We caught the train north to Monterosso, which we could sort of see from Vernazza. We hadn't researched it much, which was our mistake. It was a lively place and, because it's more accessible and much larger, there are better eating options and deeper history.
The famous cathedral is dedicated to San Giovanni Battista (St. John the Baptist).vThe exterior is faced with white and green striped marble. Its Gothic portal and a marble rose window are highlights. The belfry was originally a medieval watch tower.
The Antico Castrum is the remains of an ancient castle. The castle's interior courtyard became the town's cemetery.
The Torre Aurora was a coastal watch tower built in the 1500s to protect the town against pirates.
And on the seafront promenade there is a large statue of Neptune.
We walked a bit around the commercial, touristy section before a longer ramble in the old town. Even if it had no tourists drawn to it's sweet beach, Monterosso would still be the most populous of the five of Cinque Terra. A permanent population of about 1500.
In the height of European summer vacations, I wouldn't want to be here. As it was, we had a beautiful late summer day. We'd packed along both books and beach gear.
So we joined the thinning ranks of tourists and rented chairs and an umbrella on the sandy beach. That was a first. We alternated between reading, swimming, and napping in random order. It was delightful to swim in the perfectly cool, clear water. We'd never been on such a crowded beach.
After a final nap on our beach chairs, we showered and went in search of food. We wandered back through the small, old section before picking an interesting restaurant for a late lunch. You know for sure you're in a tourist spot when Europeans restaurants stay open all afternoon, especially one that was far back from the seaside circus and hustles.
It was here that we first had a Ligurian dish made with tightly twisted, small pastas, boiled potato, olive oil, basil, garlic, pine nuts, green beans, parmesan cheese—and probably things I don't know, but delicious and something we've continued to use at home in 2020. We figured that every Ligurian cook has a personal version. The pasta is called Trofie.
We walked back to Vernazza. Another exercise in delight as every twist of the trail along the edge of the world awed us with its own take on the scene.
This beautiful place is touristy, but we got there after school had started, so it was tolerably crowded. It was possible to be alone with the awesome spaces.
