Europe Summer 2017 13/17 - Italy : Florence, Day Trip to Magnificent Cinque Terre and Quick Stop for Pisa Tower

"Create the highest, grandest vision

possible for your life,

because you become what you believe."

- Oprah Winfrey

me at Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, Italy

Day 14 - Tuesday, 27 June 2017

My plan for today is visiting Cinque Terre, my friend recommended this place, saw the pictures and I thought, Ohh I must go there definitely if I go to Italy, so after some consideration for the route, I prefer to stay at Florence which is closer to Cinque Terre. I stored my bag in my hotel and going to take it back later on before catching up my train to Rome. It's so easy and convenience to use train wherever in Italy, they have nice train, very recommended.

I checked the train schedule from an apps called Trenitalia, and decided to stroll around the city before heading to Cinque Terre. I only have limited time for Cinque Terre means Five Lands, which are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. So after looking at pictures, I choose 2 out of 5 villages, Riomaggiore and Manarola, actually I want to add Monterosso but I thought it's a beach where I could find a lot in my country.

Strolled around city for a while based on information and map that I got from my hotel. The cost for train from Florence (Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station) to Riomaggiore is 16.9 Euro, the journey will take around 3 hours. Florence itself is still not crowded like Venice, the city was more quiet and old buildings are everywhere, the dark color are being dominant ini this city.

this square located not far from my hotel

wandering around the city

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore at Florence

  

Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station

having my breakfast in the station, 3.6 euro

bought my train ticket to Cinque Terre there

Florence - Riomaggiore, 16.9 euro

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check the train schedule there

My first stop is Riomaggiore, when I googled it's one of the closest villages of Cinque Terre and in here you can see the colourful buildings more closer. From the station you can just passing the tunnel, following the way and once you find the stairs, going down and there you will find the famous spot in Riomaggiore. You can do snorkeling there or if you just want to swim, you can also swimming there. It's a happy moment for me because I see the place with my own eyes and totally same with the internet, I love it! It's super hot but it's beautiful.

The ambience of this city is totally different with Florence which is more alive and more crowded, you can also explore the village or trying out some nice cafe, the famous meals in Cinque Terre are made in lemon but I just found out later on. I did try espresso there though, so cheap only for 1 euro.

train in Italy is very nice :) love it!

inside the train, the journey took almost 3 hours

from city and now approaching Cinque Terre area, so different view!

get off from the train

Riomaggiore Station

this way please

go downstairs, it's a must spot to visit!

swimming anyone?

wohooo

welcome to Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre! what a nice view!

I love the colors!

wander around the village

lemon is everywhere in Riomaggiore

espresso 1 euro

Next, I would go to Manarola so I go back to the station and heading there by train, 4 euro. It's just one station from Riomaggiore. Manarola, is another village where you can see those beautiful colourful buildings in faraway where you can see all those pictures for Cinque Terre all over the internet where brought me here.

It's not difficult to find the spot, everything is close from station, you can just follow people since most of them are heading to the same direction and that's what I did. Once I arrived at the spot, phew, it's so gorgeous! you can see the sea, the colourful buildings on the hill. Looks very nice and I am glad to be here, it's unbelievable for me. I love Cinque Terre! You can see from the pictures below.

next stop, Manarola :)

go upstairs

sunbathing?

follow that path

it's real! lovely Cinque Terre :)

love love love

beware the pickpocket sign on the right side

looks so beautiful Cinque Terre

At that time I was hesitated regarding should I go to Pisa Tower or not, it's not on my list though and my friend said, beside leaning tower, there is nothing to see there. I tried hard to think at Manarola, I keep starring the vending machine tickets and try to calculate how much time left that I have for that day since I will leave for Rome tonight from Florence.

Finally, I decided to stop by at Pisa Tower. It's actually a very quick stop to see Pisa Tower and woww I don't think I can do a trip like this if I didn't traveling alone. Bought the ticket for 10.9 euro, I asked the lady in tourist information how to go to Pisa Tower and instead get off at Pisa Central Station, I need to get off at Pisa S. Rossore Station, and walk from there for around 10 minutes which is not too far.

So, I waited for the train and Pisa Tower, I am coming! Get off from the train and walked to the Pisa Tower, well I guess since I enter the back side, I was passing the complex of houses and it's too quite so I felt I need to walk fast haha. Passing the street and there you will find some people gather and try to sell like selfie stick, etc. It was indeed the right decision to get off on that station because it's not far from station, about 10-15 minutes walk. 

My train to Pisa S. Rossore

I wish I can stop for a moment there, sunflowers are everywhere! pretty!!

10-15 minutes walk then you arrived :)

Pisa Tower is one of 7 wonders of the World so no wonder if it would be so crowded. But the things that make me interesting to see was not because of that leaning tower but it's because of how those people trying to be creative to take photo with that leaning Pisa Tower, it's just so funny and I took some video for it haha.

I am happy because I could see this Pisa Tower and yes, my friend was right, beside Pisa Tower there's nothing interesting to see anymore. There are also several buildings there but well I seen lot of buildings already. So, for me at least I know already about this Pisa Tower and decided to go back to station imediately and went back to Florence. I took the train to Florence, cost is 8.4 euro. I remember I need to run to find vending machine, bought the ticket directly since I only have limited time before my next train is coming according to the schedule. I guess I only spent less than 30 minutes at Pisa Tower.

Do you spotted Tower of Pisa?

Pisa Tower checked! :)

soooo crowded

back to station and waiting for my train to Florece

Arriving in the station and then I decided to explore the Florence station (Firenze Santa Maria Novella Station) a little bit, there were som shops downstairs and I found Kiko shop again, yay, I bought few make up again before heading back to my hotel to get my bags hehe. I will meet my friend at Florece Station around 7.30 PM and we will go to Rome together, I got travelmate in Rome :)

Back to the hotel and decided to sit down there because I felt I walked much on that day, so sitting and drinks a lot of water will help. The hotel officer was so nice they let me to wait there. So, I was just sitting there, using their Free Wifi before going to the station and meeting my friends there. I had another McD for dinner in the station while waiting my friend to come and we met then we continue our journey to Rome using Italo train (19.9 euro/person), journey will take about 1.5 hours.

My hotel in Florence, Hotel Ottaviani, 24 euro/night for mixed dorm

Once we arrived at the station, Rome Tiburtina, we took another metro (1.5 euro) to go to our hostel, we stayed at Legend R.G Hostel near Rome Termini. It's night already like around 11 PM but thankfully I am not alone this time. Since I traveling alone, I am avoiding to be outside alone especially at night. The hostel is mixed dormitory and I planned to stay just one night there and move to another hostel tomorrow, in here the cost is 19.42 euro/night + city tax 3.5 euro/night. The hostel was okay, the location is good since near the station but the facility is standard, they give free breakfast anyway like bread and tea/coffee.

me with Tower of Pisa

So I already in Rome now, and I am going to share what I did in Rome soon. Thank you so much for reading my travel diaries.

Have a crazy weekend!
MJ