Chinque Terre

     Yesterday my program API took all one hundred and something of us American students to Chinque Terre – which literally translates into “Five Lands,” but more accurately means “five villages.” These five villages - Riomaggiore, Monarola, Cornigilia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare - are a National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage cite. They are isolated cities that cling to the cliffs over the Mediterranean sea and are known for their seafood, fresh pesto sauce, and sweet desert wine. I’ve seen pictures upon pictures of these villages advertised in my program booklet, online, and even around Florence. The pictures are all gorgeous, and look something like this: 

Even these professional, enhanced, and beautiful pictures can’t do the real thing justice. Chinque Terre is a fairy tale, a dream, and a paradise. My jaw dropped the moment I set foot off the boat and stayed that way for the majority of the day. We meandered down into the first village, Monarola, on this narrow and ancient path that wound over picturesque little streams, passing by terraced farms of bright yellow lemons and gnarled olive and chestnut trees.  We passed by stone houses and cobblestone paths that have existed for centuries, and eventually the multicolored houses of the town itself came into view before us. We entered the town square and were afforded with this breathtaking view.

Afterwards, we hiked a path that gave panoramic views of the little town, and saw the stereotypical postcard image. It was unspeakably more beautiful in real life. The cool wind brought in humid salty sea air, and the sun broke through the clouds to light up the colorful pile of buildings and the crashing waves of the bright blue sea. Flowers were blooming, colorful roses and peonies and flowers I had never even seen before. It smelled like green earth and sea air. 

The hike eventually circled us back down into the village, where we got fresh gelato. Next up was a train ride to the fifth and largest of the five villages, Monterosso al Mare, the only village with a beach. Monterosso is gorgeous, but definitely more touristy  Here we had free time for lunch, and we got to experience some of their famous pesto – it was everything I expected and more. After shopping around the little villages and sampling and purchasing some of their unique dry wine, we went and lay on the pebbly beach, dipped our toes in the Mediterranean, and simply sat in the warm summer sun.

 

     Our last stop was Vernazza, a town that was devastated by mudslides and flooding in 2011. It has been mostly rebuilt in the traditional style, and at first glance you could hardly notice the telltale signs of damage. Vernazza is a port town and small fishing village, with a jetty that takes you out into the ocean to give you a view of the town from the water. We sat on the pier and watched the waves crashing against the rocks for about an hour before it was time to take the train back to La Spezia, where we caught a bus back to Florence. It was an absolutely exhausting day, and the bus was full of nodding heads on the way back. Chinque Terre is simply magical, and probably one of my favorite places that I’ve been lucky enough to visit. 

Firenze

      Growing up my family and I always had the same seating arrangement when we flew. My brother got the window seat, but I always wanted to sit next to him - and besides, my tall mom had to have the aisle - so I was left with the middle. My poor dad was the brave soul who had to sit away from the family, either across the row, or next to total strangers. Even now I hardly ever end up with a coveted window seat, for one reason or another. But this morning I got the window seat, and flying in to Florence was the most breathtaking sight I’ve ever seen from a plane window. I woke up at 3:30 am to catch my flight to Florence, so I was dozing when the flight attendant announced we would be landing in a half an hour. I started awake and struggled out of my delirium. I rubbed my eyes to the dazzling afternoon sun, and eventually adjusted to see the coastline of Italy as it met the Mediterranean Sea. We were flying in, I believe, somewhere between the island of Elba and the city of Pisa, and as we drew closer to shore I could see the miniscule little boats trailing white in the bright blue sea. The coast gave way to villages and towns that were all white-wash, with red brick roofs. The plane turned to circumvent a mountain range, which eventually gave way to the rolling hills of Tuscany. I could see the tiny rows of grapes, accompanied by miniature villas, some with the bright blue dot of a swimming pool. It looked like the stereotypical, poster-card perfect wine country of Italy; all spread out beneath me like a painting. Suddenly the hills gave way to city, and as I looked up I could see the Duomo of Florence, overshadowing everything else in the city, looking like a normal sized building amongst toys. This building transfixed me, even from the air. It was surrounded by sun-baked, red orange buildings and several other towering monuments, but it held my attention until the plane dropped close to the ground, and it was finally lost behind the skyline of other buildings.

      I fell in love with Florence the minute we entered city limits. After excitedly grabbing my bags and finding my group, I was loaded onto a bus with other API students. Once again I ended up in a window seat, and as we drove to the historic center of town I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the window. Even the outskirts of town, with graffiti marked walls and crumbled buildings, was gorgeous, and it became even more fantastic as we pulled into the city center. I felt like I was at Disneyland, or had taken a step back in time, because I simply could not believe how picture-perfect this city is. We were dropped outside of the Hotel Astoria, a building whose insides were just as gorgeous as the outside. I was given an old brass key to my room, which sported chandeliers and a ten foot tall window, that looked out on a little terrace and beautiful orange rooftops.

            I had been so nervous for so long to arrive in this city all by myself, to leave the people I love for so long, but I couldn’t stop smiling as I unpacked my bag. I ended up in the lobby and went on a stroll around the city with a bunch of girls I had met on the bus. We started wandering and found our way, inevitably, to the monumental Duomo. Words can simply not do this building justice. The most impressive aspect of this building is it’s simple sheer size. It is a hulk of a building, and yet as you draw closer you realize that every inch of it is so intricate, with carvings and paintings and recesses with statues that I could stare at for ages. We circled the whole thing, and as we reached the end the bell tower chimed the hour – five o’clock. The sheer power, size, and art of the Duomo is indescribable. I feel as if I could stare at it for hours, and I know that every time I see it something inside of me will sigh in breathless awe. Wow. After meandering through more wandering cobblestone streets I ended up back at the hotel.

          
    A while later we went to the orientation dinner, which was on the rooftop of the Hotel Baglioni, which gave breathtaking views of the entire city, the Duomo looming over it all. This was followed by another wandering around the city with another group of new friends in search of “real” gelato, the kind that comes with silver covers, not in heaping piles. We eventually found a shop right outside the Duomo, and ate in near silence as we all continued to stare at the massive building.

            It’s been a matter of hours and I am absolutely, completely, and totally smitten with this city. Tomorrow we move in to our apartments, where I will live for the next month. My nerves for this trip have, for the time being, been replaced with a contented feeling of awe.

Everyone I’ve talked to about my trip to Italy this summer has told me “You’re so lucky, you’re going to have an amazing time! I’m so jealous! Italy is so beautiful.”  I’ve usually responded with a muttered “I know,” but it wasn’t until today that I really agreed with what everyone has been telling me. I am so lucky, Italy is the most beautiful place I have ever seen, and I am going to have an amazing time, despite missing everything back home. I am exhausted, physically and emotionally, so for now I say buonanotte – goodnight!