Today I’m sharing the photos I took while travelling along the Italian coast by the Ligurian sea – through the quaint villages known as Cinque Terre.
The name translates to “The Five Lands”, and it refers to the five villages called Monterosso, Corniglia, Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Vernazza. They’re part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and for a reason.
These little towns are full of color – ranging from pastel hues to vivid reds and an occasional blue boat. My photos are not even close to what you can see on the postcards or on a quick Google search, but they probably still make you want to just book a trip. Imagine the views from these windows above the rocks below!
The vegetation is just as beautiful as the architecture. Sometimes you meet a tree sprinkled with snow white blossoms, a few steps ahead you’re greeted by a lush bougainvillea bush and a fig tree.
The hills in the back are hosting tiny vineyards, orchards and olive groves. The Mediterranean climate is perfect for them, and you can find many little shops in the villages, selling local products to the tourists.
If you picture Italy from old movies, this is what you probably imagine. Including the pants drying on a string.
You can see the walking trail right above the cliff. Definitely worth a trip while enjoying the scenery and observing the boats taking out to the sea. These are also mainly serving the tourists that want to enjoy the views from the distance.
In the past, all those hills were used for agriculture, but there's not as much interest these days, with tourism being the biggest money maker. Still, the region is famous for producing olive oil, some local wines, basil pesto, grappa (of course) and even gelato made from local honey. Having a sweet tooth, I enjoyed gelato the most.
The villages are really tidy and neat - the entrance of this post office was even decorated with flowers and ivy.
This cactus found a perfect place to enjoy the sun and the sea breeze.
Wouldn't it be nice to have one of these little gardens? Probably a perfect place for growing tomatoes and bell peppers.
If you're a lover of nature, you'd definitely enjoy visiting this place, like I did.
Most people know Italy for Rome, Florence, Napoli or Milano, but for me, the beauty of little places surrounded with nature like this one beats any city. What do you say?