The Italian Riviera & Cinque Terre

Bonassola, Italy - If you’ve ever seen the Disney movie Luca, that’s where we are. Seaside hills dropping into the Mediterranean Sea. Europeans on a 4-day weekend for Ascension Day, a major holiday.

It is beautiful. Summary. Warm. We can hear the waves from our Airbnb at the top of a tall hill. It’s a great way to hang out for the weekend.

We are in the Cinque Terre area - an area famous for 5 seaside towns that are connected by one-hour walks between each. They sit in colorful buildings above the sea, with buildings casually older than the USA. The views and landscapes are beautiful with villas and terraced vineyards. We’ve eaten lots of gelato - hazelnut, as well as basil & lemon, have been some flavors enjoyed. (Kudos to Zippy & Billy who recommended this area!)

Yesterday, we walked the Cinque Terre path between the 3 northern towns. This whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, meaning it is preserved and beautiful. The walk between towns is about an hour, or 7 kilometers each. So it’s been easy to do and then chill in the towns in between. Then you take the train back to the town you are staying in. There’s seafood. Tourists from throughout the continent. Beautiful views. And unseasonably hot weather (it should be in the mid-70s, but is in the high 80s….global warming is here….) The hike was hot and dusty, and I wanted to rename it the “Five Towns of Stairs” hike, with many many stairs.

It’s been great, and now we are walking down to the beach to swim! Ciao!