Taking a lunch break with my guide Andrea in Levanto, the first town west of the Cinque Terre, the conversation turns from dessert wine and biscotti to how the Irish are the Italians of Europe’s north.
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I branched out a bit, researching towns that would make the cut if the Cinque (5) Terre were called the Sette (7) Terre. Sestri Levante comes with an adorable sandy beach ‘ something you won’t see in the more exotic Cinque Terre towns. Taking a short coffee break, my guide Andrea explains his theories about American women on cruise ships who’ve had plastic surgery and drool a lot.
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Hiking through Corniglia, the most remote village of the Cinque Terre, I checked in with Christiana Ricci and her husband Stefano, who run a bar and rent cheap rooms here. Christiana is proud of the cakes and pies she sells in the family bar.
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I spent the day climbing all over Vernazza while looking for good B&B rooms. The going rate is €70, and places with a view or terrace charge €85. Some are good, others don’t make the cut. This place came with an incredible 360-degree view, but the rooms were too cramped, the layout was tortuous, and the price was just too high. Still, it was a fun visit.
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In the Cinque Terre, Miky’s restaurant in Monterosso gets my vote for the very best cuisine. When the basic menus at the basic restaurants get old, Miky always comes to the rescue with creative and lively dishes, as his daughter Sara explains.
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