(24APR23) Who would have thought that I was FINALLY able to come back to Italy?! I have never really thought of touring there again yet but thanks to my friends for bringing me along their trip! We visited the Tuscany/Liguria region which includes Pisa and Cinque Terre---I cannot believe it. What once I was reading in other travel blogs now turned into something that I have gone to. Hence, I guess that the Trevi Fountain wishes must have worked (well, 2 out of 3 coin tosses yet!) ! Check out my pre-pandemic visit to Rome here. 😉
So here’s a 4-day itinerary to one of Italy’s beautiful cities and coastlines. Indeed, this has given us a break from the gloomy weather (and hectic work life) in London. 😝
We flew thru Easyjet which I haven’t been for quite a long time. Our ticket already includes a checked-in bag. Also, I think it’s been a trend at the airport to do self-service check-in; It’s easy and quick, whilst there are still crews who will be checking your travel documents at the till. I had not much to say on how our flight went besides that it wasn’t full when we returned to London (which was cool for more legroom!) . Nobody wants to go to the cloudy UK at the moment. 😆
TRANSPORTATION
Going towards Pisa Centrale from the airport is very straightforward by just riding Pisa airport’s monorail. There are ticket machines to buy train tickets but I highly suggest to buy them online instead. It can be confusing on what ticket to buy unless you are familiar with the routes. Notwithstanding, there are bundle passes for Cinque Terre in which you can buy either a 3 or 5-day train pass so this is useful for those who’d like to go back and forth the villages. You can buy tickets in advanced through TRAINLINE. On the other hand, riding the bus across Pisa can be timely and we found it difficult to get tickets as these are only available in Tabaco shops (and these passes are even limited!). I believe this is the same issue around other parts of Italy. So it’s best to plan your journeys ahead of time! Apply for a Monzo or be an AMEX cardmember for your travel expenses!
ACCOMMODATION
We stayed in an apartment called Le Mi Estelle which is located in La Spezia, 3hrs away from Pisa. We chose to stay in this town as it was near Cinque Terre. Our accommodation is about 5mins walk from the train station which is very accessible. La Spezia’s city center is filled with restaurants where you can dine in ‘til midnight.
And as for our room, it was spacious for 3-4 pax plus they have a complete set of amenities similar to a hotel. I highly suggest this💯
A DAY IN PISA
It’s definitely not all pizzas in Pisa but what else than the leaning tower?! In a span of 15mins walk from central station, you’ll be able to reach this ever-popular tourist attraction.
You still need to angle the shot even if this tower is already leaning in reality. Tourists either go near, far or stand onto the fence to get that perfect ‘gram with Torre de Pisa. In fact, this whole Piazza de Miracoli is really stunning! Known as the “Square of Miracles”, this piazza also has the Duomo which is next to the leaning tower and it covers more beautiful relics from the Renaissance period. Check out more Pisa tours and attractions by GetYourGuide.
Personally, what I enjoy about touring Italy is that its ambiance reminds me of Old Town Manila with the warm weather and vintage-styled structures. Likewise, their cuisine is my fav for someone who can eat pasta and pizza for a living. Yes, I am that person. 😝
THE CINQUE TERRE-VENTURE
Off we go to one of Italy’s pristine coastlines—Cinque Terre (pronounced as ‘chin-keh te-rreh’). With the name itself, they are 5 villages along the Italian Riviera wherein each of it has dynamic attractions from hillside trekking to water activities, food and arts around the town. We had a whole day tour from GetYourGuide to visit its 3 major towns though we also went to the other 2 during our free time. Some people take the long hike from one terre to another but for speed and convenience, riding the regional train is preferrable (Again, you can check the bundles HERE).
RIOMAGGIORE
The first stop and closest to La Spezia, this is the most vibrant filled with an artsy town market, colorful houses and nightlife.
There’s a pebble-rock beach at the end where you can rent for kayaks or boats.
MANAROLA
This is where the iconic view of Cinque Terre is situated at; Perfect for the golden hour.
We had a wine-tasting session here by A pie de Campu. The wine-seller talked through on how wine was made at the village and how the vinery was taken care of on a high terrain. They specialize with white wine and the original flavor was citrus and fruity which I like. The wine tastes best if paired with a focaccia.
CORNIGLIA
Not so many tourists actually come here as it is the only town that has no seaside access but genuine for its hiking trails.
You need to climb about 382 stairs to reach the main village and see the breathtaking view of the terraces. I should say that it’s tiring yet worth it!
Its small alleys around this residential town are all restaurants and souvenir shops (mostly lemon specialties).
And this is where we had an authentic pesto pasta dish! The lasagna is a must-try.
VERNAZZA
Known as the fishing village, its harbor is surrounded by more colorful houses. The place also has a unique selection of souvenirs as this is where we mostly bought some stuff.
Likewise, this is a great area for foodtripping! Foccacia or the squared pizza is often the go-to food when strolling around the coast. Whereas another option would be the seafood cone as Cinque Terre is certainly rich in anchovies and calamaris. I never got tired eating of that meal over our 4-day trip. 😋
MONTEROSSO
Lastly, there goes the westernmost area and the largest among the villages; Monterosso has the longest seaside trail where some parts can be suitable for swimming. But still beware of blue seaweeds floating in the water, they can be very itchy when it sticks on the skin.
Monterosso is divided into old and new town in which the former is bound for tourist attractions. Similarly, there are a lot of shops and restaurants; One of them was where we tried a shot of Limoncino—Liguria’s specialty of a lemon liqueur.
Personally, I didn’t like it for the taste was strong similar to a liquid medicine. But others felt like it tasted like citrus candies (?!) Don’t hesitate to try if you go here!
These Napoleon and 4 Cheese pizzas can make you feel full for a day
A gelato on hand never gets old and tiring when in Italy!
Hence, that wraps up my Schengen trip—for now! My visa already expired and hopefully, I will be able to renew it someday. It’s been a blast for ticking 12 EU countries to my list so far. I somehow plan to have a travel hiatus in the meantime but I just recently came from a short visit to my home country! Though surely, I will be resting from hereon. ;)
‘til then!
