The Five Villages of the Cinque Terre - Monterosso

Ok, that title is redundant - "cinque" means five - but there is nothing redundant about how charming these seaside communities are.  After a five hour bus ride and a 30 minute train ride, we arrived in Monterosso, the  farthest west of the fishing villages, and also the most resort-townish (shops, hotels, beaches, restaurants). We got here yesterday afternoon and explored this town, shopping and eating (of course!) along the way.

(A side note and introduction: Virginia is our tour consultant - she is the one laughing at the front center. She is probably 5'2", is a professor in Seattle, is a native of the east coast of Italy, is the kindest person in a crisis, and a force when she reminds us that the group "will leave you if you are late!" And she runs, literally runs, from the bus looking for someone who is even 30 seconds late. In 8 days its only happened twice, and by no more than a minute each time.)

waiting for the train to Monterosso

almost there

Monterosso's shoreline

The train tracks separate new town (where we are staying) and  the old town.  Monterosso was the hardest hit of the five towns by massive rains and mudslides that swallowed the town square and many businesses.  After much work and a new town square, Monterosso and the other villages are almost back to normal.

watching the cooks do their magic with the seafood

It seems like every town has a group of old men who sit for hours chewing the fat and  making my heart melt.

Ann getting a snack at a focaccia stand

If you look really closely, you can see the other towns of the Cinque Terre.  In order from left to right they are Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.

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