Trails and Tastes of Cinque Terre: Our Stay at Sostio a Levante Agriturismo

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Adventure, Laughter, and Culinary Delights on the Italian Riviera

I’ve had a ton of fabulous travel experiences. But few things have given me more pleasure than the long weekend I spent with Carolyn and Kish on the Italian Riviera. I made a new friend—a Brazilian supermodel—and almost drowned in the Mediterranean Sea–topless. We hiked the death-defying trails that connect the five coastal towns in the pouring rain. And, I will never forget Luca’s Agriturismo and the food we ate while visiting Cinque Terre in Italy.

Table of Contents

• Adventure, Laughter, and Culinary Delights on the Italian Riviera
• Luca’s Agriturismo In Cinque Terre Sostia A. Levante
• Framura
• The Green Machine
• Luca
• Driving on Rails
• Driving up to Framura
• A Room with a View
• The Food at Sostio A Levante Agriturismo
• A Working Farm
• No Tourist Attractions
• Like it? Pin it!

Luca’s Agriturismo In Cinque Terre
Sostia A. Levante

We flew from Frankfurt Hahn Airport early Friday morning to Pisa Italy on my favorite discount airline RyanAir. Obce there, we purchased two tickets from the Information window. And I had to elbow a pushy Italian woman out of my way when she tried to cut the line. Luckily I was a lot stronger than her.

Framura

The first ticket took us from the airport to the train station 5 minutes away. And the other tickets bought us a seat on the train to Framura. It was the first town we’d visit and our gateway into the string of pearls along the Italian Riviera known as the Cinque Terre less than two hours away.

We sat back, watching the view from the windows change from the city’s concrete buildings to the craggy cliffs of stone that ran parallel to the sea. Until we finally arrived in the tiny Cliffside town of Framura. And the waves of the Mediterranean Sea lapped against the rocks below. White foam caps rose and fell as the seagulls plucked fish from its peaks.

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The Green Machine

We made our way across the actual train tracks being careful not to start our weekend at Luca’s Agriturismo with a visit to the emergency room. We had barely rested our tushes before our complimentary ride to our weekend home rumbled and screeched its way into the station. Suddenly, e looked up to see what has since been dubbed the ‘green machine’.

We half expected to see Shaggy and Scooby-Doo emerge from the driver’s seat. But were pleasantly surprised to meet Luca, our host for the weekend instead. Italy, not surprisingly, has some of the most colorful and flamboyant men in the world. And he was no exception.

Luca

Luca was a big guy, looked more 80s hair band than a hotelier. He spoke softly but with a dismissive tone that is rampant in countries where the men think they are so masculine but really isn’t based on American standards. He grabbed our bags, tossed them in the back, and climbed back in the driver’s seat in about 27 seconds.

Driving on Rails

Kish took a seat on the back row and Carolyn and I sat next to each other in the middle. Luca turned back on the ignition and spun off like a bat out of hell. I swear he took off on two wheels. The road to Framura wasn’t wide enough for two cars, but he drove like he didn’t know that. He beeped his horn whenever he came to a bend in the road where he couldn’t see impending traffic.

Driving up to Framura

The sun was setting over the mountain and for a split second, I questioned my judgment. It wouldn’t be the first or last time I would do that this weekend. Who knew? Kish screamed bloody murder and obscenities the entire ride up the mountain. Carolyn and I, just as scared, opted for the nervous laughter approach to dealing with our impending death.

We screamed in delight with every jerk of the wheel and realignment of our spine. Luca seemed unfazed by our crazy scream/laughter/crying at the top of our lungs. Or maybe that’s how he entertained himself by scaring his guests half to death on the steep climb up to Framura.

Where we Stayed: Sostio A Levante, Framura, an Agriturismo on the coast.

A Room with a View

We rented a large room at the Sostia A Levante, a bed and breakfast high up in the mountains with sea views. That 20-minute ride up the hill to the agriturismo lasted a lifetime. However, we were alive when we reached our final destination. No pun intended.

Kish stepped out of the green machine on wobbly knees. The agriturismo, or working farm, produced organic wine, olive oil, honey, and cheese.

The Food at Sostio A Levante Agriturismo

The bed and breakfast prided itself on being a time capsule of sorts. The rooms don’t have a television. The furniture is eco-friendly, and all the food is organic. I was very excited about the food. All the reviews stressed how good it was and how it exceeded their expectations.

Everything was delicious. We ate eggplant Parmigiano the first night and roasted lamb the next. I think we managed two bottles of wine and dessert with dinner each night. We really expected the bill for dinner to be much more than it was. But the morning we left, we each paid a measley $60 for two of the best meals I’d ever eaten—to this day.

A Working Farm

Fruit trees and grapevines scented the air. The dogs and cats roamed lazily about the morning Carolyn and I decided to do CrossFit in the yard. Luca came out and took one look at us, said STOP that right away, whispered something under his breath, and walked off. I remember thinking all this place needed was a pool.

Luca put one in a few years ago. All it needs now is ME!! During breakfast the next day, I met Fredrick and Natalie, a French couple from Strasburg who offered us a ride down to the train station. I think I saw Kish shed a tear of happiness.

No Tourist Attractions

We hiked from Monterosso to Vernazza in the pouring rain. The trail was slippery and steep, and more than once, Kish said she wanted to turn back. But we kept going, stopping often to catch our breath and take in the misty views of the Ligurian Sea below. When we finally reached Vernazza, drenched but proud, we rewarded ourselves with a long lunch and a scoop of gelato before deciding to keep going.

The plan was to climb on to Corniglia, but Kish wasn’t having it. We backtracked and caught the train instead. From Corniglia, we continued to Manarola, where we walked the famous Via dell’Amore. It was the most romantic stretch of the hike, carved into cliffs that dropped straight to the sea. Afterward, we took the train to Riomaggiore, then back to Monterosso to cool off with a swim.

I had forgotten to wear my swimsuit under my clothes. There were no changing rooms, and after struggling to stay modest behind my towel, I gave up and stripped down. The beach was rocky, and every wave that hit me loosened my top again. The Italian men onshore cheered each time it slipped free. Then a stunning Brazilian woman named Andrea—who turned out to be a model—waded over and helped me tie it tighter. We sat on the rocks for hours, laughing, talking, and making sure neither of us drowned in Italy.

Everything we ate was delicious– especially at Luca’s Agriturismo. There are no museums or tourist attractions per se along the Cinque Terre. I hope that always stays the same: restaurants, family-owned shops, B&Bs, hiking trails, and the sea. The drive back to the station in the Green Machine a few days later could have been more adventurous.

Agriturismo Sostio a Levante

Località Montebello, 1, 19014 Framura SP, Italy
Website: [sostioalevante.com](http://www.sostioalevante.com)
Phone: +39 0187 824284

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