Cinque Terre-Monterosso

Off we left for Cinque Terre, Monterosso. Alice was so sweet to get up and say goodbye to us. More tears as we pulled away. On the road to Cinque Terre.

We got on to the autostrada, kind of a daunting task. Keeping up with the speed and then wondering where to pull off to use the facilities and if we should order anything while stopping.  It seemed there was a stand up coffee bar and paninis you could order, but we didn't feel like waiting and figuring it out! Places like this along the way:

 Signs like this on the autostrada. We went past Florence on our route. Arne was quick on the draw as I tried to navigate with the gps directions.:

 Peekaboo mountain views along the way also.

 

 We got the rental car turned in, then took a taxi to the train station and arrived in Monterosso. It was very hot! We had to use a pay phone to call Hotel Villa Steno to send us a taxi in town. The taxis weren't allowed to cut through town so they had to take us on a long drive all through the hills the back way, when in essence the distance through the main town would've been just a few blocks!

 

 

Arrriving at Villa Steno Hotel, you will find alot of stairs, a garden, a breakfast terrace...

 

 ...and amazing views!

I was attempting to catch the bell tower dinging here...You have to listen really closely and fast!

 

 

 

 All the guests can also access this terrace up even higher.

 It is bordered by vineyards, tomatoes growing here and there.

 

Our cute little room.

 

We ate lunch down in town on a terraced restaurant overlooking the harbor.

 

The trains pull straight through the middle of town.

My caprese (no basil?)

Arne's lemon anchovies.

We met a man, Andrea from Parma, Italy at this lunch and we talked to him for quite awhile.

 

We walked around down by the harbor and went down into town to find some gelato, as it was pretty hot.

 

 

I tried to sit in the lounge chair  and this one was broken. I fell to the ground, and I hit my arm, got a bruise that lasted two weeks! Of course!

Arne did fine in his chair though...What a view!

 

 

 

 

 

Our romantical dinner down by the water at Belvedere's our first night in Monterosso. An accordian player came to make it all magical.

 

 

Video clip of our accordian player accompanying our nice dinner view.

 

 

Aaaahhhh!