Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre (Five Lands) is a coastal area in the northwest of Italy. It lies west of La Spezia and has five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Cinque Terre area is a trendy tourist destination. You cannot get from one city to another by car and can only visit them by train, bus or boat.
We decided to stay in La Spezia, the capital city of the whole province. This is a unique city with a beautiful port. The town is also over the hill and ends up into the sea.
From here we took the train to visit these hanging towns. The views and sunset were amazing. And as always in Italy, every time you eat something, it tastes like heaven. When people ask me about Italy, I always say: if you pick up a rock from the soil and eat it, it will taste amazing.
This is a dream and unique place to visit with a lot of things to do and see, but I managed to create a list of my top five things to do in Cinque Terre:
1- Eat fried seafood from a paper cone: In almost every spot, you can find locals frying seafood, like calamari or shrimp. This goes great with a Peroni (Nastro Azzurro!) and a view of the sea.
2 - Cliff jumping with locals: If you want to get your adrenaline pumping, you can jump into the sea from a cliff. I know, it sounds risky - my advice: follow the locals.
3- Go hiking: There are a lot of paths you can follow up the hill to enjoy the magnificent views of these small towns. Remember to bring water; it is not an easy journey
4- Go for a swim: The Mediterranean water is crystal clear. Enjoy a nice swim with the fish while you enjoy the views of the city.
5- Wait for the sunset: Grab another seafood cone and a Peroni. Climb a rock and enjoy the long, beautiful, and peaceful sunset. :D
We spent three days here, but it wasn't enough. The deep blue sea, and the streets and hills full of life. The way the small town melts into the sea is a rare and unique vision you have to see.