ITALY’S HIDDEN BEAUTIES

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*travel feature published in issue 26,  African Woman. Check the magazine online at: http://www.africanwomanmagazine.net/

Beyond the glamour of Rome, the crowds on the Adriatic Sea, and the tourist-besieged Tuscany, lies an Italy off the beaten track. The Ligurian region is the ideal destination for a romantic escape.

By Claudia Giampietri

My husband and I decide to run away from the hurly-burly of our family’s home to find refugee in the quietness and charm of Portovenere and the Cinque Terre on the Ligurian coast.  The Cinque Terre – which literally means Five Lands – are located in the north-western part of Italy, only two hours far from Milan, a fair distance which allows us to make the best of our three-day escape. 

Once left the motorway from Milan, the dark blue Mediterranean sea becomes visible on the horizon. Forest covered mountains overshadow the road which suddenly opens into a breathtaking panorama, and in the distance we can see the colourful houses of Portovenere. We reach the hotel Il Genio, a round-shaped building with bougainvilleas and ivies located in the main square which is a good starting point to explore the town. Luckily, our hotel has a car park that prevents us from paying the exorbitant prices of other parking lots. 

After the check in we put on our swimsuits and are out again. Portovenere is a small town built on a rocky strip of land partially surrounded by the sea. It is a town of fishermen and its name means Venus’ port. The name derives from a temple built on a rock overhanging the sea at the far end of the village dedicated to Venus during Roman times, and later consecrated into the beautiful gothic church of St. Peter. Venus was the Roman goddess of love, and nowadays, she is still regarded as a symbol of love, beauty, and fertility all over the world. 

Our first destination cannot but be the once upon a time Venus’ temple. Walking through the town we discover tiny alleys, passageways and endless small shops—some no larger than a closet— boutiques where you can find souvenirs, cafés and restaurants aplenty where you are served excellent local food. Each house has a distinctive colour, and buildings are rather high and compact because of the peculiarity of this region characterized by steep mountains and virtually no flat areas.  

The pedestrian alley opens into a big square with the pavement made of dark slippery stones. The church of St. Peter is right in front of us. There is a terrace on top of the church where we admire the astonishing landscape. The medieval Doria castle on our left dominates the village that offers a charming maze of buildings. The inhabited Palmaria island is just few hundred meters away from the mainland on our right, and white rugged cliffs jut out both from our left and right sides. Some brave local boys climb one of the highest peak and dare a plunge from 25 meters. Not far away, a group of people gets ready for SCUBA diving in a place known as Byron’s grotto. Apparently, the english poets Byron and Shelley found inspiration from the landscapes of this region where they both spent some years of their lives. According to the legend, the poet Byron used to swim from the grotto all the way across the gulf (known as the Poets’ Gulf) to visit his friend Shelley – or maybe Shelley`s wife, as the malicious gossip suggests.

We decide to take a dip in the Byron’s grotto where the water is transparent and the sea has all the shades of blue and green. The sun beats down mercilessly and despite the sea breeze the summer temperatures are very high.  We spend the day swimming and sunbathing, and only after being baked enough in the heat we go back to the hotel for a recovering shower. 

The smell of food coming from the restaurants whets our appetites. We dress up for dinner, picking smart cloths from our luggage. Italians are worldwide known to be very stylish and we want to fit the bill. We stroll around hunting for a restaurant, and we easily find our preferred one. Miramare is a small cozy place with a refined local cuisine based on fresh seafood. Our table is in a gorgeous open air terrace with a panoramic view on the port where luxurious yachts are moored to the pier along with small fishing boats. We dine by candlelight, and the lights from the coast brighten the dark moonless night creating a most romantic atmosphere. 

For our second day we plan to walk all the way through the five villages that constitute the Five Lands, and spend the night in Monterosso, the last village of the Five Lands’ National Park. The path starts from behind the medieval Doria castle in Portovenere and lasts for about six hours. The territory of the Five Lands, which extends for 40 km, became popular with backpackers in the 1970s and since 1997 is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We indulge in an extra croissant for breakfast, and start our adventure. Standing at the beginning of the footpath we stare in amazement at the long way up. I wonder whether we are brave or foolish, but my husband looks very excited about the prospect of a full day hiking. Soon after starting the walk, the idea of being rather foolish materialises. My heartbeats increase steadily, my cheeks are red as ripe cherries, and I am panting at every step I take. The terrain is steep and rocky, but at least the sun is hidden by veils of cloud and the breeze which comes from the sea provides temporary relief.  

Hikers often say that the efforts made to climb up are rewarded with the amazing view from the peak and, I must say, they are right. We have managed to hike the first bit and the panorama from up here is awesome. We can see Portovenere from on high, and the big yachts that were moored to the pier are now sailing along the coast beneath us looking very small from this height. The villages of the Five Lands are now visible, though there is still a long way to go. 

We pass through beautiful forests with typical Mediterranean vegetation. The terraced mountainsides have been cultivated for centuries and are used for agriculture, with olive trees and vineyards that extend all over. The first village we encounter is called Riomaggiore. Along with Monterosso, it is the only one that can be reached by car, and the easy accessibility has brought traffic which spoils its old charm. Like the other four villages, Riomaggiore clings to the cliffs of this magnificent stretch of coast. Foreign tourists are swarming into the lively cafés and shops, and children swim among the colourful fishing boats moored in rows in the small port. 

We continue to the next village walking along the so called Via dell’Amore – Lovers’ Path – which goes from Riomaggiore to Monterosso. The path is accessible until dark and it is very common to find couples who sit tight on the benches along the way, enjoying the blue and gold sunset on the sea – easy to guess why it is called Lovers’ Path. The pastel coloured houses of the next village, Manarola, are built on a steep black rock overlooking the sea. The cultivated terraces are above the village, and Manarola is known for the production of superb extra-virgin olive oil and an inebriating wine. The food sold in the shops or served in the restaurants is still produced according to ancient traditions handed down through generations. Like Manarola, the other villages of Corniglia and Vernazza are built on steep rugged strip of coast. These farming communities are the most remote of the Five Lands, and with imposing marble constructions they are arguably the most charming of the five villages.

After 7 hours of walking, we reach Moneterosso dead-tired but overwhelmed with happiness. After renting a simple en-suite room we enjoy some local food. We order farinata – a savoury pancake made with chickpeas flour and baked in a wood stove – and pasta with the pesto sauce, made of fresh basil leaves, garlic, salt, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, and the locally produced extra-virgin olive oil.

A restoring sleep prepares us for the last day that we spend lazily sunbathing on the beach. The seashore gets so crowded that people literally lay down elbow-to-elbow, and listening to the neighbours’ conversation becomes an amusing pastime.  Each and every muscle of our bodies is aching and walking back to Portovenere is simply not an option. We opt for cueing to embark on the ferry which every hour tosses dozens of tourists on the pier and picks up tens of others.

Sailing back to Portovenere is a very pleasant experience if you manage to get a seat on the deck, from where you can enjoy the panorama and are distant enough from the unlucky ones who feel seasick. In less than an hour we are back to the car and set to travel back to the hurly-burly of our family’s home. Our weekend has passed quickly, too quickly, and we wish we could have more time.

© Claudia Giampietri and Appunti. Claudia Giampietri, 2007 – 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Claudia Giampietri and Appunti. Claudia Giampietri with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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