Five small villages stretching across 6km of the Italian coast are so unique and charming that they made it to the UNESCO World Heritage List. I visited this place a few summers ago and it was an unforgettable experience.
Cinque Terre means Five Lands, and stands for five small coastal villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso. Cars are not allowed there so you can only reach them and travel from one to another by train or by foot. Sounds great! – until you see the waiting lines at the train station…
All aboard!
We forgot about the hustle from the station the second we stepped off the train and saw the cute houses squeezed together above the cliffs. Narrow streets were filled with tourists coming to see the place in the high season but it was totally expected so we just went with the flow.
Dark rocks gave a hollow tone to the sea which complemented nicely the buildings that were bathing in the sun.
The villages are connected with walking routes but many of them were closed so we traveled mostly by train.
The Mediterranean climate is perfect for these blooming bushes – I’m growing two at home now but they are not this pretty.
Until the tourism boom in the past few decades, the towns were poor and remote. Today, tourists are their main source of income but it’s nice to see that traditions and heritage are still alive and kicking. You will not find a chain store or a franchise fast food joint there. I was amused by this sign for a sea-food bistro. Siamo fritti translates to We are fried but figuratively it also means We’re screwed.
Corniglia is the only one of the five villages not on the water. When we reached its train station, we were welcomed by this sign. No turning back!
There was a zigzag footpath with 365 stairs (one for each day of the year) rambling up to the hilltop town. Talk about exercise! We powered up (pun intended) with a slice of delicious local focaccia at the top. I was too busy eating so I didn’t take a photo of it.
The views were splendid!
The last village, Monterosso, had a nice beach, too. It was really packed but we eventually managed to find a spot to relax and enjoy a rich and creamy gelato.
Arrivederci and don’t forget to upvote if you enjoyed it!