Cinque Terre

Our destination weekend after our International Finance Midterm was Chinque Terre, Italy. We arrived in Monterosso, the largest of the five towns in the evening with the sun beginning to set behind the mountains and the tourists beginning to exit the beaches. We rented an amazing little apartment, just outside of which there was a small patio overhung by grape vines. The grapes are in season and we were allowed to pick them right there and eat them.


After we had checked in and gotten settled we took the train one little town down the track to Vernazza. One of the girls traveling in our group had found a quaint but highly recommended pasta place for dinner named The Pirate. I had a delightful salmon grattoni dish, everyone really enjoyed their meals. We split a half orange half chocolate filled cannoli for desert, as I enjoyed a grappa. After dinner we took as stroll through the town that was still buzzing with tourists shopping and eating dinner. We were all fairly tired and we were not prepared for the evening chill so we went back to the apartment for the night.

Saturday we spent most of the day on the beach enjoying the sun and the Mediterranean sea. After relaxing in the sun for the day we got cleaned up and took the train to where we had dinner. Waiting on the train platform I ran into a man who is in charge of a facility run by the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Austria, we enjoyed a long talk and he offered to let us stay in Gaming as we traveled through Austria.

Once we arrived in Manarola we inadvertently took a long walk up a hill opposite the town, and though we were very hungry we took in the gorgeous views of the town and of people swimming in a natural pool created by the rocks descending into the ocean.

At dinner I started my meal with sardines, though most people are opposed to them from their stigma in cartoons the Cinque Terre region specializes in sardines. Cinque Terre is also famous for their lemons, so I ordered sardines marinated in fresh lemon and herbs. They were very strong, and when taken with some fresh bread they were a delicious local way to start the meal. For my main course I ordered a chefs specialty, ravioli with fresh sea bass. Another beautiful dish filled with local flavors.

Once finished we took the train down to Riomaggiore, the only town we had not yet seen. Unfortunately it was dark by the time we arrived but people were still out and about enjoying a stroll through the still humming town. We had a nice stroll ourselves, stopping in some of the local stores, and grabbing a drink at a small local bar. Once we had seen the town we were once again on the train heading back to the apartment for the night.

On Sunday I got up early and helped check out of our apartment. After we checked out we went to a local beachfront restaurant for breakfast, I enjoyed some toasted focacchia bread and fresh-squeezed orange juice. After a simple breakfast I went to the local church, San Giovani Baptista for Mass. Compared to other churches of Europe it is a relatively simple church, but still beautiful with a wonderful baroque high altar and unique polychromatic columns.

In the square there was also another church originally built and run by the Mortis et Orationis Confraternitas or the Brotherhood of Death and Prayer, which was dedicated to the help of widows and orphans particularly of husbands and fathers lost at sea. The whole theme of the church is death, and in the picture below is the skeleton of a bishop with his miter and crosier sitting in the millwork above the altar. The church seemed like it is now rarely used and mainly open just for tourists to see. A church with a very unique theme and design to say the least.

After Mass I had some time to myself and I hiked a steep hill that splits the town of Monterosso in two.  I found a beautiful view and a statue of St. Francis of Assisi overlooking the town and the sea. A bit more of a hike and there was a Capuccin Monastery, with a small well kept chapel dedicated to St. Francis.

When I see open doors I just go through them and hope I find monks chanting, so when I saw an open gate I proceeded through it, it led me even higher and eventually I reached the pinnicle of the hill. There I found the town’s cemetery. I prayed for a short time and headed back down and towards the train station.

I met the girls at the station around one and got on the train back to Riva. This coming week I am off to Salzburg, Linz, Gaming, Melk, Vienna and Prague, so there is lots to come. Stay tune and God Bless.