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After searching for many years,
we have finally found a delightful offering in the Cinque
Terre. "Cinque Terre" is the collective name of
5 cliff-hugging villages at the southern end of the Italian
Riviera, just north of La Spezia. Until about a decade ago,
some of them were unreachable by car: you had to come by train
or by boat. Because the roads to get to them are narrow and
winding, tour buses cannot get there (too bad!), meaning that
they have retained much of their character. A delightful trail
along the sea leads from one village to the other. The Cinque
Terre really hold up against all the propaganda which has
been written about the area in the past few years. In fact,
the Cinque Terre make a great place to stay without
a car, since the train makes everything in the vicinity accessible,
and roads in summer are crowded.
La Vecchiona is a villa compound
located at the edge of Monterosso, northernmost of the Cinque
Terre. It has been in the family for many years. At one time,
it was the property of Eugenio Montale, Italy's Nobel-prize-winning
poet. The current owners, now in their 50's and 60's and living
in Rome, have spent every summer of their lives here. The
main house is set in woods within sight of the sea and of
the beach just a couple of hundred feet away. Yet it is completely
secluded in its own grounds. At the edge of the compound is
a second, smaller villa called La Cicogna. A more modern construction,
La Cicogna also enjoys beautiful views of the sea and is divisible
into two self-contained units. We offer three possibilities:
a lovely, elegant ground-floor flat called Il Giardino, located
in the main villa, for up to 4 persons; a terrace flat for
one couple in La Cicogna; or the entire La Cicogna, for up
to 7 persons.
Visitors to La Vecchiona will
want, naturally, to spend most of their time exploring the
Cinque Terre themselves. This will occupy a good 3-4 days
at the least. This affords the opportunity, which we at Vacanza
Bella never tire of touting, to get to know one community
more in depth than simple touring permits. For example, everything
in Monterosso is walking distance.
Besides the Cinque Terre themselves,
many other sights are conveniently visited by train or boat:
Genoa, Santa Margherita, Rapallo, Camogli, Levanto, Portovenere,
La Spezia, even Pisa and Lucca. Buses will transport you to
the charming hilltowns of the interior. If you do choose to
have a car, the autostrada is only a short distance away.
Il Giardino
Accommodates 4 — 2 Bedrooms
— 2 Baths
This a perfectly lovely ground-floor
flat with enchanting views over the sea, particularly from
the living room. In fact, Il Giardino is rather luxurious
and has its own delightful outdoor space immediately adjacent,
with an even more expansive view. The living room is comfortable,
with two sofas and other armchairs. There's separate dining,
plus a full kitchen with dishwasher and washing machine. One
bedroom is matrimonial, the other twin, with the latter somewhat
but not fatally inferior to the former. Two full baths. Phone.
Excellent for two couples.
There's parking for one car
only, plus a public paid parking lot at 200 feet for additional
vehicles. From La Vecchiona, all shopping, restaurants, bank,
post office, newsstand, and train station are within 5 minutes'
walk or less.
The owners aren't present at
La Vecchiona. They live in Rome. A friendly caretaker meets
you, gives you the key, and that's that. You've got to be
prepared to be completely independent here. Everyone without
exception has loved this property. Available spring through
fall except from early July to early September when the owners
are in residence.
One thing you must know about
La Vecchiona, especially those of you contemplating a stay
during "shoulder" season: June, early July, and
early September. Il Giardino is a flat, and Monterosso is
a resort town. Other accommodations in the Vecchiona compound
get to be increasingly occupied by their owners as summer
approaches, and these owners have families with children;
they sit out on terraces, run around the compound, talk on
their phones. The town itself gradually comes to vibrant life.
If you want absolute seclusion, therefore, this isn't the
place for you. We're talking resort here, and a family environment,
not a silent country retreat.
La Cicogna
Accommodates 2-7 — 1 Bedroom
& 1 Bath, or 4 Bedrooms & 3 Baths
Just at the entry gate to the
Vecchiona compound you'll find La Cicogna, a salmon-colored
building containing two self-contained flats which can easily
be joined. Upstairs is a spacious flat for maximum two persons.
(The owners keep one room locked for their personal belongings.)
This unit contains a large living/dining room, decent kitchen,
and bathroom with stall shower. What really transforms this
place into something extraordinary is the terrace which runs
the width of the building and which enjoys a wonderful view
of the sea which is just feet away. We can often imagine ourselves
lounging and dining on this terrace without a care in the
world.
Downstairs is another flat which
is only offered along with the upper, as it contains no outdoor
space. Here, though, there is another full kitchen open to
the living/dining room; 3 bedrooms: one matrimonial, one twin,
and one single; and 2 bathrooms, one a shower-tub combo, the
other with shower only.
Only the upstairs unit has a
telephone line and a television, while only the downstairs
unit has a dishwasher. Neither has a clothes washer, but Monterosso
has at least two laundries.
The downstairs unit is not rented
separately, though the owners may use it on rare occasions
if the upstairs alone is being rented. If you're one couple,
you can take the upstairs unit alone; if you're more than
that, you take both units together. And in either case, don't
expect fancy or hugely charming furnishings. La Cicogna is
a pleasant, clean, spacious seaside vacation home; Il Giardino
is significantly superior in terms of furnishings. At La Cicogna,
you're also likely to hear some sounds of passing pedestrians
and a few automobiles, though not many of the latter because
the road dead-ends. At the same time, you have the huge pluses
of being literally feet from the sea, and you can go everywhere
on foot, as the property is steps from banks, post office,
train station, boat dock, markets, restaurants, outdoor cafes,
the beach, and all other shopping.
One assigned parking space comes
with La Cicogna; any additional cars must be parked in the
nearby public lot (fee). And the same comments about independence
apply to La Cicogna as to Il Giardino. The owners are not
present. If a light bulb goes out, or if you run out of toilet
paper, you are the ones to go replace them, just as you would
at a rental here in the US.
La Cicogna is ideal for one
couple using the upstairs unit only or for an extended family
taking the whole thing. We think you'll like it, too.
|
Rates:
|
July - August
|
June,
Sept. |
Other
Periods |
Il Giardino
|
2,250
euros
per week |
1,950
euros
per week |
1,750
euros
per week |
La Cicogna
2 persons
(upstairs only) |
1,280
euros
per week |
1,150
euros
per week |
990
euros
per week |
La Cicogna
up to 4 persons |
1,870
euros
per week |
1,650
euros
per week |
1,490
euros
per week |
|
La Cicogna
up to 7 persons
|
2,390
euros
per week |
2,100
euros
per week |
1,950
euros
per week |
| Extras: |
Final cleaning: 100 euros; 150
euros if 5-7 persons at Cicogna
|
| Arrival: |
Any day of the week
|
Minimum
stay: |
1 week, with extra days pro-rated
|
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