Friday, April 12, 2013 -- Farewell Tuscany, Hello Cinque Terre

We checked out of our hilltop digs and bumped down the rutted dirt road one last time this morning under gray skies.  We were headed for the Tyrrhenian coast, but with some intermediary stops along the way. 

First up was Pistoia, a short drive northwest of Florence and pretty much off the tourist radar.  It has a lovely historic center, with the requisite cathedral, baptistery, campanile (this one a part of a former fortification) and any number of narrow lanes and other notable churches.  We also enjoyed a market of vendors from Sicily selling all manner of sweet and savory treats. 

Then it was on to revisit lovely Lucca.  This medieval gem is hard to pass up if we’re anywhere in its vicinity.  The original walls and fortifications of the city have been transformed into a lovely park.  A wide paved path is bordered by old trees, benches, playground equipment and picnic tables and is well used by locals and visitors alike.  The small Centro Storico is home to lovely piazzas, often focused on notable church facades, and the unusual Piazza Anfiteatro, whose buildings follow the curved lines of the Roman amphitheater once located there.

From Lucca, it was a short drive northwest to the coast, passing the marble quarries of Carrara en route.  Our destination was Riomaggiore, one of five small towns along the Italian Riviera that are part of a national park and collectively known as the Cinque Terre, five lands.  Riomaggiore is the southernmost of the five towns, which are linked by rail and hiking trails.  About 18 months ago, a landslide devastated parts of the Cinque Terre, especially the town of Vernazza and much of the trail linking the towns.  We still hope to be able to hike part of the route while we’re here.

Riomaggiore is perched on a steep hill, with houses clinging to the vertical face.  The drive into town was dramatic, and Tom’s efforts to maneuver the car into our parking garage space also claimed their share of suspense.  The small town has a short, steep main drag that ends in a small harbor and beach area.  On this sunny afternoon, the sea was raging, even inside the harbor, when we arrived for our first look this afternoon and again when we returned to watch the sun set into the sea.  The tranquility of the distant views contrasted greatly with the waves thundering over the rocks at our feet.  It was a lovely mild evening, all the more so because a quick grab saved Tom’s camera and tripod did from falling over a low wall and onto the rocks and harbor below.