Cinque Terre

Friday 17 August


Departing the Arno River at 1130H we cannot believe our luck after motoring for a while to find we are having yet another gorgeous sail for part of the 32 NM to Le Grazie anchorage near to La Spezia.  

The boat is so well balanced that for one hour and twenty minutes we sail on the wind in very flat calm seas and light breezes 15-18 knots with no hands on the wheel.  Yes SY Matelot sails herself in these conditions and by 1800 we are dropping the anchor in the muddy bottom of Le Grazie anchorage.  

Our investigations ashore soon reveal that all the boat trips are quite expensive but we can catch the train to the Cinque Terre from La Spezia and there is a bus from nearby which will take us there.

Porto Venere over the hill from here is a cute little touristy town which we enjoy visiting.  Its hot and sticky though - very very hot.

Its a relief after a while to jump on the bus and ride back to the boat for a refreshing swim.

The next morning we are out of bed at 6 am, lunches made and ashore waiting for the bus shortly after 7am.  It does not come for quite a while so obviously the timetable does not apply.  but we eventually find ourselves on the 0830 train from La Spezia which travels mostly under tunnels through the hills to the coast where we get a glimpse of each of the five villages and the rugged coastline as we pass through them before diving back underground again and on to the next one.   

Finally we alight at Monterosso al Mare.  We plan to walk the 3km to Vernazza, the longest distance between the villages so after a quick explore of this little village, off we go.

It is the longest climb uphill past the beach umbrellas and the sensible people already cooling off in the crystal clear waters.  

We feel fit and ready for anything, but we have to push hard to make the running up and over the vertical cliff faces and yet further upwards past vineyards planted on the mountain side. 

The views are spectacular as around each corner and over each rise a new vista unfolds for us.  Looking back at Monterosso we can see how far we have climbed already and we have only just started.



 We arrive gasping into Vernazza and throw ourselves off the pier along with hundreds of others, then douse ourselves with a hose of fresh water afterwards.

A sweet fresh peach goes down a treat

Damage from the flooding of last winter is very evident in places.


The track to the next village of Corniglia is closed due to flooding and this is all the excuse we need to catch the train.  We are tired and now it is really hot.  

Swimmers fall into the sea to cool off

Earlier we were walking in the shade but now the sun is beating down on the walking tracks and we elect to go by train now, throwing ourselves into the sea at every opportunity.

 A fresh water hose is the most popular item at this swimming point.

That's Richard just climbing out of the sea at the end of the jetty.

Disaster strikes when Richard realises that he has been pick pocketed on the train and our telephone is stolen.  Fortunately they do not get his wallet - or Pippy's.  

This takes the shine off the day a little though and combined with heat exhaustion, we drift through the lovely village of Manarola, missing Riomaggiore altogether because the train stops in the tunnel and we do not realise we should get off.



Its been a fabulous day and we arrive back on the boat absolutely satisfied that we have been to the Cinque Terre.  What great memories we will have of this day.

Monday 20 August

We make a hasty exit from Le Grazia because Pippy takes the stolen sim card details to the Tabbachi ashore and attempts to cancel it, but the shop keeper misunderstands what she wants, grabs the card from her and promptly rings up more credit on the phone then demands she pay 10 Euro.  She says 'no I did not ask you to do that', horrified that yesterday's robber now has an additional bonus on the phone.

He blocks her exit from the store and says 'pay up'.  He pushes Pippy around, she pushes back and says 'get out of my way...please' then walks away down the street with him yelling obscenities at her and everyone staring.  

She calmly walks back to the dinghy (heart pounding), jumps in and guns it (backwards at first by mistake!), then in the right direction back to the boat.  

Following on from which we have an impromptu but wonderful afternoon and overnight passage to Elba where we are currently anchored...whew.  The cruising life is not dull!