Cinque Terra

The view from Bar Gio on Monterosso's Via Fegina is spectacular ~ over the striped umbrellas of Stella Marina, shrouded mountains of the five lands cascade into the sea. Impossible terraces line the precipices above houses threatening to topple into the Ligurian at any moment.

At adjacent La Pinette private beach, impossibly brown bodies in bikinis and budgie smugglers lay on hired lettini (sunbeds) under hired ombrelloni (umbrellas). The daily charge of €27 gives you access to the dusty confines of the bagni (beach) and stony shore. If you don't pay, you should take your worthless carcass three metres beyond the enclosure, and install your towel, umbrella and beach toys on the dusty, stoney public beach. Same water, but your stones have not been raked!

Monterosso, our home for three nights, is the most northern of the five towns and villages that form the Cinque Terra, and the largest. Our abode, Hotel Pasquale, is located just beyond the tunnel that bisects Monterosso and incorporates the rocky hillside that defines the town. Our bar fridge sits within a crevice in the stony foundations that anchor the hotel. By the time we had dragged our bags the 800 metre incline from the station we were dripping, and we welcomed the cool confines of Pasquale and our as yet unmade room. "Just give us a few minutes and two beach towels and we will be out of your way" we assured our receptionist.

Feeling refreshed after a dip in the soupy sea, and a minute under the public shower, we adjourned to Bar Ristorante "Il Casello" above the beach. Owner Baccho welcomed us despite my soaked boardies and rash vest, pointing us to chairs near the outside bar. A refreshing cold drink or two later we booked "the best table in Monterosso" for dinner at 7.30. Mussels by the bucket, stuffed mussels and fresh fish with no mussels were taken at TBT overlooking a setting sun followed by a moonlit beach. Fabulous!

The long hot train journey from Lucca via Pisa was beginning to take its toll and we headed back towards the hotel after promising we would return to Il Casello. Despite the hour it would be a shame not to take advantage of the warm night and a cooling gelato was just the other side of the tunnel. The private beaches were being groomed for tomorrow as we joined hundreds of now clothed holiday makers out for a stroll and a piccolo ice.

Forsaking the draw of Monterosso's ombrelloni, we climbed aboard the good ship Euro2 for the round trip to Porto Venere via Vernazza, Manarola and Riomaggiore. Corniglia, between Vernazza and Manarola cannot be accessed by boat and with the temperature pushing 40 degrees access via the walking track was out of the question. Disembarking at Riomaggiore, I took a quick dip from the boat ramp in the beautiful water of the small harbour. Who needs beaches?. This is the real Cinque Terra! We gained a table at Trattoria La Scofliera and ordered calamari from the menu featuring "cucina tipica". The passing parade alone was worth the cost of lunch.

Following lunch our voyage continued to Porto Venere where the real action was occurring. Hundreds of young sunworshippers were stretched out on the hot rocks disporting themselves in even briefer costumes than their elders. This season's bikini bottom features cheeks in abandon and abundance. Hard to believe this is a god fearing nation. Above the towns' ancient battlements seagulls were wheeling about hovering on thermal updrafts just feet away from us. Below, adolescent boys were diving from rocky outcrops hoping to impress adoring girlfriends. We took Camparis at the bar nearest the dock as we waited for our departure time. Large family groups streamed towards the ship as 5.00pm approached. If there is one thing Italy is not short of it is babies. Eurocrisis. What eurocrisis?