Monday 3rd October
I’m heading for Lyon from London, changing at Lille. However the scene at St Pancras is chaotic as 3 Eurostar trains are running late. Families with young children await the Eurostar Disney train along with passengers for Paris and Amsterdam trains. I chat with a chap from United Technologies who’s philosophical about the frustrations of business travel – ”if I’m late our supplier will just have to wait!’ I told him about my trip to Sicily and Athens – he would come in a heartbeat if he had a choice. The delay was caused by a late running incoming train, our train was 35 minutes late, but as I had allowed an hour to connect at Lille it didn’t matter. All I got to see of Lille was the brutal concrete structure that is Lille Europe station.
At Lyon Part Dieu station I waited 25 minutes for my train to Perrache, a venerable station reminds me of Impressionist paintings, now getting a facelift. The Berlioz hotel is minutes away, room the size of a broom cupboard, is clean and very friendly, Apart from a kebab place all the restaurants are closed on Monday. Instead I bought a cheese salad which came with bread sticks and choc chip cookie as well as plenty of balsamic dressing which was very acceptable.
Its an early start tomorrow for the Milan train so I’ll have a shower now instead of in the morning.
Tuesday 4th October
Once again the train was packed, however the Frecciarosa Italian train arrived in Milan 15 minutes early, I did get the impression there was a lot of padding in the schedule. Gave me time to revisit the bold architecture that is Milan Centrale station built by the fascist dictator Mussolini. It was built to look like a Roman temple with beautiful mosaic floors.
The onward train to Cinque Terre was uneventful until we came to Monterosso station, however, being in end carriage we appeared to be stopped in a tunnel. At this point we told to get off the train with our luggage onto the trackside – quite a steep drop. We shortly reached the platform, not an incident I’d want to repeat.
Coming out of the station, I am greeted by a bustling, sunny upmarket resort of Monterosso, right by the sea. The promenade is lined with interesting restaurants and small hotels, my hotel is located just outside the centre. I’m staying at the Villa Adriana https://www.villaadriana.info/a quietly situated 3* hotel in its own grounds with a swimming pool on a quiet side street – I’m in paradise!. I’ve booked the the attic room on a half board deal, feels more like a 4* hotel. After a good dinner, I walked along the promenade leading to the old town. I came across a busker playing Chattanooga Choo Choo – he was evidently on a good pitch!
Wednesday 5th October
Breakfast out on the hotel terrace on a lovely sunny morning – how different from the UK! Today is coastal walk day to Vernazza, the next village. `You pay 7.50 Euros for a day hiking pass https://www.cinqueterre.eu.com/en/. The walk is much rockier and steeper than I anticipated. I wish I’d brought a walking stick not to mention sun cream, the temperature reached 25 degrees! The picture postcard view of Vernazza was stunning, however the reality was that it was inundated with tourists, so I headed for the station and sanity in Monterosso just 4 minutes away by train, as usual delayed .. I stopped at the Focaccia restaurant and had a pesto lasagna and sweet dark beer from Genoa and slept off the rest of the afternoon.
In the hotel restaurant got chatting to Nozar, a Swiss engineer with a pharmaceutical company and agreed to meet up for breakfast tomorrow
Thursday 6th October
My final day in Cinque Terre takes takes me to the old town of Monterosso, then a steep climb to the Capuchin monastery and church of San Francesco. Its a very peaceful place with a few art treasures within. A little higher is the crematorium, a quiet and eerie place. But I had another plan which meant returning to the station and taking a train to Genoa, 90 minutes away. Here I found after much asking the Granarolo rack railway. It has little changed from its construction in 1929!. The journey only takes 30 minutes rising 197 metres to the edge of the city. Best of all there’s currently no charge! After dinner, back at Monterosso walking along the promenade with Nozar the moon provides a glorious reflection over the sea, while enjoying a pistachio and mango gelato. A fitting end to a wonderful stay.