ITALY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1234

Arrival in Riomaggiore
The bus shuttles locals and tourists up and down Riomaggiore's steep main street and con-
tinues to the parking lot outside town (€1.50 one-way, €2.50 round-trip, free with Cinque
Terre Park Card, 2/hour but almost comically erratic, main stop at the fork of Via Colombo
and Via Malborghetto, or flag it down as it passes).
Helpful Hints
Internet Access: The park shop/information office has four Internet terminals upstairs,
plus Wi-Fi (€1.50/20 minutes, daily May-Sept 8:00-22:00, Oct-April 8:00-19:30). La
Zorza Café and Bar Centrale both offer free Wi-Fi with the purchase of a drink (see
“Nightlife in Riomaggiore,” later).
Laundry: A self-service launderette is on the main street (€3.50/wash, €3.50/dry, daily
9:00-19:30, run by Edi's Rooms next door, Via Colombo 111).
Self-Guided Walk
Welcome to Riomaggiore
(See “Riomaggiore” map, here .)
Here's an easy loop trip that maximizes views and minimizes uphill walking.
• Start at the train station. (If you arrive by boat, cross beneath the tracks and take a left,
then hike through the tunnel along the tracks to reach the station.) You'll come to some...
Colorful Murals: These murals, with subjects modeled after real-life Riomaggiorians,
glorify the nameless workers who constructed the nearly 300 million cubic feet of dry-stone
walls (without cement) that run throughout the Cinque Terre. These walls give the region
its characteristic muri a secco terracing for vineyards and olive groves. The murals, done by
Argentinean artist Silvio Benedetto, are well-explained in English.
• Head to the railway tunnel entrance, and ride the elevator to the top of town (€0.50 or €1
family ticket, free with Cinque Terre Park Card, daily 8:00-19:45). If the elevator is closed
(likely), hike around to the left, following the road up and then right to the...
Topo'theTown: Hereyou'retreatedtospectacularseaviews.Tocontinuetheviewfest,
go right and follow the walkway (ignore the steps marked Marina Seacoast that lead to the
harbor). It's a five-minute level stroll to the church. You'll pass under the offices of the dis-
graced national park president and the city hall (flying two flags), with murals celebrating
the heroic grape-pickers and fishermen of the region (also by Silvio Benedetto).
• Before reaching the church, pause to enjoy the...