18th June - Genoa to Florence

The 3-hour train trip had one change of trains at Pisa. The first part of this trip I rode 1st class, & 2nd from Pisa to Florence. Thankfully, it was a faster train than previous Italian train trips, & the little girl in the cabin was prancing around to provide entertainment for the trip. I sat next to an Italian policeman call Paul who remembered me from when I asked him for directions when I’d initially landed in Genoa. So we had a good chat until he finally fell asleep nearly all the way to Pisa.
I saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the train, so didn’t feel as if I needed to come back out here to see it again close up. In Pisa I had a connection that I needed to make to get to Florence - only had to wait about 25 mins.
I've realised that the regional trains are a much cheaper option than their fast competitors if you have the extra time to spare. Which, funnily enough, I do.

Genova or Genoa?

I was confused - why is the town sometimes called Genoa & at other times called Genova. So I asked the hotel receptionist who explained that the English call it Genoa & the Italians call it Genova. This is like many towns & cities in Italy - eg; Florence is called Firenze. This confused the hell out of me when trying to work out my itinerary on a map. But you kinda get use to it.

The Cinque Terre (5 Lands)

The reason for me coming to Genoa initially was to walk the Cinque Terre (meaning - 5 lands) - a 12 km trail that links 5 small UNESCO protected towns along the coastline south of Genoa. What I didn’t realise was that the train ride (5,80 Euros) to Romaggiore (the 5th town) was a 2 hour train ride stopping at nearly every station along the way - & that was the quick train.
When I arrived at Romaggiore, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to walk the full trail after reading online that it was challenging. But the Cinque Terre Pass (5 Euros) gave you entry to walk any path within the area, & I figured I could always hop on a train if I was feeling completely exhausted.
The walk from Romaggiore to Manarola was very easy - a 15 min nice paved walkway that still allowed plenty of time to take photos. From Manarola to Corniglia took 45 mins. It was an uneven path, but still quite easy, even though sturdier shoes were required. From Corniglia to Vernazza the path got a lot more difficult & there were far fewer people on the last two legs of this journey. I found this the most challenging part of the walk with lots of uneven climbing up & down, although the views were certainly a reward for the effort. Vernazza was a beautiful town with great little eating alcoves & a wonderful sheltered cove for swimming (I forgot to bring my swimmers). I sustained my energy with a pesto pizza (local speciality) & headed off again soon afterwards.
At the beginning of the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso, there was an outlook back over Vernazzo which was truly spectacular. This part of the trail had parts that were very narrow with steep drops off to the side here & there. I met a couple of Aussie women (Jill & Glenda) here & we had a lovely chat before I continued on. Monterosso was the largest town of Cinque Terre & was a beach resort with sun umbrellas lining the beach & bars dotted along the village. For completing the walk, I treated myself to a gelato & a cold drink, then hopped on another slow train to Genoa.

Genova - What a Surprise!

I hadn’t read good reports about Genova online. Much of what was said stated that it didn’t cater to tourists & that it was quite an industrial shady town. I chose Genoa as a not-too-far point to visit Cinque Terre, as La Spezia was closer but much more expensive. I booked into the Hotel Helvetia for 2 nights, a budget hotel which was cheap & cheerful. The receptionist was very helpful in explaining recommended walking routes & places to eat nearby. Genova is Italy’s largest port in addition to being a cultural centre. The walk along Garibaldi was incredible with ‘rolli’ (private residences) along each side previously owned by Genoese nobles & decorated in Renaissance architecture. The Cattedrale di San Lorenzo is a masterpiece of Gothic art & holds the ‘Sacro Catino’ said by some to be the Holy Grail. And, as I made my way back to the Hotel, I found a gelateria in an alleyway. Oh, my God! Heaven in an ice cream!!!

16th June 09 - Nice to Genova, Italy

At 10am, I caught the slowest train to Genova in Italy. It was an intercity train, which usually run faster than the slower regional ones. However, because it is summer & everyone is by the seaside, the train takes that much longer. But what a pleasure it was to be sharing the 6-seat cabin with the people I did. Two people especially, Jean (from Colorado) & Dario (from Milano) were a treat & we had some great laughs together which made the trip seem a lot quicker than it was. It trip itself took just over 3 hours & took us in to Genova Piazza Principale station - the main station in Genova.