Christmas wishes from Radicofani

Merry Christmas from Radicofani, Tuscany.

Buon Natale tutti.  

The Cinque Terre, beautiful but...

More than six months ago we visited the Cinque Terre.

We joined our friends Bruce and Therese, who were staying in Manarola, one of the five fishing villages that make up the Cinque Terre which has become one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations.  Early June was a great time to visit. The sunshine was full of spring warmth, perfect weather for walking.

Many people visit these little villages throughout the year.  Some catch the train from town to town, alighting to stroll through the quaint towns perched along the ragged cliffs, while others come to hike along the coastal track between the five villages.

Map of walking tracks on the Cinque Terre from this link.

Unfortunately when we were there, the only open section of the blue coastal track, shown on the map, was from Monterrosso to Vernazza.  It wasn't possible to complete the entire coastal walk as many of the lower paths remained closed, a consequence of the terrible floods and mudslides of October 2011.  Although the towns of Vernazza and Monterosso, which were almost destroyed by the terrible rivers of mud, have been rebuilt, a subsequent rock fall in September 2012 on the path between Manarola and Riomaggiore resulted in further delays to the re-opening of the coastal track.

The scar from one of the landslides blocking the track is still visible from Manarola.

We started our coastal walk by catching the ferry from Manarola to Monterosso.  It was a short, but lovely ferry ride.  The views of the clifftop towns from the ferry gave a different perspective of this stunning coast.  

From Monterosso, the largest of the five towns, we enjoyed walking along the coastal track to the little port of Vernazza, where we stopped for lunch.  Although the rocky path was busy with other walkers, which was a little scary as it was very narrow in parts, it was an easy and most rewarding walk as the views were constantly spectacular.

Like so many of our adventures in Northern Italy, it was difficult to take ten steps without stopping for a photo.

But the downside of these spectacular views and picturesque villages are the crowds.  

Although it wasn't summer, all the towns thronged with large tour groups throughout the day.   The popularity of the villages, and the ease of access by train, or boat, has meant that some of the charm of these once isolated fishing villages has gone.

While we enjoyed the coastal walk despite the constant flow of walkers, some of the higher paths  were more pleasant as they were quieter, although the walking was much more strenuous.  

In the evenings many of the large tour groups depart on jam-packed trains, leaving the Cinque Terre towns more pleasantly tranquil.

However, in our opinion the Cinque Terre is a little overrated.  Yes, the views are stunning but other parts of Liguria are also very beautiful.  The crowds, even during late spring, could be overwhelming. And the accommodation was expensive compared to other parts of Italy.  Our recommendation would be to stay a night or two in either Manarola or Vernazza. Enjoy whatever parts of the coastal walk are open, try one or two of the higher walks, and then explore other parts of the equally beautiful Ligurian coast around Rapallo using the excellent ferry system.  For more information about the Ligurian Coast CLICK HERE.

Where we stayed...

Before booking accommodation closely read the negative and positive reviews on sites such as Trip Advisor or Booking.com.  It is best to book early.  We didn't.  

Where we ate...

We enjoyed some delicious seafood meals which were reasonably priced, although none of the restaurants were outstanding.  For some specific suggestions about where to eat in and around Manarola, particularly if you have coeliac disease, read this excellent blogpost by our friend Therese CLICK HERE.

Prossima volta, Natale in nord Italia.  

Treviso: A little like Venice

Stephen's sister Monica, her husband Paul, and their son Xavier, visited us a couple of weeks ago.  Last year we caught a train together for a weekend in Verona, but this time they hired a car so they could see more of the countryside.  Although we couldn't join them for a whole week, we wanted to catch up for a long weekend.  Stefano asked his colleague, Elisabetta, for a recommendation.

"Treviso.  You must visit Treviso.  It's a bit like Venice as it is built along canals.  The town is small, and quiet, but very pretty," exclaimed Elisabetta.

After a three and a half hour train trip from Milan, we wheeled our bags over the small canal bridges and through the main square, which hosts the flagship store of the Benetton chain.  Weaving our way through the crowds of locals on their way to lunch we quickly agreed with Elisabetta's recommendation.  Treviso is lovely.

It is situated in the Veneto region which provided plenty of options for beautiful country drives through vineyards where they grow the famous prosecco grapes.

And, Padua was less than an hour's drive from our base in Treviso, so we also spent a day there.  

Paul guided us on a walking tour following his trusty Steinbecker guidebook.  From every angle, the famous basilica of Sant Antonio was magnificent. 

After wandering the streets we had to stop for a refreshing gelato before we drove back to Treviso.

In the evening there was no shortage of bars in Treviso where we joined the locals enjoying a glass of sparkling prosecco before dinner.

So while the neighbouring city of Venice is always in the headlines with movie star weddings, cruise ship controversies and most recently, the rumour of a new law that will ban tourists from pulling 'noisy' wheelie bags across the canal bridges, we enjoyed our weekend in a very different canal city.   Treviso is charming in its own way, but without the crowds, movie stars or strange laws.

Ci vediamo prossima volta. Forse andremo a Venezia in Gennaio.

We recommend:
Avogari BnB
A renovated BnB, close to the centre of Treviso and an easy walk from the train station.
We enjoyed the spacious, beautifully decorated renovated rooms and were made feel very welcome by the kind owners.  The home cooked fresh apple torta deserves a special mention.
Excellent value at 90 Euro per room.