Cinque Terre, Italy
When one mentions Italy the first city that probably comes to mind is Rome, followed by Venice, Milan and probably Lake como thanks to dashing George Clooney. One of my favourite Italian destinations (and one that is starting to get more popular) is the stunning area of Cinque terre.
Situated a 2 hour train ride north west of the famous leaning tower lies 5 quaint towns culminating the Cinque Terre National Park – Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. Being a Unesco heritage listed site, cars are not able to access these towns, in fact the only way to get from town to town is via train, alternatively you can walk from town to town and from the takes 8 hours if you do it continuously.
My itinerary was a 3 day one, during the peak of summer in Mid July. The 1st night I stayed in Pisa, from memory the last train from Pisa central to Monterrosso was at 9.30pm and to be conservative I did not think I would arrive in time to make the train. No matter though, it does give you an opportunity to visit one of the most iconic sights in Tuscany being the leaning tower of pisa!
I opted to stay in a bnb (bed and breakfast). I like the homely feel of a family run establishment. It gives an authentic touch which you cannot get anywhere else. We met a kind lady who I believe ran the bnb with a younger member of her family, however upon arrival, she was the only one there and did not speak a word of English. But to her credit… she was able to work the wonders of google translate and my travel buddy and I camped around her desktop and were able to communicate without issue!
Its moments like these – where you face an obstacle (like basic communication) and persist to find a solution that makes travelling such a rewarding experience. It also makes me regret not learning a second language (Doh!). When things are too easy, you take it for granted, you think you are entitled to it. But it’s not until you are in a situation that requires some thinking outside of the square that makes the end result so satisfying – like being able to check in!
After a quick visit to the leaning tower – off we went to cinque terre. To get there just buy your ticket from the train station should cost about €15 one way and takes no longer than half an hour.
*Mamma Mia* – I almost forgot to mention that Italians are the kings of coffee. Get a cappuccino and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. Back home in Melbourne “getting a coffee” can last anywhere between half an hour and several hours. The locals in Italy get the job done in about 30 seconds! Coffees are consumed standing up at the expresso bar in Italy. Sit down tables usually attract a price premium (as it is often in place to cater for tourists).
The trains are actually quite modern and are in fact very similar to the train depicted the classic 2004 movie “eurotrip”
Monterosso
Is the largest and most populous of the five towns. It also boasts a proper beach, which due to size gives it a unique advantage over the other towns. I chose to stay one night here being the farthest most town (from pisa) and another night in Riomaggiore the first town, so Sunday would be an intense hiking day. Over the past few years torrential rain has played havoc with the walking trails. In 2011 or 2012 I believe there was some intense flooding which rampaged through some of the towns. As a result , it is common that not all of the walking trails will be open at the same time.
I stayed at B&B Il Parco (which I highly recommend). The accommodation is split into different private villas. As it is situated quite high up the hill, there are some breath-taking views to be had when either early morning or at dusk. The breakfast provided is pretty tasty as well.
I suppose the only thing to be aware of is that is slightly up in the hills, the walk to the main beach and town did take some time, however there is a free shuttle bus which can transport to and from the town centre and specified. Stay here if you want to lounge around in the sun and having a relaxing experience of cinque terre!
Vernazza
I think this is the prettiest of the four towns. Can be found on many a post cards and if you time it right and hike from monterosso to vernaza and dusk you may be lucky enough to see pink skies in the backdrop. The reward for an hour and a half hike can be seen below. Due to poor exposure settings the photo doesn’t quite do the view justice!
Corniglia
Probably the smallest out of the 5 towns towns, due to time constraints didn’t get a chance to explore the town as much as I’d like. Just as colourful as the others and a little less quaint. Not as many tourists seem to spend much time here. After a quick pit stop, we followed the pack and moved onto….
Manarola
Competes with Vernazza as the most photographed landscape amongst cinque terre. There is a path which leads you slightly out of the town to a small park and you can take amazing photos looking back onto the city. If your game there are also some swimming holes for you to cool off and mix it with other holiday makers and locals. Sunbathers can also be found lying of many of the rocks and stairs during the summer months! Strange but I guess you gotta make do with what you have!
Riomaoggorie.
Stayed at Locanda Dalla Compagnia. Wouldn’t be my first choice of accommodation, but if you are struggling to find accommodation it will do the job. Don’t expect anything above the basics and you’ll be fine.
http://www.booking.com/hotel/it/locanda-dalla-compagnia.en-gb.html?sid=55d90259de8ddce7056c733dd4f99767;dcid=2
Quite a large town with a number of hidden alleyways and paths to get lost it in. Plentiful amounts of decent restaurants with local produce and seafood.
Cinque terre boasts some of the most spectacular scenery that I have seen during my time so far in Europe. Definitely put it on your to do list if you find yourself in Italy. If you are looking for a party vacation probably don’t head here, but if you’re after a relaxing/rewarding weekend away you won’t be disappointed!
JD
Palma, Mallorca
After so much exploration of my other destinations around Europe I was due for a trip away that involved a whole lot of nothing. That destination so happened to be in Majorca one of the Balearic islands in the south of Spain near the infamous party island of Ibiza.
In the UK – Majorca is a popular destination amongst young British teens who run amok in the beachside town of magaluf in the summer time. Often this is their first overseas destination according to the TV show ‘Sun, Sex & Suspicious parents’. When you combine teenagers, sun and booze your sure to end up with an ‘explosive’ trip away. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z18a34PliiU
But thankfully I had conducted some research and chose to stay in the main town of Palma city. That particular weekend it was in the peak of summer. Temperatures hovered around 35 degrees during the day and marginally cooler during the evenings. For those who hail from warmer climates, you will know that anything above 30 degrees makes it difficult to get out and explore as your energy levels are instantly drained by the heat. 
The main tourist attraction in Palma City is the cathedral, which you cannot miss. For some reason we couldn’t go inside… but with the combination of the sapping heat, it was actually very relaxing to sit outside the cathedral in the shade with the warm breeze coming across your face and a cool drink in hand. To top it off there was a Spanish guitarist playing beautiful melodies in the background – pretty special in my opinion
Palma has a great vibe about it, there are little side streets all over the town and you can quickly get lost and discover an array of side streets. It came across to me as a relaxation destination for holidays makers. There are some quality restaurants in town and we checked two highly rated restaurants on tripadvisor. The first night we checked out Misa Bar and Brasserie, the chicken here is the signature dish and highly recommended – however I was craving something a little more fancy (see pictures below)! http://www.misabraseria.com/en/location.php
The second night we went to Bunkers which I would describe as a Fusion/European restaurant. The food is delicious, artistically presented and with generous portions to keep the all hungry hippos satisfied! What is most appealing about this establishment is that it is a family run business and it is made to feel very homely with the use of communal tables and an ‘open styled’ kitchen where you can see the chefs work their magic! https://www.facebook.com/BunkerPalma
For those seeking some nightlife I can recommend Titos club which was great fun. Not the cheapest night out.. but it is a very posh club with pumping beats and a beautiful crowd to go with it! The other popular option is the well known club Pacha with multiple locations around the globe.
Yet another place I’ve fallen in love with in Spain…. if only there was a way to stay there permanently! Gracias Mallorca – I’ll definitely be back!
JD
The JD Chronicles 