter as it's easier. 

Firstly I had to tackle the many, many steps that bring you up to the village of Corniglia. I had a little look around Corniglia, which is lovely. Outside the village you must show, or buy, a ticket at the checkpoint. The inland walks are free of charge but the coastal walk is not. 

The terrain varied greatly, at times smooth and easy and at other times, rocky and uneven. There were steep parts, upward and downward. On the upward steep parts, I had to stop and rest regularly as it definitely got my blood flowing!  My 2 litre bottle of water was not long gettting lighter.  The views were worth it though - looking back at the higgledypiggledy, colourful village behind and out over the Ligurian Sea. 

When I reached Vernazza I had a little break: a wander around and some food. Vernazza is so different from the other villages; each has their own charm and uniqueness. To me it seems the most spirited village as it had to overcome a horrific flood in 2011. I refilled my bottle at a fountain and set off for Monterosso. 

Monterosso is probably my least favourite of the five as it is so touristy and for me it lacks the character the other four have. As I descended the steep stony steps, people were coming against me with a tough, uphill challenge ahead of them. I was happy with the direction I'd opted for. 

Having arrived in the most northerly village of the Cinque Terre, I rested on the beach - the sound of the sea, the birds and Italian families. I had completed the long-awaited walk and it felt great. 

Italy: Cinque Terre Part 2

I hope you enjoyed reading Part 1 of my Cinque Terre post. 

So with Cinque Terre ticket in hand, I boarded the train in search of accommodation. I love to travel on a budget so I was in search of a hostel. I had not booked one as I like to wing it and so the search began. I had stayed in a lovely hostel in Manarola two years previously so I went straight there. When I say straight there I mean I got the train there and proceeded to walk the very steep hill to the place only to be told they were fully booked. At this stage I was hot, sweaty and turning a funny shade. 

I decided to connect to the free Wifi (thanks to the Cinque Terre ticket) at the bottom of the hill to retrieve other hostel options. Next stop, Corniglia. When alighting the train in Corniglia my memory started to jog, Corniglia was not easy to get to. About ten minutes of stair climbing separates you from the village. It is definitely challenging in the mid summer heat. So up I went, located the hostel at the top only to be told 'No room'. 

I considered paying for a more expensive room. I considered phoning in advance of travelling to possible hostels. But then I thought, I'm not in any hurry, I'll make use of my unlimited travel pass and board the train AGAIN, this time heading to Riomaggiore. A tunnel leads you to the village and up yet another hill. The hostel was nowhere to be seen. I decided to enquire only to be told I had passed it out, at the train station. So back down the hill, negotiated with an old lady (she did not speak English at all, I spoke very little Italian) and eventually flopped down on my bed for the night. 

The next day I set out on the coastal walk. Unfortunately two sections of the walk were closed due to landslides and unsafe paths. One can start the walk in Monterosso or Corniglia. I had heard it was harder to start in Monterosso as it was steeper and that there was more uphill walking. Fear of the unknown and lack of fitness made me start in Corniglia. I was so excited and had wanted to do this for a few years so off I set. 

To read the final part of my Cinque Terre experience stay tuned!

Italy: Cinque Terre Part 1

In July I went to Italy determined to walk the Cinque Terre Trail. In all honesty it's not that difficult but bearing in mind I'm not an experienced hiker it was a big deal for me. I was really looking forward to walking it as I love walking and I love Italy expecially the Cinque Terre, which is the name given to the five villages on the northwestern(ish) coast. The whole place is so picturesque and beautiful, I love it so much; this was my second time there.

Thanks to Ryanair I flew to Pisa from Dublin and walked (yes, walked) from the airport to the only hostel in Pisa which I highly recommend, in terms of price and cleanliness. No red eye flight this time, I arrived in the evening and had a lovely wander in the warm breeze.

The next morning I got the train up the coast to La Spezia which is where you can buy tickets for and find information about Cinque Terre National Park. The Information Office can be quite hectic but manageable. From there you can reach the five villages of the Cinque Terre: Riomaggiore, Manorola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. With the rail ticket you can travel up and down the line to your heart's content, hopping on and off, visiting and revisiting each Terre. 

If you would like to hear all about the trek and my stay in the Cinque Terre stay tuned! :)

Travelling lightly!!

Last summer my friend Kate and I decided to go to Italy!! If you find travelling lightly a challenge, perhaps you might like to see how we packed.

Also I have included a minimalist way of packing for an overnight stay.