Italy: Florence and Cinque Terre

After we bid teary farewells to the Tariffas, we headed back into Napoli on the Circumvesuviana (my new favorite word). We had an hour before our next train, so we stored our massive backpacks at the station and took off on a world-class speed walk to Gino Sorbillo Pizzeria, where they claim pizza was invented. I don't care if they invented it or not, if I could eat that pizza exclusively for the rest of my life I would do so wholeheartedly. Napolitanos don't slice their pizzas. You just tear it in half, fold it up, let the sauce run down your hand, and stuff it in your mouth. I can't even describe the chew and the flavor without sounding like a crazy person so I'm not going to try. Just go there and take a tissue to wipe away the tears of joy that will surely come. If we'd had more time we would've done a taste test comparison between Sorbillo and Da Michele, which we've also heard is amazing.


In Italy we drink strictly acqua frizzante and aranciata. Don't laugh, but the Fanta is on a whole other level here. I can't get enough of it.


Apologies for the squished nature of this pizza. We ran over a mile with two boxes in hand in order to make our train. 

We took the high speed train to Florence for dinner (because in Italy you have to plan your travels around your meals, obviously), where we inhaled rigatoni and bistecca fiorentina at one of our favorite restaurants, 13 Gobbi. We also went to our favorite gelateria to confirm that it's still our favorite (it is, maybe in all of Italy). I got halfway through my first cone, and then while I was bouncing up and down in excitement due to grapefruit gelato, my scoop toppled onto the sidewalk. I was very ashamed, but I went back and got another one to fill the gelato-shaped hole in my aching heart.


Definitely go to Gelateria Santa Trinita if you're in the neighborhood. Then you can look like a lunatic too!



The next morning we took the earliest train out to La Spezia and joined the throngs of people headed for Cinque Terre. Apparently it's gotten much more popular in the five years since Matt went. The only major bummer is that the coastal hiking trail the connects the five towns is closed while they make structural improvements. We were really looking forward to that, but instead we just took the train between towns and got lost in the streets and did smaller hikes through the terraced gardens. It was absolutely gorgeous. Perfect views everywhere and as many icy treats as I could ever want.



As soon as we emerged from the human crush of the trains, it seemed like we were in our own world. Somehow there were enough nooks and crannies for the crowds to thin and disappear. We had plenty of space to take in the verdant cliffs, blue waters, and sherbet townscapes.


Riomaggiore


Manarola, probably my favorite of the towns


These scenes are all across the terraced gardens of Manarola. At night they all light up, which I wish we could've seen. 


For lunch we bought grapes the size of golf balls and made the best sandwiches with mozzarella di bufala and prosciutto crudo from the market. It was perfection.

Corniglia, Matt's favorite town 


Vernazza



We sort of forgot to take pictures in the last town, Monterosso al Mare, but our favorites were the central three—maybe because they're connected by less frequent trains and they seem a bit quieter. The whole day was really breathtaking. It's a place you just have to see and experience for yourself. Until that coastal trail opens back up, we'll be saving up to buy a plot of land and live off the fruits of our grape vines and lemon trees on the Italian Riviera. You're welcome to join us.