In order to enter the park for hiking between the towns, you have to purchase tickets. These will give you trail access and can be purchased at the National Park Service counter at the train station.
Tickets for two, plus one
These same tickets give you complete shuttle bus and train service between the five towns as well. Even if you don’t hike, this is probably your best travel option at 16€ per person.
We took the train from Vernazza to Riomaggiore and in order to get to the town center, you must walk through a tunnel.
Via Colombo
The main street looks similar to the other towns, perhaps with a bit more vertical pitch.
The climb up to the castle is a bit long and on a hot day can be somewhat oppressive.
You cannot miss it, there is a big clock on it!
There are benches and an overlook to the right, once you reach the top.
If you are looking for narrow stairways or alleys, there are plenty of those to explore. After our long hike and short train ride, we actually ate lunch here as well and can recommend Veciu Muin.
Vernazza is not so much about the town itself as getting there, the old fashion way, by foot! You may also choose the train, ferry or car, but you would be missing out on adventure and some great views.
Leaving Monterosso on foot, overlook
On the second day of our visit in Monterosso, our plans were to attempt the hike, approximated by the Park Service as two hours in length, to Vernazza. I had purchased the customary cheap hat for the occasion and am glad I did, for even the early mid-day sun is unrelenting here.
The trail to start with is somewhat improved on both ends, but quickly deteriorates and is at best modestly kept by the park service. The stairs are long and very steep in some sections and the trail drops off precipitously on one side in many areas. We saw many people in difficulty from time to time, so it’s best to be in at least moderate shape to attempt, as well as enjoy it.
Looking back towards Monterosso
The views once up on the cliffs are amazing.
Patti on the trailEricka on the stone bridge
There are also some surprises, including an arched bridge over a stream which affords one a photo-op.
The trail can be treacherous, but the sights extraordinary – Vernazza in the distance
The trail sign along the way is marked with white/red stripes. Follow these in either direction and you are on the coastal path! After one 1/2 liter bottle each of water, the sight and signs of Vernazza grow clearer.
Just outside VernazzaTrail signs, they are there, pay attention
After descending the requisite number of steps, you finally emerge into Vernazza, trail beaten, but there!
Patti and Erick in VernazzaEricka and Erick, we made it
The town itself is very small but the swimming looks great. The water is crystal clear though the beach somewhat wanting for real sand as in Monterosso.
Vernazza beach and tower
One of the more expansive views you will get in this town, is by the beach.
Another quiet side street
The town itself is an inter-connected series of narrow alleys with one main street; where all the shops and cafes are.
The side streets are quiet; the main street mayhem
An interesting little town, but probably better to visit during the Winter months, since during our time here, it appeared overwhelmed; at least on the main street by tourism.
Our visit to the Cinque Terre starts with Monterosso, our home base for this adventure in food, wine, hiking and sightseeing.
We arrived here via the Inter-city train from Turin, our home town. A leisurely ride of about two hours, which to us is much better than driving and stress-free. Our hotel is the 3 star Hotel Margherita, which provides spartan, clean and adequate accomodations in the heart of town, with breakfast included, for more than a fair price (it’s also air-conditioned).
The seaside is amazing and provides both free public beach and paid accomodations and access for those willing to pay more; including cafe delivery to your chair. Even though a tourist destination itself, it’s big enough to more than handle the influx of tourists, one of the main reasons we chose it.
The town of course is very colorful and will remind some of the brightly painted styles of Bermuda and the Caribbean. The town also grows flowers everywhere!
You are free to wander about as you like, there are few impediments. However, if you venture too far, as in the other towns of Cinque Terre, you will run out of real estate quickly or face a stair climb that leads you nowhere.
Be ready to climb stairs, everywhere
It is all worth it though for the great views and fabulous Italian cuisine, especially the seafood. As one can imagine being next to the sea, octopus and shrimp, as well as daily fish is on every menu. There are of course the regional favorites and pasta is always on the menu. For wine, there are many local favorites, including one from Cinque Terre itself, which was served at the bar of our hotel for 5€ a glass and is very good. One can always find other great wines, including Amarones. So wine with dinner is always no problem.
Cinque Terre – Monterosso
The above is the town from the start of the Nature Preserve hiking trail to Vernazza. More on hiking and the other towns in this pentagonous coastal favorite later…
Traveling through Italy, especially along the coasts and especially during the Summer months, one usually expects a throng of tourists where ever one goes. We had just such an expectation when we arrived in Sestri Levante, a quaint little town just south of Chiavari.
Sestri Levante – Beach to the North
We were however pleasantly surprised to the contrary. Yes there are tourists, including ourselves and others from Europe. However the bulk of tourists here appear to be Italian. So this may be one of their secrets.
Vittorio Veneto – Colorful BuildingVittorio Veneto – Laid-back Street Life
The town itself has an obvious appeal, though not very big it is very colorful and seems to have all the amenities.
Looking NorthLooking EastLooking South
The beach is without a doubt very rocky in places, but the town and hotels take care to rake them to make your visit more enjoyable.
Public Beach – Colorful Umbrellas
Finding places to eat is also not a problem. There are very good restaurants at the two four star hotels near the beach, as well as Osterias, Caffes and Pizzerias on many of the small side streets.
Via Penisola LevanteVia Giuseppe Garibaldi
We enjoyed our three days here relaxing on the beach and uncrowded surf. Definitely high on our list for a return trip.
After reading several reviews and actually knowing someone in the states that has the last name Rivoli, my wife and I decided on a road trip today to that namesake.
Entering Rivoli
From Turin‘s Porta Nuova (Turin‘s main train station) we traveled using Trenitalia‘s service to Susa (not to be confused with Porta Susa in Turin), getting off at Alpignano. Then after going under the railroad tracks using the tunnel, since we were disembarked on track 2, we took the GTT 1432 bus from Piazza Tulio Robotti for eight to ten minutes to Rivoli at Fermata 13264 on via Don Murialdo.
The narrow streets of Rivoli
Once you step off the bus and find your bearings you begin to realize that you need to ascend a hill, your ultimate destination being the old Savoia Castel and new Museum of Contemporary Art. Passing many shops and colorful buildings, some needing ownerships, others busy with activity, you slowing ascend the via Fratelli Piol, or main street.
The city itself is actually very well-kept, like other Piedmontese, they obviously have some pride in keeping their community clean. I admit it must be a struggle for them as well as other communities, from what we’ve seen, but this seems not to deter them. The Europeans as a whole still seem to feel they have a right to just pollute and it will not affect them (I will write another article, specific to Turin, on this later), even though they vote and their government seems to do otherwise.
Chiese Santa Croce
After some walking, browsing and curious on looking into shop windows, one will arrive at a fork in the road and clearly see the Church of Santa Croce. A cinnamon and stout marvel of Christianity. With a mural of Christ with his cross above the large wooden doors, but no longer owned by the Catholic Church, but rather the Res Publica – Galleria d’Arte Democratica for art exhibitions and shows.
The Old Grande Ristorante del Castello
Upon reaching the top of the hill you arrive at the old castle, or the Castello di Rivoli. Built by the Savoia and houses the Museum of Contemporary Art it is well worth the travel and the climb.
It commands an amazing view of the surrounding area as well as Turin and other parts of Rivoli itself.
A view of Turin afar, as viewed on a smoggy day from the Castle
When one faces the East North East one also enjoys an amazing view of the Alps too!
A semi-clear view of the Alps, yes they are close here
I will admit the day was somewhat warm and humid.
Another view with Chiesa Collegiata di Santa Maria della Stella
However, compared to North Carolina standards, at fifty percent humidity, it was not totally intolerable. We would therefore call this a warm day, though uncomfortable. Some other sites on our descent included the following.
It was time to eat, being both hungry and a bit dehydrated from the climb, we searched for a place that served both simple but filling fare. We found the Caffé Roxy where we were able to order what we call in the States, flat breads with salami, drinks (both wine and water) as well as dessert, caffe and aperitif, all for 24€. Not a bad deal and the service was excellent as well!
Caffé Roxy on the way up to the castle
After a full stomach and enough shopping we had had our fill of Rivoli and it was time to leave. This is where we caution everyone about the deplorable state of some of the fermatas or bus stops in Italy, you just cannot read some of them or they are CLEARLY WRONG. Pay attention to the numbers that are marked on them. The information that your internet application has is probably correct. Also, do NOT have an expectation of bus color or that you will see a bus number when it approaches, ALWAYS ASK THE DRIVER, especially when you are in an out-of-the-way place. It will make your life so much easier, though a bit uncomfortable (since you will have to use your limited Italian.)
Tickets for Two
After crossing Corso Francia multiple times between Fermata 2794 and 2823and feeling like fools, we finally caught the bus we wanted for Alpignano, albeit on the wrong side of that street.
We finally arrived at the station with plenty of time to spare, stamped our tickets, and waited for our train, which of course was five minutes late – but, it did arrive! Buona giornata!
Occasionally, you come across a restaurant, caffe or bar which just hits all the buttons correctly. For us this occurred last evening at Caffe Vini Emilio Ranzini.
I don’t want to call this place a hole in the wall, but that is the first impression a foreigner, an American, will have. All in all it might measure twenty by thirty feet inside, sixty or seventy square feet maximum, including the bar. But, the food is unmatched by other restaurants much larger in size. So, either there is a huge kitchen somewhere we could not see, or the chef is a magician.
To be honest, there is an outdoor patio in the back where they are able to seat perhaps another forty or so guests. We were fortunate this evening to get our own table inside next to the door and near the bar, to watch all the comings and goings (people watching is an acceptable hobby in Italy.)
A Piola Menu
As can be seen by the rather large display above, the menu is displayed on the wall. This is typical for a Piola, a Torinese-style restaurant that has daily offers of food at reasonable prices (or in Italian, a termine piemontese dal significato di osteria, bar).
Tagliere of Salumi and Formaggi, along with other great stuff to eat
For our dinner we selected the Salami and Cheese plate for two. To accompany this, we also ordered the vinegar roasted zucchini squash, roasted peppers and Polpette di Carni (or hot meatballs).
The meat tasted as one would expect, a nice selection of salami and prosciutto. The cheese selection was very good, especially the blue cheese which reminded us of a Stilton and the other whiter cheese above which reminded us of a sharp white cheddar.
Nizza, San Luigi, 2015 – DOCG
The meatballs and zucchini were to die for. It was actually difficult to tell what kind of meat, were in the meatballs (and frankly we were afraid to ask since horsemeat is an acceptable meat in Italy.) But, the spices and the particular way in which they were cooked (it looked like deep-frying but not sure it was), was very tasty. The squash on the other hand was served cold, but the vinegar gave it such a pop in your mouth, you wanted to order more.
The Wine
This specific place also sports a rather nice wine list. Since we were looking for something red to pair with the meatballs, salami and cheese, we went with a nice Barbera. The Nizza from San Luigi, 2015 was an excellent choice. Dry and aromatic with fruity overtones of cherry, it combined very nicely with our meal. A wine which is sure on my short list of choices when I visit my local wine store in the future!
Erick relaxing prior to eating
Patti enjoying the wine
In Conclusion
Though it was our evening out to celebrate our 37th anniversary, we had expected to spend a bit more. So, when the bill came and it came to a total of 37€, we were delightfully surprised. Not only because we thought it so inexpensive, but that we got such good food and atmosphere at such an affordable and reasonable price.
The bar at Caffe Vivi Emilio Ranzini
We are sure the menu changes often, weekly at least, perhaps even daily. Our plans are to go back for lunch. One word of caution. They do have Summer hours (9:30-2:30, 5:30-8:30) starting in June, which are reduced from the hours posted on Google. However, we would recommend this place for either lunch or dinner and it’s just two blocks off of via Garibaldi!
For the next few months, the Museum Reali here in Turin is sponsoring an exhibit of some of Leonardo da Vinci’s works. So my wife and I thought it would be a great opportunity to see the originals of his work for which up to now we have only been fortunate enough to see in books.
The tickets are actually purchased at the ticket office, for which there are plenty of signs to point you in the correct direction (you shouldn’t get lost.) The entrance fee is a bit high, 15€/person, but we thought it is Leonardo and his works usually do not disappoint. So we purchased our tickets and headed to the museum.
One word of caution, though it is advertised that there are some fifty plus works in the collection, they are not all produced by Leonardo. Some are only attributed to him through his working with colleagues and apprentices. So one must pay attention to the note cards for each piece or, if you have paid for it, the audio headset (we no longer get these since we have always found them not to work very well.)
Dioramas and Models
The collection boasts of a few models and dioramas which the visitor can enjoy. Though not directly built by Leonardo, they are from designs that he had put forth in his many notebooks and journals.
Allesandro Siriati’s – Scythed Chariot, 1956
Anatomical Studies and Drawings
Most the of original Leonardo works have to do with his studies of human and animal forms. He was particularly adept at musculature and studies of the face.
Hercules with the Nemean Lion, 1505-08
According to the museum, the above drawing was probably an initial sketch for a proposed statue that never was made. It was apparently destined to stand next to his statue of David in Florence once it was completed.
da Vinci – Male head in profile with a Laurel, 1506-11
There are several sketches and drawings of the human head. Some, like the above, just to capture the heroic nature of some of his models. Others for more exact studies into the human proportions of the face and all of its parts.
da Vinci – Studies of the Proportions of the Face and of the Eye, 1489-90
The one on the left above was a study in the proportions of the eye. This was subsequently glued onto another sheet to join it to his study of the proportions of the overall face. Both show Leonardo‘s interest in the mathematical proportions of his subjects and how they were involved with one’s ability to see, providing us evidence of his overall curiosity of the human condition.
da Vinci – Self Portrait, 1517-18
The portrait to the left is described by the museum as being a self-portrait of the master himself. Though an obviously brilliant work with its economy of lines, etc., it does evoke a sense of wonder as to whether he could have achieved such details from himself, given the deplorable state of mirror technology at that time. It is also very possible that it is either his idealistic image of himself or perhaps more likely of a philosopher of old. In either case it has become our accepted representation of the master who has earned the right to be so represented by his enormous collection of works and detailed analysis of everything he had undertaken.
Poetry and Literary Works
Though actually not known for it, Leonardo did some writing. The museum has several examples of his poetry on display.
Autographed Sonnet with Self Portrait while Frescoing the Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, 1508-12
The most notable of which is the self-portrait above. The sonnet describes Leonardo‘s “Beard in the Sky” position while painting the Sistine Chapel.
Flight and More Familiar Works
Mechanics seemed to have been one of Leonardo‘s passions. Most of use are somewhat acquainted with his works on the subjects. Even the Wright Brothers read his works on the subjects as an introduction to flight mechanics.
da Vinci – Codex Atlanticus, 1493-94
In the above codex Leonardo explored the mechanics and structure of the bird wing. He was very interested in how this could be expressed mechanically with the use of wood and rope. The above design is also articulated in a model which hangs very near the above sketch.
da Vinci – Codex on the Flight of Birds, 1505
Finally his Codex on the Flight of Birds goes into great detail. There are some eighteen or so pages of documentation around this subject for which he had hope to pull together into a book on the subject, but never completed it.
Conclusion
An excellent primer on Leonardo‘s studies, as well as his excellent ability for detailing with pen and ink. There is also a short video on how the writing instruments and inks were developed in that time period which we found very informative.
Though a bit expensive, if you are at all curious and can afford it we think it worth the time and expense.
Upon arrival and leaving the local train station a map of Asti, strategically located for those visiting the tiny city, greets all. It is actually quite informative and gives anyone a good overview of the local points of interest. However in order to have seen the map above one probably also missed the pedestrian tunnel to cross the busy intersection to town from the train station, we did!
Piazza Statuto
If you bear to the left after the traffic circle and upon entering the town one of the first sites and piazzas, like any other typical Italian town, is the Piazza Statuto. A quaint little piazza in what I would call a lazy and relaxing little town.
Piazza San Secondo – left view
Piazza San Secondo by contrast is a much larger piazza and is ringed with some shopping, if you are inclined to do any shopping while here. In the background popping up over the rooftops one can also see the top of the Torre Troyana.
Piazza San Secondo – right view
Of course the dominant building in this piazza is a catholic church for which the piazza is named after, the church San Secondo. A short walk down the small street directly across from the piazza takes you to the Torre Troyana.
Piazza Medici and the Troyan Clock Tower
The Piazza Medici Asti has the historical Torre Troyana o dell’Orologio. Originally started in the 12th century it was eventually bought by the Troya family and finished. Later the municipality of Asti purchased the tower and annexed it to the neighboring government building. As some point a clock was added, probably inside since I saw no evidence of one on the exterior of the building.
via Pelletta, looking toward the San Secondo church
If you are ever traveling in Italy and are tired of all the crowds of tourists, Asti should be one of your stops. Not that I like to encourage tourism, but if you are looking for a lazy day of strolling around unaffected by the hordes of international travelers this could be a good one day stop for you too. As can be seen by the photograph above the town’s side streets offer a relaxing substitute from some of the busier places around Italy.
Restaurant Le Teste di Rapa
Lunch in Asti offers many possibilities, from regional pizza and focaccia to enoteca and restaurant fusions offering great wines and food. After reading several menus on the street and walking around a bit, we decided on Le Teste di Rapa.
This restaurant offers no outside seating but is rather large inside and has both a downstairs and an upstairs. It also draws a very large local lunch crowd, so it is probably best to get there a bit early, between 12 to 12:30, especially if you have a train to catch or other time constraint. The locals seem to show up around one o’clock and for what we saw pack the place in pretty well.
Bertolino – a great Barbera d’Asti Superiore
The regional wines are the best to try and there is a wide selection. Though Asti is known for Asti Spumante, there are also other great varietals if you are not up for something bubbly. One of which are the Barberas. They go very well with rich food, in my case a dish of Italian meatballs and in Patti’s the daily special of eggplant parmesan. Both dishes were excellent and served with a fresh local white bread.
Patti outside the restaurant
The Palio di Asti
Once we left the restaurant we had another fifty minutes or so to spend and decided we had time to stroll over to see if there was anything interesting around Asti’sPalio (the less well-known cousin of the one in Siena.)
The Palio here is of course a ringed street, that is it goes around in a complete loop, an essential requirement if you are having any kind of race. Though less well-known, Asti’s horse race also goes way back to the thirteen century. A main difference one can see between this venue and the one in Siena is the Asti version has a central piazza encircled by a walkway and a double row of trees. During most of the year this piazza apparently supports a small outside market. Nowhere as busy or large as the one in Turin, but offering the same kind of goods one expects to find at such a market with very reasonable prices as well.
Asti Train Station – Back to Turin
We finally made it back at the train station, taking the pedestrian tunnel this time, around twenty minutes to three.
Asti train station and platforms
The trip between Asti and Turin P.N. (Porta Nuova) is just over thirty minutes with only one stop in between just outside of Turin. Otherwise the trip is totally second class at €5.25 one way per person, so do not expect to be able to purchase a first class ticket. But seats are comfortable and plentiful in both directions. The views outside the train are a bit better than traveling toward Milan and points East.
Poppies and the bucolic Italian countryside
In any case a very relaxing and lazy day for an excursion to Asti and one destination worth the visit if you have the time, if only for the food and wine! ???? Ciao for now.
Tired of waiting for the rain to come, Patti and I on Sunday decided to take a walk anyway, our umbrellas in tow just in case. Initially we thought we would just walk across the river Po again, in the opposite direction this time, to enjoy the Spring weather. It’s been raining here so often one has to get out when one can and enjoy it.
Patti starting our ascent to the Monte dei Capuccini
Our first thoughts were just a short walk to the Piazza Vittorio Veneto, across the Vittorio Emanuele bridge, stroll along the other bank for a bit and then cross again using the Umberto bridge below our street and back to our apartment. However, upon reaching the other side, we noticed the entrance to what we thought was a park at first just across the street from where we were walking. We quickly realized it was the entrance to the church that sat on top of the hill and decided a detour was in order.
Monument of Maria Immacolata
The climb is at first rather gradual but then steepens towards the end, especially the last few hundred meters. Before you reach the top there is the entrance to the museum and the hilltop bar where you can buy refreshments and enjoy the overlook. Finally, when you reach the top, the monument of the Maria Immacolata greets you. She faces Turin, which allows you to take a photograph of her with the Superga juxtaposed in the back.
Turin from Monte dei Capuccini, looking West-Southwest
The overlook once you get to the top is well worth the twenty minute climb.
Turin from Monte dei Capuccini, looking West-Northwest, with the prominent Mole to the right
From this vantage point you can see most of Turin and even our street and apartment.
Our Turin
As you can see by the above photograph we are but a five minute walk from the beautiful Piazza Vittorio Veneto which is reminiscent of other more famous Italian piazzas with all of the typical restaurants, cafes and bars.
View from the Umberto bridge
We concluded our Sunday walk with crossing the Umberto bridge, which on any other day is very busy with traffic, since it feeds into very busy main street Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. For a Sunday a very uneventful, relaxing and serendipitous walk.
Today, after contemplating the weather for tomorrow and whether or not it would be any better in the next few days, Patti and I decided to take a bus and the tramway to Basilica Superga. She astutely determined we had to take the 61 Bus from Vittorio Veneto over to Sassi. So around ten after eleven in the morning we made tracks for the local fermata.
Two Tickets from Sassi-Superga to Basilica Superga
The Sassi-Superga Tramway
In Sassi we purchased tickets for the cogged railway (a.k.a. rack railroad or tramway)Superga Tramway to the Basilica Superga. The tramway runs every hour on the hour from Sassi to Superga and subsequently on the half-hour on return. Tickets are purchased at the base of the railway from a vending machine, and yes the machine has an english option and roundtrip tickets cost 6 euros.
Car D12 on the Sassi-Superga Rack railway
The ride is awesome and the gradient is pretty steep even though they use regular rail cars, unlike the ones that are built at an angle, like on funicular railcars we have been on.
My attempt at taking a selfie together (not sure what they call that) and failing…
We enjoyed the ride up and the beautiful Spring weather, temperature in the mid 60’s and the cool mountain air, yummm.
Erick enjoying his Campari Spritz after that difficult tramway ride
After disembarking the tramway it was time for a quick break right at the station. A quick salami and cheese panini and Campari Spritz to get re-energized. After the customary 15 minute wait after ordering at the bar we were able to eat. One has to remind oneself to slow down when traveling in Italy, time is not a constant on all parts of the Earth.
Basilica Superga
The basilica it situated on top of the Superga hill which is some 2200 feet above the city and therefore makes it a very prominent point of interest when looking to the north from the city.
The Basilica’s Cupola as seen from the tramway and the start of our small hike to the Basilica
After a short ten minute walk up a fairly steep hill you climb a short set of stairs and then see the Basilica all of a sudden. On a fairly clear day its structure makes it stick out of the sky.
Basilica Superga
Unfortunately, this May the Basilica was closed for renovations, so we were not able to see the actual interior. Even without a close inspection of the structure one can easily see that no one can argue with this, since there are clearly cracks and other obvious things that need repair. That required us to contribute somehow, so we decided we must visit the cupola since it was still open, regardless of cost.
Two tickets to the Basilica Superga’s Cupola, no baggage!
After the purchase of our tickets, we had to climb the 131 steps to the cupola and see the oversight of Turin.
Erick climbing the first 100 steps, the final 30 would prove to have much less room
The oversight is pretty breathtaking, unfortunately in between rainy days, we were only able to get a semi-clear view of the mountains surrounding Turin.
Looking West Northwest from the Basilica over North Turin
The River Po can be seen above at the foot of the photograph. This is the river that cuts through Turin and has its origins in the Italian Alps.
Looking West Southwest from the Basilica over Turin; one can see the Mole to the right of the River Po on the left
One can actually get an almost 360 degree view of the surrounding area from the Basilica’s vantage point.
Looking to the East Northeast over the Basilica’s Palazzo
And finally a bit to the South.
Looking to the East Southeast over the roof of the Basilica
The rooftop fully surveyed we also enjoyed our cramped but slow descent down the staircase to our exit.
Patti on her way down
After our little climb we were still a bit hungry, the panini having been made with a tortilla and not the traditional focaccia left our stomachs a bit wanting; we therefore decided to visit the Artis Opera at Superga Basilica and eat something else.
Patti at the restaurant, a very small room but comfortable
Though the room we had lunch in was very small with four tables in all; there were of course other rooms. It was very comfortable and the waiter was very attentive. I had a Insalata Mista and Patti had the Risotto Piemontese.
Erick – the railroad is in our blood. Damn can’t escape it!
Our return trip and ride down was just as enjoyable as the ride up. Springtime in Piemonte I must say is just GREAT!
So my wife and I thought it would be a great opportunity to see the originals of his work for which up to now we have only been fortunate enough to see in books.
