Now that I've struggled my way past another birthday -- no, I admit nothing, beyond agreeing that I'm over 30 -- the next major event in my life will be a trip in May to the Ligurian coast and the Cinque Terre. Another try at the trip I had worked out in such careful detail for the same month of 2020, only to have it all fall to pieces because of the onset of the Covid pandemic.
In 2020, I was to be joined by about thirty friends and relatives, in celebration of an important birthday (haha, yes, later than my 25th); but now, three years later, I'll be traveling on my own. But my activities, aside from the absence of huge gatherings at mealtimes, will be much the same.
I'll fly to Rome, where I'll spend two nights adjusting to the nine-hour time difference, and re-exploring old Roman haunts. Then by train to Levanto, where I've booked a room in a small hotel for six nights. Levanto is just north of the five villages of the Cinque Terre, all of which are connected by frequent trains. My original plan was to spend each of the full five days I had at my disposal exploring one of those towns, taking them in order from north to south, and hiking to each day's town from the town I had visited the day before.
The first village, Monterossa, is connected to Levanto by a five mile trail, back from the sea, and passing through the hills behind the two villages. I still plan to do that hike. Beyond Monterossa, the five towns are connected by a path that follows the cliffs above the sea and the five coastal towns.
The trail from Monterossa to Vernazza, requires a steep climb, and then a careful following of the trail along the edge of the cliff until the descent into Vernazza. The trail is about two and a half miles long.
Corniglia is the only one of the five Cinque Terre that has no beach. It is set high on a headland, with sheer cliffs down to the sea on three sides. The trail will be steep in places, and about two and a half miles long.
The traditional coastal route between Cornigia and Manarola unfortunately has been closed for several years because of landslides. However, there is an upland route, about five miles in length, back into the hills through the hill village of Volastra, which I intend to follow.
The cliffside trail from Manarola to Riomaggiore, reputedly the most popular trail in the Cinque Terre, has also been closed by a landslide for some time. It's scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2024, which won't help me. But there is a parallel, upland route -- scenic, steep, but only a bit over a mile long which I'll attempt to follow.
Besides these popular coastal trails, there are a great many other trails from each of the five towns back into the hills behind them. Depending on my evaluation of the situation when I arrive, I may well plan to substiute one or more of these alternative hiking options for one or more of those I originally planned to follow.
After my six nights in Levanto, I'll take the train to Florence -- my first contact with Europe, at the tender age of 21 -- and spend three nights in the central area. I'll definitely re-explore some of my favorite parts of Florence, and may well also visit a nearby Tuscan town or two. Our university group made day visits to a number of Tuscan towns while I was studying at Florence, and, in later years, I've also stayed overnight with family members in Lucca and Siena. There remain many others I'd like to visit, if possible, however, such as Prato and Pistoia.
After Florence, I'll return to Rome by train, spend one final night, soaking up the Italian ambiance, and then fly home the next morning.
You'll be hearing more about my adventures or (?) mishaps!
No comments:
Post a Comment