I'm a Penn State University student studying in Prague for the semester, and I decided to travel to Italy for my "spring break." I’d been to Italy before, but only to the larger more familiar cities of Rome, Venice and Florence, and I really wanted to get a more authentic view of one of my favorite countries. I had heard from a friend that Cinque Terre, or The Five Villages, was a breathtaking and beautiful place to travel, especially if you enjoy hiking and exploring the smaller villages that truly capture the spirit of the country. Located in the region of Liguria, it includes the villages of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, all situated along the beautiful Italian Riviera. Four of my friends and I decided that this sounded perfect for a five day retreat - a nice break from the historic, cold weather confines of Western Europe.
I had never heard of Cinque Terre before, but it apparently has something of a cult following among the hiking and backpacking community. We did not plan the trip that thoroughly, and decided to travel on a day-by-day basis. We flew into Milan, and then took a train to La Spezia. This is the village that our hostel was in, and it was a short bus ride from the five villages. When we arrived in La Spezia, we had to take a bus up the hill to our hostel which was located in a very quaint, quiet town that could be explored in less than an hour. It was cold and rainy when we arrived, but the view from the top was amazing.
The next day we began our hike. Starting in the town of Monteroso, we planned on conquering three villages by the end of the day. I immediately fell in love with Monteroso... it was everything that I had imagined an Italian coastal village to be. The narrow, winding alleyways with cobblestone streets… the family owned cafes and pizzerias were all exactly what I had envisioned. My friends and I ordered breakfast, and then sat down on the rocks by the ocean to enjoy the breeze and the view. The beautiful weather did the landscape justice…a little chilly but perfect for a day of hiking.
After breakfast we began our hike along the coast. It was a bit more challenging than I had expected, but as our elevation increased, so did the city’s beauty. We ran into travelers everywhere, from China to Australia. Everyone was extremely friendly and exhausted, yet collectively appreciating the beauty of this landscape.
We made it to the third village, where we sat down and relaxed on the beach for a while. There was a giant boulder-esque structure protruding into the sea that my friends and I heroically climbed for a great photo opportunity. After a delicious seafood salad and double espresso, we all treated ourselves to a bottle of wine while the sun set.
The next day, we conquered the final two villages, each equally beautiful and personal in their own way. Even though the villages catered to tourists, and many people spoke at least some English, I attempted to use my six years of Italian as often as possible. It was definitely appreciated by the locals, and I was able to communicate in a few instances, which usually involved asking where the bathroom was or ordering a cappuccino. The hike on the second day was not as challenging, and we spent more time exploring the intricacies of each village. It was too cold to go to the beach, so we headed back to La Spezia at night. Unfortunately, after dinner we missed the tram to the top of the mountain where our hostel was, and decided to hike it. On the way there, we witnessed what seemed to be an Easter vigil taking place. A priest led a ceremony in which everyone was holding candles and reciting a prayer in Italian. We slipped past the locals, who were not too thrilled that tourists had interrupted this spiritual service, and then we began the very treacherous hike. When we finally arrived at our hostel, sore and exhausted, we collapsed onto our beds and were out in a matter of minutes.
The following day we left for Florence. On the way there we realized that our train made a stop in Pisa, so we decided to get out, snap a photo of the leaning tower, and continue on our journey. It was not as big as I had imagined, but still magnificent to see in person, and we took plenty of photos to prove that we were there.
I had already been to Florence six years earlier, but with my family, so going back with friends would be a completely different experience. By now our money was running low, so my friends and I decided not to venture inside the famous museums and cathedrals, but did manage to see the exterior of every popular tourist destination in Florence. We walked along the Ponte Vecchio and treated ourselves to some pizza and gelato. At night we partied in the hostel bar, since the pouring rain deterred us from going out and exploring the nightlife. The next day the weather was beautiful, but we had to head back home to Prague. At 3 pm we tried to catch the train to Milan where our flight was departing from, but were informed that it was full. The next train was not until 1 am, and with no other options we decided to take it. After dinner we were all pretty exhausted, and hung around the hostel until our train left.
The rest of our travels were not without mishap. Long story short, we had no seats on the 6-hour train ride so we had to sleep on the floor. It cost us 100 euro to get from the station to the airport, and we got there just in time to miss our flight. Everyone but my friend Stephanie and I opted to sleep in the airport. We booked a hostel on the outskirts of Bergamo and slept until morning. The town was actually very beautiful, hilly, and quiet, so it was not a total loss. We did have to pay for a new flight, in addition to a night in the hostel, but we finally made it back to Prague.
It was quite the journey, and even though the trip took an extreme physical toll on our bodies, it was still my favorite weekend getaway. I will always love a good espresso in the morning, Panini for lunch, and pizza for dinner, accompanied by the smell of fresh sea air. The view of the coast from the highest point on our hike will always be engrained in my mind. It is still hard to believe that we found ourselves in such an enchanting and aesthetically rich location that many people still have never heard of. The fact that we spontaneously fit in Pisa and Bergamo also made the trip that much more worthwhile. The company was good, the locals were friendly, and the authentic, genuine Italian experience made for the ideal “spring break.”
Have you ever traveled to Italy?
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Jillian Goldfluss is a film major at Penn Sate University and is currently studying abroad in the Czech Republic. Last summer Jillian interned at Pressman Films in New York City and is looking forward to her upcoming internship at Fourth Row Films beginning this June.
