Tuscany with B: Part 8
A full, blissful day in Cinque Terre.
You Won’t Rain on Our Parade
We woke up in Corniglia to another overcast day, ready for some espresso and a light breakfast. We returned to the aperitivo place from the night before and ordered lattes, various pastries, and fruit offerings. To be honest, it was the worst coffee and breakfast of our trip. It had to happen somewhere, right? We then decided to meander around the village some more, snapping pictures and pausing to take in the incredible views. There is no direct beach access in Corniglia, but there is a stairway that leads down to the water where there is a tiny dock and some fishing boats. We followed the stairway down to the bottom and were rewarded with views that words cannot describe and pictures cannot do justice.
Did Someone Say, Wine? And Meat and Cheese?
Sadly, our kayak tour was cancelled because of the rain and wind. We weren’t sad for long. I booked us a wine tour in Vernazza that started around 1:00, so we hopped on the train a bit early so we could grab some lunch. There was a cute little enoteca, Cinque Sensi Vernazza, right by the meeting point, so we sat outside there and ordered a meat and cheese tray and some wine tastings. The meat, cheese, pesto, and bread were all so decadent—each piece bursting with flavor. My wine tasting consisted of a white, rosé, and red, all local to the Cinque Terre. Each wine was so unique. I remember really loving the rosé; it was smooth and less acidic than most rosés I’ve tried.
Eroico
Before long, our tour guide, Lucca, showed up and introduced himself. Slowly, the rest of the tourists trickled in as well. We finished our lunch and began the hike up the mountainside to where Lucca’s family’s vineyard resides. It was about a 40-minute hike, but we took plenty of breaks to catch the views and hear the history of Eroico. Lucca couldn’t say when exactly his family started making wine—they just always have. He works the vineyard with his two brothers, alongside his father and mother. The family aspect of the business really speaks to me, because I’m so close with my family and have a business with my brother. I think families that are able to spend time with each other every single day are truly blessed. Once we made it to the vineyard, Lucca had us sit down in the lawn chairs that were literally placed right in the middle of the vines. There was a tiny hut that he disappeared into for a short time, before reappearing with some olives, pesto—homemade by his mother, but without any garlic, because garlic interferes with the palate during wine tasting—and homemade bread. No water was served; we’d been encouraged to bring our own. Next, Lucca brought out the first wine. A lovely, easy-drinking white that I wish we could’ve bought a case of. I’m really kicking myself that I didn’t take my Wine Folly journal with me on the trip, so I could've written down details of each wine. I’d really love to be able to describe the wines for you, but I sadly can’t remember the smells and tastes I experienced with the wines; I can only remember that I loved them. A lot.
Next, we were given another white that was a bit fuller-bodied. Still very lovely and easy to drink, but a bit richer. If I remember correctly, this one was the crowd favorite. And then, finally, we were served a magnificent orange wine. That’s right—orange! I’d never had an orange wine before, but had been wanting to try one for a while. The best way I can describe it is a white wine at the start and then a red on the finish. You get the taste of a white wine, followed by some tannins that make you think you’re suddenly drinking a red. In my opinion, it would be perfect on hot summer nights when you want a red wine to go with your steak, but you just need something cold to sip on. Lucca and the wines were marvelous, but they were the only awesome part of the tour. Just like on our wine tour in Tuscany, we really enjoyed chatting with the other guests throughout the day. It’s really fun getting to know people from all over the world, sharing once-in-a-lifetime experiences together.
Back to Corniglia
After the hike back down to Vernazza, we decided to grab some gelato and take a stroll around the port for a bit. I had my first affogato of the trip, and the espresso gave me a nice jolt after a day of eating, drinking, and walking. We sat by the small beach and listened to the waves while refueling on some much-needed H2O. It was a magical experience being right on the water, surrounded by the colorful homes iconic to the Cinque Terre.
After a short break at the small beach, we made our way to the hiking trail that connects Vernazza and Corniglia. It was after 5:00, so we didn’t need a trail pass. We’d been told the hike would take around 1.5 hours, so we decided to go for it. I would love to spend several days in the Cinque Terre sometime and hike the entire coastline. The views are unmatched, and it would be lovely to spend time in each village. The trail we took wasn’t all too hard, though there was quite a bit of climbing; nothing compared to the stairway up to Corniglia from the train station! I’m really glad we were able to do at least one hike while we were there, taking in the scenery and just enjoying being out in nature. The weather was actually perfect for hiking—low 60s with a nice breeze coming in off the sea. I can imagine that in the heat of the summer, the hike could be a bit tougher.
Disappointing Dinner
Sadly, we had the worst dinner of our trip that night. It wasn’t terrible, just nothing to write home about. I had some lasagna, and Brody had another seafood pasta. Both were just pretty average, and so far on the trip, all of our dinners had been way above average. I think if the sun had been out and we could’ve eaten at one of the restaurants I had saved in my Google Maps, we would’ve had a much better dinner experience. The rest of the evening was pretty uneventful. We were both exhausted, so we made our way back to the Airbnb to call it a night. As I lay in bed that evening, I began to get super excited about seeing my baby girl in just a couple of days. She still had a stomach bug, but I’d been told she was hanging in there. I think I was more worried about how my husband was holding up at that point. Sleepless nights caring for a sick child test even the strongest of humans.
Steal Our Itinerary
11:30ish - Train to Vernazza
12:30ish - Light lunch and wine tasting at Cinque Sensi Vernazza. Get a local wine flight and a meat and cheese board.
2:00ish - Eroico Wine Tour: https://www.eroico-wine.com/
4:30ish - wander around Vernazza
5:00ish - take the trail back to Corniglia