Discovering Cinque Terre

Much can be said about Cinque Terre, probably one of Italy’s most famous landmarks and part of the Unesco World’s Heritage list. I’ve seen the area in photos and videos for years, until opportunity knocked and I was able to visit this part of my country not once, but twice in a year. As the name says, Cinque Terre consist of five villages: coming from West you got Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

Vernazza

Hallmark to all these villages of fishermen are their colourful houses latched on cliffs that make for incredible sights you’ll never see anywhere else. One of the most valuable things here is the ability to visit all these villages thanks to a few paths and hiking trails, so you could actually walk from Monterosso, the westernmost villages to Riomaggiore, the easternmost one, and back!

Stormy days in Manarola

The view from above in the vineyard

Nowadays the area is always packed, so plan accordingly and try to avoid car as a means of transportation, parking lots are scarce and expensive and traffic can discourage even the bravest driver! Since every village, except Corniglia, is well connected, you should take the train into consideration: fares are cheap and rides are very short (about 5 mins each).

The beach in Monterosso a Mare. Oh, that water