Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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Corniglia To Manarola
Talk about an inauspicious start to this trail (40min.). Even after climbing down 382 steps from Corniglia (a good reason to do the trail in this direction), the scenery scarcely improves, as the entry to this portion of the trail is past the train station, through a bunker-like concrete gully, and past a number of abandoned warehouses. Compared to the first two sections of trail, the scenery here is only decent. The trail is much flatter and paved with gravel in many places, making it easier for hikers of all abilities.
Manarola To Riomaggiore
All’s fair in love and walking, as the final stretch of Cinque Terre’s famous “Trail #2” (the blue line on the tourist-office map) demonstrates. Known as Via dell’Amore, or the “Lover’s Trail,” this 20min. walk can be completed by anyone, and with elevators at both ends, it is nearly wheelchair accessible except for a few steps in the middle. (Disabled visitors should call the park in advance at 0187 76 00 91 for lift information.) Smooth and paved, this hike provides more than just a mild introduction to the sea views further along. Its uniqueness comes from the so-called “tunnel of love” graffiti-ed with sappy hearts and Cupid’s arrows by countless paramours over the years, though some have painted elaborate murals. A cheesy but nonetheless popular trail tradition is to affix a lock to the park fences with your one and only and throw away the key as a symbol of everlasting affection.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: You can find Cinque Terre National Park Offices in or next to the train stations in Monterosso, Corniglia, and Riommagiore. They provide information on trails and sells Cinque Terre Cards, which are necessary for hiking. (0187 81 25 23 for Monterosso www.parconazionale5terre.it All 3 open daily 8am-7pm, somtimes slightly later.)
• INTERNET: As with most services, Monterooso is the best bet. If your accommodation doesn’t provide internet, The Net has computers and Wi-Fi. (V. Vittorio Emanuele 55 0187 81 72 88 www.monterossonet.com €1.50 1st 10min., €0.10 per min. thereafter, or €10 per 2hr. Open daily 9:30am-9pm.) In Vernazza, try Phone Home Internet Point, which has computers and Wi-Fi. (V. Roma 38 €0.15 per min. 1st 30min., €0.10 per min. thereafter. Wi-Fi €3 per 30min. Open daily May-Oct 9:30am-10pm; Nov-Apr 9:30am-8pm.)
• POST OFFICES: All five towns have their own post office, in Monterosso at V. Roma 73 ( Open M-F 8am-1:30pm, Sa 8am-12:30pm.) and in Riomaggiore at V. Pecunia 7 (0187 80 31 60 Open M-F 8am-1pm, Sa 8am-noon.)
Emergency!
• POLICE: Carabinieri in Monterosso (0187 81 75 24). There are also municipal police offices in all the towns except Manarola.
• LATE-NIGHT PHARMACIES: The pharmacies at Via Fegina 44 in Monterosso, Via Roma 2 in Vernazza, and Via Colombo 182 in Riomaggiore post after-hours rotations outside.
• MEDICAL SERVICES: There is a doctor’s office in the municipal building in Monterosso (P. Garibaldi).
cinque terre card
Cinque Terre Cards can be bought in the train stations and Cinque Terre National Park offices in each of the five towns. If you have any intention of hiking while in the area, you will need to purchase one, as they are required for access to the paths. They also grant reduced entry fees to various attractions in the towns and access to the bus routes within each town. A one-day pass costs €5, two-day is €8, three-day is €10, and seven-day is €20. You also have the option of buying an obviously-titled “with train” pass that includes unlimited access to the trains connecting the villages. This pass costs €8.50/€14.70/€19.50/€36.50, and is not worth the extra money since a) a train ride costs €1.40, so you’d have to ride it three times in one day to make it worth your money and b) you’re buying what is essentially a hiking pass, who needs trains?
Getting There
By Train
All the towns lie on the Geona-La Spezia line. If you’re coming from far afield, you will almost certainly have to change trains at least once to get here. All trains from Genoa ( €5. 90min., about every hr., departing Genoa 5am-10:20pm.) and La Spezia ( €1.40. 20min., every 30min. or more, departing 4:30am-12:50am.) stop in Monterosso and Riomaggiore, but many skip the towns inbetween. Some direct trains arrive from Turin, Florence, and Milan, but generally you need to change train to get here from one of those destinations. Local trains run between Levanto and La Spezia, with stops at each of the five villages ( M-F €1.40, Sa-Su €1.50. 2-19min., every 30min. or less 4:51am-11:39pm.) Train schedules to the towns are available at tourist offices. Note that for some of the villages (particularly Corniglia) the train station can be as much as a 15min. steep walk from the town itself.
Getting Around
In each of the towns, walking is the best way to do it. National Park Buses, a.k.a. green vans run through several of the villages to connect their coasts with their uphill attractions, but note that you cannot get between the villages via bus.
florence firenze
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With Michelangelos crammed into every corner and Botticellis stacked clear to the sky, Florence isn’t quite a real city—it’s more like a storage facility for the Renaissance. Race through the Tuscan capital in three to five days, consuming masterpieces like a fresco-eating Pac-Man, and you’re bound to remember Florence as a beautiful—if blurry—delight. Look too closely, though, and the seams begin to show. A large portion of the city’s seemingly 16th-century buildings and frescoes are actually 19th-century reproductions, sometimes making it feel as if you’re in a chase scene out a cheap cartoon where the same handful of background cells have been reused over and over again. Add in the overwhelming tourist crush and the lack of any local industry aside from the manufacture of plaster Davids, and it can all start to seem a bit Disney World.
So don’t stretch out your stay. With little green space, performance art, or nightlife, Florence is the place for concentrated sightseeing at its best. In the end, you’ll find it’s better to give the city just a few days of intense museum- and church-going and leave feeling as though you’ve seen only the tip of a remarkable iceberg than overstay and never want to visit another gloriously frescoed cathedral again. Because really, they truly are glorious.
ORIENTATION
Duomo And Piazza Della Signoria
The center of the city contains Florence’s two most famous attractions: the Duomo and the Uffizi. In a city where the streets were lain with 15th-century logic and everything looks pretty much the same, you’ll find the Duomo an invaluable navigational aid. No matter how lost you get, you’ll probably be able to find your way back here. A little further to the south, P. della Signoria offers the chance to hang out with the well-heeled, honeymooners, and a replica of the David. Given its high number of tourists, this area contains fairly high-priced and busy restaurants, so is notable far more for its sights than for any practical concerns.
The Outer Ring
Surrounding all the tourists at the Duomo and Uffizi are a series of neighborhoods that offer (slightly) less-tourist-filled establishments and a still high number of great museums. In the northwest is Santa Maria Novella train station, your likely point of arrival in the city. Heading east from there to the area around Piazza San Lorenzo you’ll find cheap hotels, 99 cent stores, and huge outdoor markets. Continuing east, you’ll go past the San Marco area, characterized by an amazing density of museums and bus stops. Furthest east in the city is Santa Croce, home of the city’s university, and therefore by far its best nightlife.
The Oltrarno
The Oltrarno is the area across the Arno river. The western side is one of the most authentic parts of the city, while still retaining a high density of hostels and museums. As you go further east it becomes more residential, with only the Piazzale Michelangelo and the nightlife around Ponte San Niccolo to really draw visitors.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Travel in a small group to get your money’s worth in Florence, particularly during the low season. Two to four people can score gorgeous rooms in three-star hotels for a lower per-person rate than
you’ll find at a hostel. Although most hotel rooms are doubles, it is not difficult to find triples, quads, and even family suites. For the solo traveler, options are a little more limited. Florence is home to only a few good hostels, and most otherwise affordable accommodations charge a pretty penny for singles. However, if you’re only in town for a few days, there are plenty of acceptable options in central locations. Ikeep in mind that low season is called “low” for a reason: nightly room rates can drop by €10-20 when the city is less flooded with out-of-towners seeking beds. In our listings, we’ve stuck to high-season rates, so those of you traveling to Florence in February can silently gloat every time you read a price estimate and think about how much lower your rate will be.
Duomo And Piazza Della Signoria
There are a lot of options in the most central part of the city, though none are super cheap. The Academy is your best bet, particularly if you can book in advance. To go up a notch, check out the many nice small hotels, mostly found to the east and north of the Duomo. While Florence is tiny, it’s still nice to be at its center.
ACADEMY HOSTEL
V. Ricasoli 9
HOSTEL
055 23 98 665 www.academyhostels.com
This is the poshest hostel in Florence, and if you’re planning ahead, it is the place to stay. For a few euros more than Archi Rossi and Plus Florence—the other good hostel options in town—you get free pasta and wine every evening at 6:30pm as well as towels, privacy screens, bedside tables, and no bunk beds. Academy is also far smaller than the other options, sleeping only 30 people at a time. For better or for worse, the price keeps away the hordes of drunk teenagers and the more adventurous backpackers, so the Academy mostly attracts middle-ground types who book in advance. The uncommonly helpful day staff learn names and, like the ritziest of concierges, know the city inside and out. Lockout may seem inconvenient, but it keeps the place spotless.
Less than a block north of the Duomo, on the left. Breakfast and dinner included. Credit card min. €150. Free Wi-Fi. Dorms €29-34. Reception 24hr. Lockout 11am-2pm.
HOTEL BRETAGNA
Lungarno Corsini 6
HOTEL
055 28 96 18 www.hotelbretagna.net
Beautiful historic suites with frescoed ceilings merit a pricetag that’s twice as high, and even this hotel’s standard rooms are lovely. A tiny balcony off the lobby looks out on the Arno—at sunset, it’s a fine place for a coffee or smoke. Breakfast is served in a hall lined with antique porcelain adjacent to a banquet hall that would not be out of place in one of the city’s major palazzi.
Facing the river, it’s 2 blocks right of Ponte Vecchio. Breakfast included. Doubles €90-110; historic rooms €110-140. Several larger suites available. Reception 24hr.
HOSTEL VERONIQUE / ALEKIN HOSTEL
V. Porta Rossa 6, 2nd and 4th fl.
HOSTEL
055 260 8332
These are two barebones hostels on two floors of the same building, run by mother and son. Rooms are all private and sleep two to four. The bathroom on the hall is shared. The place could use a better paint job, but otherwise it’s clean and serviceable.
Just north of Mercato Nuovo. Free Wi-Fi. Cash preferred. Beds around €25. Alekin (he of the title) will sleep in the hostel if there are any late arrivals expected.
HOTEL LOCANDA ORCHIDEA
V. Borgo Degli Albizi
HOTEL
055 24 80 346 www.hotelorchideaflorence.it/history.html
A lovely, homey little place, with tile floors, leather couches, and a narrow terrace that’s overgrown in a romantic sort of way. It’s charmingly cluttered and den-like in most of the common space, but the shared bathrooms are large and clean.
V. Borgo Degli Albizi leads from the southeast of the Duomo piazza. Tea and coffee all day. Good ceiling fans. Singles €30-55; doubles €50-75; quads €80-120. Reception 8am-10pm.
The Outer Ring
Unless you’re here with your parents or you have a specific reason to stay south of the Arno, this is where you’ll probably stay. As in almost any city, there are plenty of budget hotels located right next to the train station. If you roll into town late and are just looking for somewhere to crash, head straight to Via Fiume, which is lined with hotels. Via Nazionale and Via Faenza are a little further east but still have plenty of budget options. Further east from those, though, and you’ll reach more residential areas with far fewer options, so it’s best to stick to the north and northwest of the city.
OSTELLO ARCHI ROSSI
V. Faenza 94r
HOSTEL
055 29 08 04 www.hostelarchirossi.com
The large garden courtyard might be the only green space you’ll see in Florence outside of church cloisters. The quirky garden is charming enough that you will forget you are in a massive 100+ bed hostel, and the walls packed with notes, drawings, and signatures from previous guests will give you something new to look at every time you walk up the stairs. Pay a little extra for an ensuite room, because the communal bathrooms are shared by too many. On the plus side, this hostel has more computers than most American public schools. Despite some trade-offs, this is the best hostel in Florence. Good luck trying to find somewhere to scrawl your own name—look for Let’s Go across from the water cooler.
From the train station, take V. Nazionale and then a left onto V. Faenza. Beer on sale at desk. Dorms €21-27. Reception 6:30am-2am.
HOSTEL PLUS
V. Santa Caterina D’Alessandria 15
HOSTEL
055 46 28 934 www.plushostels.com
It’s a chain hostel, sure, but it’s the nicest darn chain hostel our Let’s Go researchers have ever seen. With so many rooms, it can feel a little empty when there aren’t nine million tourists around, but that just means more space for you on the spacious terrace bar. Climb up another level to the flat roof, which sports some folding chairs, a guard rail, and, the best panoramic view of Florence you’ll find outside Giotto’s tower. Down in the basement is a restaurant (€10 for breakfast, pasta dinner, or a bottle of wine), another full bar, a disco complete with ball, a sauna, a Turkish bath, and a heavily chlorinated swimming pool flooded with colored lights.
Follow V. Nazionale way up until it changes names. Breakfast €10. Dorms €20-25. Reception 24hr.
PENSIONE LA SCALA
V. della Scala 21
PENSIONE
055 21 26 29
Don’t be scared off by the name of the building in which Pensione La Scala is situated—Residence Bellevue. This place may be a bit mental, but it’s no institution. Rather, it’s a comfy, personal bed and breakfast with a stuffed crocodile, frescoed ceilings, a nifty vintage radio that sometimes works, and a dining room table full of books and papers. It will be cleared for breakfast only if you’re able to get on avuncular proprietor Gabriel’s good side. Gabriel lives on premises and describes himself as Santa Claus—especially to those who are quick to flash a smile, show up on an under-booked night, or pay cash.
Down from the train station, on the left. Cash preferred. Doubles €80-90; triples €120-135; quads €160-180. Reception 24hr., but Gabriel would rather not be woken up at odd hours.
SOGGIORNO ANNAMARIA / KATTI HOUSE
V. Faenza 21
B AND B
055 21 34 10 www.kattihouse.com
If you are traveling with a small group and don’t mind sharing queen-size beds, stay here. This lovely B and B feels more like a flat that you’re borrowing from some posh aunt. Wood-beamed ceilings, grandfather clocks, and comfortable living rooms characterize these suites of rooms. On the second floor, four bedrooms share a big, sunny living room with a built-in bar. Each bedroom sports a TV and a tea kettle (as we said, posh aunt).
On V. Faenza, look for the doorway with all the Let’s Go stickers. Breakfast included. Singles €70; doubles €85; quads €130.
HOTEL CONSIGLI
Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 50
HOTEL
055 214 172 www.hotelconsigli.com
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If you are traveling in a small group, this gorgeous hotel on the Arno is a no-brainer. The grand staircase of the 16th-century building leads to airy rooms with original frescoes on the ceilings: the family-size suites are an especially impressive option for a well-behaved group of four. Brave a narrow spiral staircase to have a glass of wine on the enormous terrace overlooking the river. And with the American consulate right next door, you’re sure to be first in line for the airlift if Florence is invaded by zombies.
Follow the river west, up past the consulate. Breakfast included. Remodeling project underway in 2010, prices (and quality) may rise thereafter. Doubles €90; triples €120; family suite €130.
HOTEL ESTER
V. Largo Alinari 15
HOTEL