Alps and Med Day 5: Cinque Terre

On the bus returning from Cinque Terre …

Our lengthy dinner service didn’t end until well after 10 PM last night. But we depart at 8:15 AM this morning. Our driver, Silvano, makes quick time on the drive south from Genoa heading towards Cinque Terre. We pass through many tunnels and over many bridges as we traverse the mountains and valleys of the rugged terrain of this part of Italy.

Our first destination is the town Sestri Levante where we meet Frederica, our local guide for our visit today. We board a train for the hour long trip to reach the five fishing villages of Cinque Terre.

The Italian Riviera towns of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, with their pastel colored homes and buildings, perch on the steep hillsides above the Mediterranean. No major roadways here. Instead trails connect the terraced winemaking vineyards and olive groves to the anchovy fishing boats below.

We start in the town of Riomaggiore, walking up from the train station to the pathway that winds its way through town. The views of the town and the crystal clear Ligurian Sea are spectacular!

We walk through the town for a few hours, cool off with a Lemonade Ice Cream, then board the train for the 20-minute ride to Monterosso al Mare. We’ve got a couple of hours to explore, so Michelle, Sophie, Greg, Peter, and me have a pasta, beer, and wine lunch at Ristorante al Cambusa. Next we shop for a while, then head to the beach.

After one last seaside glass of vino blanc we board the train to Sestri Levante where we meet the bus for the drive back to Genoa. Tomorrow we see Monaco and Nice!

Alps and Med Day 4: Lake Como

From Genoa …

Today is a transfer day of sorts with a side of Lake Como. We leave Switzerland for the 3-hour drive to Lake Como in Italy.

Not everyone enjoys the longer bus rides, but I always like to chance to sit back and watch the countryside roll by. The views of Switzerland on the way south towards Italy do not disappoint!

Lake Como is one of the deepest lakes in Europe with picturesque lakeside villages serving as a retreat for international celebrities. We stop in the town of Como. Located at the southern tip of the lake, Como is the lake’s historic gateway. Known for its lakeside promenade and the Como Cathedral, a Gothic–Renaissance landmark that took nearly four centuries to complete. Como is also famous for the nearby Como–Brunate Funicular, which climbs the hillside for views of the lake and surrounding Alps.

But our plan is a quick ferry ride to the lakeside town of Cernobbio. There we have lunch at Trattoria Laghee and then walk around Cernobbio for a bit.

Then it’s back to the ferry, a hot afternoon walk through Como, and on the bus for the 3-hour drive to Genoa.

Located on the coastline of the Liguria region, Genoa is the “capital” of the Italian Riviera! Once a powerful maritime republic, Genoa is one of the best-preserved medieval old town’s in Europe. And well known for Genoa Salami!!

Alps and Med Day 3: Lucerne

From Lucerne …

After a few days of planes and bus travel, it’s time to get down to the business of sightseeing! Lucerne sits on Lake Lucerne beneath the soaring peaks of the Swiss Alps. It’s medieval and picturesque!

Breakfast is at the hotel with an 8 AM departure. After a 1-hour bus ride through the Alps, we arrive at Mount Titlis. This is the highest glacier in central Switzerland at 10,000 feet. It’s a multipart trip up the mountain with a funicular, and several gondola rides. But on the last section there is a 15-minute delay hundreds of feet in the air when the gondola randomly stops midway. Eventually, the gondola restarts and we arrive safely. We venture 20 meters below the surface and explore the inside of the glacier. Then we’re up above the glacier for a breathtaking view of the Alps from the Cliff Walk bridge suspended way up above the side of the mountain. Have I mentioned heights are really not my thing?

Back in Lucerne Michelle, Peter, and me enjoy a pizza lunch at La Vie.

In the afternoon we take a walking tour of old Lucerne. In the historic old town we visit Weinmarkt and Kornmarkt Square (cobblestone medieval squares in the heart of the old town), the Musegg Wall and Towers (the 800-meter long wall dating to the 1400s), and the Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal honors the Swiss Guards lost during the French Revolution).

At the end of the day we do some souvenir shopping then stop for Sunday afternoon cocktails overlooking the Lucerne River at Mr. Pickwick Pub. On the way back to the hotel we stop by the Jesuit Church (the first baroque church in Switzerland). Then it’s on to the Hotel Astoria for dinner and sunset cocktails to end the day!

Alps and Med Day 2: Zurich to Lucerne

From Lucerne …

Our flight arrives late morning after our overnight (and direct!) flight from Boston. We get through Swiss passport control, collect our luggage, and meet our guide. Rodolphe Rousseux is from France, with extensive travel experience as a tour director in the United States and Europe. Then we board our bus, meet our driver Silvano, and are on the way to Lucerne to check into our hotel.

We visit Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) built in the 14th century over the Reuss River. A 1993 fire destroyed most of the bridge, but it’s been faithfully restored as a symbol of Switzerland’s medieval craftsmanship.

After a quick hotel check in we’ve got time to walk through Lucerne. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in mid-April, the towns squares are bustling. And we get our first look at the stunning Swiss Alps!

Then it’s back to the hotel for dinner and I do the best I can on this post in a state of jet-lagged delirium!!

Alps and Med Day 1: BOS to ZRH

From Boston Logan …

We’ve got a late evening departure so plenty of time today to make the best of a layover day in Boston. I decide to walk along The Rose Kennedy Greenway to the Boston Harbor waterfront and visit the New England Aquarium.

With more than a million visitors each year, the New England Aquarium is one of Boston’s most popular destinations. It’s a great opportunity to photograph the coral reef species inhabiting the Giant Ocean Tank.

After a few hours exploring the Aquarium I head back to the hotel for a late checkout, lunch at Tavern in the Square, and an Uber to Logan. I’m early, but that’s okay. Time to look through today’s photos a pick a few to include in this post. As everyone arrives it’s great to reconnect with longtime travel friends and meet the new travelers on this trip. We check in to Swiss International Air flight 53, get through TSA, and soon we will board our flight for the beginning of a new adventure.