Day 6: Cinque Terre

There is something truly magical about Cinque Terre. We had a full day here and it was beyond beautiful. Cinque Terre (meaning five lands) is a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the five towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties.

Riomaggiore

The five towns are:
Riomaggiore
Manarola
Corniglia
Vernazza
Monterossa

From La Spezia we took the train to each of the towns starting at Riomaggiore. Each stop is only a 2-3 minute train ride, but you can hike in between towns if you're feeling up to it. Considering we only had one day we decided against that, plus it was over 30 degrees and hot! We wanted to visit each village and spent about an hour in each place. My favourite was Manarola, built on a high rock 70 metres above sea level, and is in my opinion one of the most charming and romantic of the Cinque Terre villages. If you want that iconic photograph, Manarola is the place to get it.

Manarola

Each town is different and each worth seeing. If you're after a day lying on the beach, then head to Monetrossa. This is definitely the most 'touristy' of the towns but you can hire a sun lounge and have gelato all day, so it makes for a good day out. 

We stopped at Vernazza, a small fishing village, for lunch and if you like seafood, this is the place to be! Restaurants overlook the beautiful water but it can be a bit pricey so make sure you look at the menu before you sit down.

Manarola

Cinque Terre has been on my bucket list for a while now and I'm so pleased to be able to tick it off. To think people live in such a beautiful place is kind of hard to comprehend and I would definitely go back. If you can afford it, stay in one of the villages and experience their lifestyle. 

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