ROAD TRIP ITALY-FRANCE: PISA, PORTOVENERE, CINQUE TERRE

ROAD TRIP ITALY - FRANCE
PISA, PORTOVENERE, CINQUE TERRE

As our road trip continued, we moved on, tirelessly wandering around the Italian Riviera - that day, we made 4 different stops before ending up in Genova. And before you start feeling sorry for us, thinking that instead of enjoying the sun and the sea, we were constantly changing cities, let me reassure you that, ultimately, this is the secret of all great road trips: to wonder around places, cities, villages, to constantly change sceneries, enjoying the different colors and landscapes and tasting different flavors. That whole idea excited us so much that we decided to cross 2 countries during August.

Let's begin where we left off last time.

We were leaving behind us the magical Florence and Piazzale Michelangelo heading to Cinque Terre when a few drops of rain made their appearance. The weather was far from ideal for a road trip, as floods and heavy storms escorted us during our whole drive from Florence to Pisa - Portovenere - Riomaggiore and finally, Genova. We made 5 different stops, around Tuscany and Liguria, in a single day.

Genova would be our base for the next couple of days (a choice that ultimately proved to be wrong, however it made access to nearby areas of interest easier) and there from, we would move around to the Italian Riviera. Our first day to Genova was simply an overnight, as we arrived late in the evening while on our second day, we explored Portofino, Chiavari etc.

Our route was such:

>> To check out the whole road trip route, including maps, costs and tips, click here.

PISA

Pisa is a city located 80km away from Florence - a fairly short distance that turned out to be a rather long one, mainly due to the bad weather. We considered seeing the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa a great idea but ultimately, it proved to be wrong as we wasted 2 hours of our trip that, in my opinion, we could have avoided., mainly because of the stormy weather.

Right across the Tower, there is a rather convenient parking, if you're using a car to move around town. That's where we stopped and after a few "clicks" we hit the road without seeing nothing more of the city, nor enjoying its beauty. Our minds were drifting off to the mesmerizing Cinque Terre.

pisa tower

PORTOVENERE

Portovenere, a small town located western of the bay of La Spezia, was our Monday's second stop. Without it being a part of Cinque Terre, Portovenere gives you a taste of Cinque Terre as it is equally beautiful and colorful and it has a pictresque little harbor that connects to it to the surrounding villages. It is a great place to book your accommodation as accessing Cinque Terre via water taxi is easy and it promises you a magical ride. The same way you could visit Portovenere from Cinque Terre, while Portovenere offers you the chance to visit Portofino by boat.

We didn't have much time to enjoy a boat ride to the island of Palmaria, however, we had a light lunch surrounded by the cosmopolitan aesthetics of the Italian Riviera. We left our car in a nearby parking (4,00 / per hour) - a practical choice for anyone stopping by Portovenere.

ATTENTION though: In Portovenere like in any other Italian city, restaurants close at noon. Our lunch consisted exclusively of cold cuisine, a rather dissappointing fact that we've come in terms with after our experience during our first day in Siena.

πορτοβενερε
Portovenere

RIOMAGGIORE - CINQUE TERRE

Our most awaited moment of the day had finally come. We left Portovenere and drove to Riomaggiore. Cinque Terre literally means 'Five Lands' in Italian - five small villages on the Italian Riviera: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. They are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and an UNESCO World Heritage Site. In other words, Cinque Terre is a touristic miracle, five fish villages that have managed to become a hot spot of the Italian Riviera.

If you wish to access all five villages, your best option is to leave your car at La Spezia and use the train or, if you've booked a hotel at one of the villages, you could use the paths connecting the villages to each other - a 9km path that's said to be ideal for hiking.

As for us, we didn't choose either of the above options due to lack of time. We decided to visit Riomaggiore and oh, it was a dream! All I've heard and all I've seen till that time was nothing compared to its beauty! The colorful houses blew my mind, the smell of salt in the air mesmerized my senses and all together, I felt part of a fairytale - I just simply didn't want to leave. The point in visiting Cinque Terre is to explore all five villages and not stay in just one. However, we had a long day ahead us and left before sunset.

Riomaggiore, like the rest of the Cinque Terre villages, gives you the illusion that it's hanging down on the steep cliff above its scenic harbor. As we moved towards it, we admired the stunning, sky-high buildings with their tiny, blooming terraces - a dreamy scenery that makes you never want to leave this place.

riomaggiore, cinqueterre riomaggiore, cinque terre

Riomaggiore is a small fishing village, where the sea isn't really ideal for swimming but if you enjoy cliff diving and sun bathing on the rocks across the harbor, then you'll love it. Thus, there are a few good spots to enjoy the sunrise and the sunset or simply turn your back and admire the colourfulness and vibrance of the view.

There are a few shops, restaurants and cafes down the harbor, however, the locals adviced us to eat somewhere outside the village. Plus, parking is quite difficult like in all the area. You should park your car somewhere high and away from the village and most basically, in a parking-permitted area as sharing tickets is the local police's favorite hobby.

riomaggiore, cinque terre riomaggiore, cinque terre, maryhop

Maybe you'll read about how Cinque Terre is an amazing place or how it's simply overrated. Some people say they loved it, others that it was not quite what they expected or better, they expected more. The truth lies in your eyes. Regardless how many articles you'll read, how many photos or features you'll see, the way to know if you love or hate Cinque Terre - or any other place - is by seeing it with your own eyes.

Like a Russian saying goes: "It's better to see something once, than to hear about it a thousand times."

As for my impression of Riomaggiore:

YES I did like it. NO, not as much as I liked Portofino though. I'll explain you why on my next post.

Soon on Maryhop!

Maria Kalymnou

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