gelateria @ bar centrale

riomaggiore, italy

link to tripadvisor

after a confusing stop at the train station (the machine wouldn't take non-european credit cards and the ticket attendant didn't seem to mind that everyone in line was going to miss the next train), we eventually made it to riomaggiore, one of the colorful cinque terre towns. derek's parents enjoyed a café overlooking the ocean while derek and i hiked up to the top of the village along the main street lined with shops and restaurants. we took a detour on the way back and it was great fun exploring the steep and narrow stairways and passages where the residents live. it's amazing how they built everything into the side of the cliff. after all that walking, derek and i needed some refreshments. two foamy affogatos topped with whipped cream definitely did the trick.

lato g

santa margherita ligure, italy

website

warm night on the italian riviera - perfect for some gelato. i got one scoop of hazelnut and one scoop of milk chocolate, both precariously perched on a small sugar cone. walking around, enjoying our dessert, derek and i found an old staircase with a beautiful baroque church at the very top - chiesa di san giacomo. it looked very solemn, historical, and sacred. so what did we do? finished our gelato and then raced each other up the stairs. had to work off the gelato somehow.

reve cafe & restaurant

santa margherita ligure, italy

link to tripadvisor

santa margherita ligure was our home base for visiting the famed cinque terre in the italian riviera. definitely a resort town - lots of yachts and people who look like they own yachts. wandering around town, we liked the look of reve - a small but busy restaurant mostly hidden from the street. the harried proprietor cheerfully greeted us, asked us to wait, and then eventually let us sit outside in the courtyard. and we were just in time because many groups after us were turned away. the friendly proprietor kept apologizing for delays, but we were perfectly content enjoying the warm ocean breeze with a bottle of rosé. dinner was excellent - my pacchieri with anchovies was perfectly al dente. the santa margherita shrimp, cooked in lemon and olive oil, were incredibly fresh and juicy. mmm, shrimp juice.