Hidden Gems of Italy’s West Coast

By: Monika Raczkowski
Posted In: Entertainment

The charter bus rides along the narrow, twisting road just a few feet away from the steep drop of a rocky Cliffside that lingers over the sparkling Mediterranean Sea. Around the bend hundreds of distant homes chisel into the cliff-side like children’s building blocks, stacked one on top of another.

Despite the beauty, warm Italian hospitality and rich history of these sea-side towns, many tourists neglect to visit villages such as Capri and Lucca instead choosing more popular cities like Florence and Rome. However, the relaxed Italian culture can be lost in frantic escapades to explore Rome in a day, or Florence in a few hours.

“Northern Italy, Rome and Milano are very cosmopolitan and so they are more typically in the mainstream of western cities,” said Dr. George Luzitano, Ph.D , and professor at Salve Regina.

There are no express lattes let alone take-away coffees in Italy and if you decide to go out to dinner, expect to spend a few hours at the restaurant.

“Service is often slow,” said Heather Abbate, an undergraduate studying in Rome. “The waiters won’t cater to guests nearly as much, but that is all part of the slow-paced culture.”

Abbate also stated that it is not uncommon for Italians to spend three or more hours sitting down at a restaurant with appetizers, multiple courses, dessert and coffee.

The tightly packed villages and leisurely lifestyle are characteristic of Italy and its west coast in cities such as Cinque Terre, Lucca, Viterbo and Amalfi, all hidden gems of Italy.

Cinque Terre, translated as the Five Lands, are five villages located to the north of Florence along the Mediterranean Sea. The five villages are Monterosso, Vernuzza, Corniglia, Moanarolu and Riomaggiole.

Kimberly Bruttomesso, a Boston College student, is spending the semester in Parma, Italy. She said it takes a daylong trip to walk through all five villages and visitors are able to start wherever they want.

“Cinque Terre is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen and those few hours were well worth the money and time spent traveling,” Bruttomesso said.

Cinque Terre is best known for its interconnecting paths that connect the villages and the man-made dry walls called “muretti” that have been constructed and maintained over hundreds of years. The muretti stand two meters high and about 11,000 km long making it comparable to the Great Wall of China.

A little less than 100 kilometers south is the city of Lucca. Established by the Romans in 180 BC after a long Etruscan rule, Lucca is now known for being the birthplace of the famous composer Giacamo Puccini. A wall remaining from Roman rule encompasses the city along with a forum and amphitheater.

“They have lots of markets outside, cute stores and good food,” Bruttomesso said. “You can rent a bike and ride around the medieval walls.”

She suggests trying their specialty pastry, a frate, a donut with a hint of lemon.

Further south is the city of Viterbo. Despite damage to 70% of the town during World War II, the medieval quarter was barely harmed. A surrounding wall, towers, palaces and houses still remain mostly intact.

“The medieval city of Viterbo is definitely worth seeing. Many parts still have the charm of an untouched 13th century town, located about sixty kilometers from Rome,” Abbate said. “Viterbo was the seat of the papacy in the early middle ages.”

Other attractions in the town include the 12th century Church of Santa Maria della Verit