luna di miele part IV

We spent the last leg of our trip in the Cinque Terre - the Italian Riviera. We headed toward the coast in the Fiat and the hills only got worse. We learned from Steves that the best thing to do is leave your car in La Spezia (a larger city directly south of the Cinque Terre) and take the train as the roads down to the Cinque Terre towns are dangerous. Best advice we took the entire trip. A ten minute walk, a prayer that Fiat would be there when we returned, and less than 30 minutes later we arrived in the 4th out of 5 towns that make up the Cinque - Vernazza. All I have left to say is...birthplace of pesto :). yum.

I sported my 1990s ray-ban for our trip along the mediterranean

a view of vernazza - the only town of the cinque terre with a natural harbor

we stayed at a pension on the cliff about 200 stairs up from the town's center

we had a beautiful modern and clean room

outside our building

off to explore...

david wanted to document our climb to and from our room

this was a perfect end to our honeymoon - relaxation. the beach town was bustling with tourists stopping in for the day but the evening were the best as it was just us and the locals.

we ate at al castello the first night overlooking the water

we had heard their pesto lasagna was good and it did not disappoint

my husband had the frutti de mare

we stayed in the building directly below the tower of the castle (top left)

chin chin!

ristorante al castello is the very top portico you see

I spotted the motherload of hydrangeas!

each morning we walked up to il parata delle cinque terre and had some traditional italian breakfast - fresh berry ganite that was so refreshing...and a nutella pastry!

the best way to get from town to town in the cinque is by ferry or train...so we took the ferry to the southernmost town of riomaggiore

view of corniglia

for daddy...look at that train bridge!

manarola

riomaggiore

each town is also connected by trails up the mountain side and many hikers frequent this area. we strolled along the via dell'amore - pathway of love. it's a 20 minute easy walk high above the water from riomaggiore to manarola.

travelers and locals attach all kinds of lock along this path hoping their love will last forever - there are thousands of them

on our last night in vernazza we dined at the hotels restaurant along the harbor. again, I had pesto on trofie - their local homemade pasta.

another great house wine

a magnolia tree spotted!

I love him!! he planned the most wonderful honeymoon surprise ever - thank you!

that night all of the locals came out as they cleared the small beach area for a town soccer game

the next morning we took the train back to la spezia and were so happy that fiat was still there waiting on us. we headed 5 hours south along the coast back to rome for our final night before flying back to the states. we stopped, for a lack of better words, at a truck stop known as autogrill. I know what you're thinking...but think more gourmet. after all, it was a steves's recommendation!

nothing like tomatoes, buffalo mozz and bread

we actually stayed at a hotel near the airport in fiumicino but took the train from the airport to roma for one last roman holiday. we went back to dar poeta one last time for the best pizza in italy. then, we walked toward the pantheon and had one, maybe two, rounds of gelato at our favorite place san crispino.

you can hardly tell but this is us in front of the pantheon

The next morning we woke up very early to catch our flight back to Atlanta via Toronto. It was a long day plus of traveling. We were happy to be back in the states but longed for our "other life" back in Italy. I loved spending two weeks with my new husband and very little access to technology. It was just what we needed before starting the whirlwind in our lives that has been the last month. Finally, after one month the honeymoon blogs are DONE!! I have been just a little busy lately. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our luna di miele. Now I have so much to catch you up on.

ciao!