Nine of us traveled by train the Cinque Terre today and five stayed behind in Florence. We enjoyed a beautiful day along the Ligurian Sea's coastline as we visited the villages clinging to the cliffs. Words and even photographs do not convey the special feeling of actually being in the Cinque Terre! Seeing the everyday life of the people who live there as they deal with the thousands of tourists who now want to see their special corner of the world is a unique experience. Due to time constraints and delayed trains we were only able to visit three of the famed five villages but it was a real treat nevertheless. We had about an hour to kill at the train station in La Spezia before our trip home so some of us took a little walk around the city. The only discomfort was the loud and bumpy ride back to Florence in the evening on a train that needs to go to its last station! Enjoy our photos and think about seeing this place for yourself someday! More later . . . Ciao!
I HAVE SET UP A NEW PHOTOBLOG SITE FOR THE 2014 TOURS. YOU CAN STILL SEE PHOTOS FROM 2008 TO 2013 HERE. TO VIEW THE LATEST TOURS GO TO: WWW.INTUSCANYWITHPATRIZIA.BLOGSPOT.COM
"Una Giornata di Riposo" A Day for Rest - Oct. 11
Everyone is taking a deep breath today with some time to rest and go out and about on our own. So there's little to tell about individual activities, except for mine. I have been wanting to go to Montecatini Terme to scout out the possiblity of taking others there while we are in Tuscany, so today was the day. I reached the town after an hour's train ride south toward Lucca. In the early 20th century this was the place for "taking the waters" in Europe. The thermal baths and spas were very popular and grand hotels were built to accommodate the visitors. There are still a few in operation but most have seen their better days. However the town is very beautiful with nice trees, parks and cafes. The old Middle Ages town of Montecatini Alto is reached by a funicular (cable car) that climbs to the hilltop (thank goodness!). The old town is very quiet and serene with beautiful views of the newer town below. Take a look at Montecatini - maybe you could try a spa there someday. More later . . . Ciao!