ITALY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1283

90, tel. [phone]). This place doubles as a cocktail bar in the evenings—see “Nightlife
in Monterosso,” earlier.
Ristorante Tortuga is the top option in Monterosso for sea-view elegance, with gor-
geous outdoor seating on a bluff and an elegant white-tablecloth-and-candles interior. If
you're looking for a place to propose, this offers the prettiest and most romantic dining in
town. When you're out and about, drop by to consider which table you'd like to reserve for
later. House specialties include cannelloni tortuga and filetto sciacchetrà (€15 pastas, €20
secondi, Tue-Sun 12:00-14:30 & 18:00-22:00, closed Mon, just outside the tunnel that con-
nects the old and new town, tel. [phone], mobile [phone], Silvia and Giamba).
Il Casello is the only place for a fun meal on a terrace overlooking the old-town beach.
Withoutdoortablesonarockyoutcrop,it'sapleasantspotforasalad,pasta,or secondi (€10
pastas, €15 secondi, daily April-Oct, closed Nov-March, mobile [phone], Bacco).
Light Meals, Take-Out Food, and Breakfast
(See “Monterosso al Mare” map, here . )
Lots of shops and bakeries sell pizza and focaccia for an easy picnic at the beach or on
the trail. Pizzeria la Smorfia —the local favorite for pizza—cooks up good pizza to eat in
or take out. Pizzas come in two sizes; the large can feed three (closed Thu, Via Vittorio
Emanuele 73).
At Il Frantoio, Simone makes tasty pizza to go or to munch perched on a stool (closed
Thu, just off Via Roma at Via Gioberti 1).
Focacceria da Ely makes airy focaccia and thick-crust pizzas for casual seating or
takeout (daily 10:30-20:00, until 24:00 in summer, Emigliano).
For a quick bite right at the train station (or on the beach), consider Il Massimo della
Focaccia .Massimo and Daniella serve local quiche-like tortes, sandwiches, focaccia pizzas,
anddesserts. Withbenches justinfront,thisisagoodbetfora€4light meal withaseaview
(daily, Via Fegina 50 at the entry to the station).
Breakfast : Most hotels include breakfast in the room rate. But if you're out looking for
breakfast, consider Bar Gio, near the train station onthe waterfront (continental breakfasts),
or Bar Davi, under the arch on Via Roma in the old town (with an American-style option,
daily from 7:00).
Cinque Terre Connections
By Train
The five towns of the Cinque Terre are on a pokey milk-run train line (described in “Getting
Around the Cinque Terre—By Train” on here ) . Erratically timed but roughly hourly trains