In second episode of our roadtrip we’ll be walking and climbing more than driving. So put your shoes on, grab backpack and enjoy our journey from Muzzerone trough Cinque Terre all the way to Finale Ligure.
DAY 11 – MUZZERONE BASE CAMP
Whole day is pretty rainy and we’re driving our way over the mountains to La Spezia. We wanna munch, I really want some ice cream and we get nothing because there is literally nothing open. After both of us getting sick from tiny mountain serpentines, we’re stopping at grocery store to buy everything we see. But in the moment, we’re walking out of store, biggest thunderstorm starts going full ham on us. We decided to continue driving but then this tunnel came… Until now, nature around us was really similar to what I’m used to in Czechia and Austria but on the end of this tunnel was paradise. Sun, warm, palm trees, sea and everything else you can’t even imagine. Wonderful. We’re deciding on the spot where we gonna sleep. In the end we picked to sleep literally by famous climbing spot Muzzerone. So we drive to small city La Gracia where we park and go enjoy that paradise beauty. Finally so close to the sea and being able to eat local pastry on wavy pier. No gelato tho. No gelato since Venezia! Our parking time is up and we’re driving up even crazier road towards climbing spot. After scouting few camping spots we decided to park literally by the entrance to Muzzerone. View on La Specia harbour is amazing. Nearby soldier camp can protect us so now it’s time to explore. We checked 3 climbing crags, talked to locals and went sleep.
DAY 12 – JUST KEEP WALKING
I woke up with really shitty mood. I don’t want to do anything but sometimes it’s sweet just put your shoes on and go. Lena planned her way to the beach. I didn’t plan anything and just explore surroundings. Everywhere is something interesting and everywhere are so fokin awesome views! I made it down to Porto Venere and checked Castello Doria with beautiful church nearby. I found out that here starts multi day hike following coast. And it goes trough our camping place. I went bit back and read a book on really cool viewpoint for some time before returning to Gordi. Happy to survive this unhappy day.
DAY 13 – CLIMBING
It’s time to go climbing and that’s what we did whole day. It’s sick in here!
DAY 14 – CINQUE TERRE HIKE #1
Morning belongs to climbing again. This time it’s on the main wall and it’s even better. Do you remember that multi day hike I found down at harbour? That’s what we started after lunch. We walked all the way to Santuario di Nostra Signora di Montenero where we setup our hammocks near church with view on the Cinque Terre laying just across the valley. While watching sunset on the bench next to the church one old couple came by. We helped them with their stuff to their summer cottage made out of old nazi bunker. Pretty nice place with hell of a view they have. Night is bright and bats are flying around us. Long time no see you, friends.
DAY 15 – CINQUE TERRE HIKE #2
The Cinque Terre (5 villages) we’re entering the first one – Riomaggiore in the morning after walking down so many stairs. We bought some food and panini for breakfast which we ate at the best view of this city and local harbour. Full of expectations we’re coming to the entrance of the official coast hike trail. It’s strange that we can’t buy hiking tickets anywhere (which, of course, we don’t wanna buy) until we found out that this trail is closed from here till third village… Bummer. We’re talking for long time if to hop a gate and go anyway or take crest trail around. Rock, Paper, Scissors says we take crest trail to the next village. I’ll tell you one thing. They don’t give a fuck about serpentines here in Cinque Terre at all… it’s hot and steep stairs straight up 400 height meters are not fun at all. But it’s totally worth it! Views and vibe of this place is just breathtaking. First thing I can see in second village – Manarola is gelateria so icecream it is. There is so many lemons in here. Amazing. This time we decided to not think about it much and hop the gate straight when we’re there. So we did. Nature was already taking that trail back and few places of trail were falling apart from coast into the sea. One spot took landslidebut bridges were super solid. That was the only point I was scared of while deciding if to take this forbiden path. We met 2 other tourists on the half way so we exchanged informations and that gave us much more confidence. On the landslide spot we took little trail which locals did and it led us on the beach. We put all our clothes down so fast as hot it was = superfast and took a swim. For me it was for the first time in my life to swim in the warm sea. Water was pretty salty and wet but otherwise all I needed. It took us some sunbathing, food and one more swimming until we were finally ready to continue our journey on the beach. Firstly we entered the wrong passage way which lead into someone’s garden. Then we found out that we have to climb almost 400 stairs to get into the third village (Corniglia). This one was more tight for me and really hilly so we bought bread and continued for a little while until we found our camping spot under olive trees.
DAY 16 – CINQUE TERRE HIKE #3
Yesterday we thought that next village – Vernazzais on top of next mountain. Today we gratefully found out that it’s different one and even tho it wasn’t easiest hike it was definitely much more pleasant one. Vernazzawas one of the nicest for me. We bought cake and ate it with a view on harbour. I’m getting hungry but deciding to buy some food at last village – Monterosso al Mare. It takes another hill to get over in order to get there. You can see that long beach from far. I’m looking forward to take a swim because I’m pretty sweaty again. What you can’t see from far is how much touristic this place is. It’s horrible for both of us and it doesn’t fit for me at all. That’s why we’re renaming this area for Quattro Terre(Four Villages). I didn’t bought lunch here, just quick bruschetta and took cold swim. Time to get back. I was scared how expensive this train ticket will be since it’s so touristic here but in the end it’s super cheap ride back to La Spezia. It’s super hard to find some any grocery store because there is like thousand mini markets which got “only drinks and shitty vegetables”. In the end we made it and while waiting for bus Lena is getting some oranges which grow everywhere around on every tree on the streets. Locals start telling us that they’re not sweet so we don’t need to pick them up and that they’re really just like a design. (They’re really bitter) Same story with the bus like in Venezia. I hate it and I’m really hungry. I broke down… It was too much for me. But we’re in Porto Venere already so let’s hike this crazy mountain back to Gordi. Home, sweet home. So nice to be back.
DAY 17 – MOVING ON
It’s time to move on, time to pack everything, time to wave to soldiers one last time and time to say goodbye to Muzzerone. It was a great time. Ciao. Just before leaving it’s also time to do first laundry of this trip, first big cleaning and full refill of water. Struggle of finding some open restaurant is super real but in the end we manage even that. After shower, hidden behind Gordi among houses, we’re finally ready to set the sail more west. Our next spot is Finale Ligure but for that we’ll have to wait for next day.
DAY 18 – PEOPLE AND BACK TO THE NATURE
On the way to Finale Ligure we visited Genova. Town where Christophorus Columbus was born. Very nice place but too crowded for us. We’re trying some Sicilian food and I must say it’s so delicious that we’re trying it even later on our trip. Finale Ligure came much earlier than I expected but we’re tired anyway and don’t know where to park. While eating pizza we’re deciding to camp on parkin lot for climbing spot Rocca di Perti which is in the middle of nowhere.(again) On the way there we’re horrified by amount of “don’t park here” signs but in the end our spot looks pretty good.
DAY 19 – RESCUE MISSION
Climbing and central wall of Rocca di Perti was much bigger adventure than we expected. After warming up on very easy routes, I’m trying really hard one but I could make it only to the third bolt. After few more tries we decided to climb easier route next to it and recover Quickdraw by repelling to it. Lena fought hard and sent her longest route she ever did before especially with less Quickdraws than bolts. What a fight… just to not have it so easy it started raining straight away so we packed our stuff and went to cook some nice dinner.
DAY 20 – EXPLORING
Lena got a chill day and I went for adventure to scout out other climbing spot Montesordo. It’s endless and with many caves. One is so huge that I didn’t have balls to explore it whole just with phone.
