After staying for five nights in Marseille, it was time to change the place: au revoir Marseille, France, and Ciao Genoa, Italy!
Genova (21-22.3)
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| The train route. Had to change train twice, but everything went well! |
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| Travelling by train at the Mediterranean coast from Marseille to Genova, passing by Cannes and Nice, is such a beautiful route! The sun shining from the blue sky, the sun rays hitting the blue sea surface.... (up): sight from the train towards the see. (d.l.): changing train in Cannes. There was unfortunately no time to go to the beach, so spent 30 minutes at the train station. (d.r): In Ventimiglia, Italy, there was more than one hour time for the next change. Here I met a Canadian girl, whom I met in Marseille, and we will travel together in Italy for four days. Nice way meeting people, I have to say! We were both planning to go to Italy after France so why not travel together for a while? :) Btw, be careful in Ventimiglia, especially if you are a girl traveling alone. These Italian guys, and other men hanging around at this station, are not all that kind... So be aware! When she came, we went to the see and enjoyed the sun and the sight. |
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| To Genova we arrived at 16.16 and walked to our hostel. This one was really good, all well organized and on a good location, walking distance to everywhere in the city. In the evening we walked up to Spinata Castelletto and enjoyed the view over the city. We happened to be there at sunset, so beatiful! However, this did not last that long cause the sun quickly disappeared behind the mountains. |
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| In the evening we took a walk in the city and went out eating. Because pesto originates from Ligurien, an area where Genova is also situated in. So we had to try it out! This one was really good, interesting though with potatoes mixed into the pasta. |
22.3 Tuesday
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| In the morning we bought focaccia for breakfast and enjoyed it at the harbour. I caught a cold, again!!, from Marseille and in the morning struggled with sniffles and cough. Why can't it just let me be! But anyway, the harbour was so nice and the focaccia very tasteful! |
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| The terrain in Genova is also very varying. In the afternoon we climbed up to the castle Castello d'Albertis. |
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| We also climbed almost to the top of the mountains and enjoyed the nice view. |
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| What would Italy be without ice cream? After the walk we decided to sit down for a while and have ice cream. It was very tasteful! |
Pisa (22-26.3)
This Tuesday afternoon we said goodbye to Genova and headed to our next destination: Pisa. Our first plan was to sleep over in La Spezia and go hiking there in the national park, but it would have been so expensive so we ended up going to Pisa, cheaper and from there not far to Florenz or the national park.
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| The train route. |
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| Traveling more east, we hade nice views, not only to the see, but also to the Alps! (up): one of the villages in the national park Cinque Terre, part of the coast on the Italian Riviera, west of La Spezia. It consists of five villages,: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. A 12 km hiking route combines these villages. I hope my cold is away until Friday so I also have the possibility to walk here! |
23.3 Wednesday
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| At noon I went outside to explore the city. My friend left for hiking, unfortunately my cold was still very bad and I stayed "home". (up): Fortezza Nuova, Giardino Scotto. (down): at the river Arno. The building at the river is Santa Maria alla Spina, a small church in Gothic style. |
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| (u.l): old ruins from Roman times, Terme Romane: Bagni di Nerone. (u.r): chiesa di S. Zeno. (down): Borgo Stretto, a street with walls of arches. |
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| Had an tee and a very good muffin at a café in Pisa. After the walking this was exactly was I needed! |
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| At the river. Note the reflection of the buildings on the water surface! So peaceful and beautiful. |
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| Being in Pisa without going to se the leaning tower of Pisa, Torre di Pisa, is not being in Pisa at all. In the background you can see the cathedral. This tilting of the tower started already during the building of it, when the ground was too soft in order to properly support the construction. The height of the tower is 55,86 metres, at the highest point it is about one meter higher. |
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| In the evening, just at sunset, we took the classical " I have been in Pisa" -photos. |
24.3 Thursday, daytrip to
Florenz
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| The route on the map. We took an early train to Florence in order to have enough time to spend there and walk around in the city. |
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| We visited a local market, and both of us bought bags from there. Then we went to the food market. |
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| Cathedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the main church in Florence. It was huge and very beautiful! But there was so many tourists so it was a bit to crowded. |
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| The view over the city from Piazzale Michelangelo. The famous Ponte Vecchio bridge can also be seen on the photos (d.l). |
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| At Piazza della Signoria, outside the palazzo vecchio. There was a lot of sculptures! |
In the evening sitting in the train on the way back, watching the sunset, I decided not to go straight back to Pisa, but to continue with the train to Livorno and watch the sunset at the harbour. Only 15 minutes away by train.
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| Livorno |
25.3 Friday, daytrip to the National Park
Cinque Terre
I felt better today so took the early train to La Spezia, from where I needed to change the train to a local train, that stops at every village in Cinque Terre. The national park extends through the areas of five coastal villages: Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. Apart from the most hiked route, that goes along the coast passing by all the villages, you can take side paths and go deeper in the mountains, climbing up over 800 m above sea level, then through marked paths, following the numbers and red-white markes, finding your way to one of the villages. This national park lies northwest of Pisa and can be reached by train in about 1,5 hours, the change time included.
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| The hiking trails numbered. I took the train to the third village, Corniglia, because the route between the two first villages was closed. I started to follow the 592-trail, which would have taken 3.5 hours, 7km along the coast til Monterosso. Then I found a side path, which went all way up to the mountains. I followed this 587 trail from Corniglia to Cigoretta, only 2.4 km long but very steep climbing in the forested mountain. From there changed trail to 507, Cigoretta-Vernazza, 3.1 km. This whole took me about 3.5 hours of hiking until I found the village. From there I followed the most hiked way, Vernazza-Monterosso along the coast. |
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| Arriving to Corniglia train station. This is where my hiking begins. At 10.15 in the morning. (d.r): the paths were really good marked so you couldn't get easily lost. |
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| Up on the top of Cigoretta. The weather was just perfect for hiking, not to hot but sunny. The landscape is astonishing! There is no words to describe it! The cones where gigantic (u.l) |
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| The view from above. You can see car road on the picture. |
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| During my hiking in the forested mountains. Sometimes the path was very steep and just one step next to you was a deep dropdown. Just so amazing route!! |
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| Climbing down the hill towards the village Vernazza. On the pictures you can see, how the slopes have been shaped by man, terracing the slopes to produce farming land. |
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| These side paths passes also old sanctuaries, such as this one. |
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| Almost at Vernazza! |
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| The village is lovely with all its colored houses. It is, though, made mostly to please the tourists, with lots of restaurants, cafes and shops. But the old fishing harbour is still very nice. At the cliffs outside the village I took a one hour break, just enjoying the sea, sun and the landscape. |
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| Every village has these colorful houses. |
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| Cinque Terre: Vernazza. |
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| Leaving the coast and the village, I continued my walk, trying to find the path to Monterosso. |
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| Vernazza |
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| Here you can read about the wild tail from Vernazza to Monterosso, 3.6 km long track among cultivated lands, terraces, forest and narrow paths. It was really hot walking near the planted hills, and it is only March now! Imagine walking it in June? Not possible! Apart from the earlier track I took, this one was clearly more popular for the tourists. At some parts I had to wait in order to continue due to the narrow paths and tourists. |
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| Vernazza to Monterosso |
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| After 1 h 10 minutes walk I came to Minterosso. |
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| On top of the hill on Monterosso was also a church an a sanctuary. Here I realized it is Good Friday today and that is why the cross with tree nails are laid in front of the altar. (Up): graves. |
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| The view from Monterosso towards the other villages. |
This trip was amazing! Could not have spend my last day here in Italy in any other way!
My favorites in Italy: Cinque Terre!!!!, the view from the mountain in Genova and from Michel Angelo square in Florenz, Focaccia.
26.3 Saturday
Today morning headed back to Germany to spend Eastern with a very nice family in Bonn. Staying here just for the weekend and on Monday heading forward to Paris!
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| I took an early train from Pisa to Milan, from there changed to a train, that goes through the Alps to Basel. The landscape was just amazing! |
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| The sunset in the evening. Because of an accident the train from Basel to Mannheim was delayed and I missed the connection train. Instead took a train towards Köln and got off one station before, and they veer kindly to pick me up at the station and drove us home. What a relaxing Eastern with nice people, delicious food and running in fields. Thanks!! |
