photo credit: Anna Fischer via photopin cc
Cinque Terre, an awry of five small villages cut in serrated cliffs and filled with olive groves located between Levanto and La Spezia is one of Italy’s most gorgeous places. The Five Lands, Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza and Monterosso, were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. Equally beautiful with stunning scenery, each of the five villages is worth visited.
8 Reasons to Visit Cinque Terre
Off the Beaten Path
A big plus is that compared with other destinations in Italy, these small villages are accessible only by train. Even though their popularity has increased in the past years, it’s still a place where visitors come to relax and escape the daily routine.
Purchase a pass and explore the trails between the fishing villages. Depending on the visiting time of the year, the paths are either opened or closed due to landslides.
Water Sports in Riomaggiore
Riomaggiore is the best place for diving, snorkelling and kayaking. There is the possibility of fishing or just sunbathing on the rocks.
Beaches and Swimming
In Monterosso, the sandy beaches invite tourists to take a seat on one of the chairs available to rent, grab a cold beer and enjoy the sun. What would you want more? The second choice of sunbathing is in Vernazza at the harbour. The quietest swimming place is Corniglia. Here, the harbour can only be reached by a staircase.
Breathtaking Views
No matter where you stay, the view will be equally charming. There is no point choosing a four star hotel over a quite B&B run by a family or an old lady. Even if the view will be a building or the sea, it will be the most stunning view you will see. Visitors that hadn’t much luck finding a place to rest in Cinque Terre, the locals from the nearby towns like La Spezia and Levanto are always eager to host tourists.
Travel by Ferry
Visitors that are not fans of walking between towns have the possibility to take the ferry. It’s a more expensive option, but the scenery is unforgettable.
Walk Along Sentiero Azzuro
The five small towns are interconnected by The Light Blue Trail, a stunning path along the cliffs. It’s a great way to visit the villages and enjoy the sea. Between Manarola and Riomaggiore, the path is also named the Love Walk. This paved trail is cut into the cliff and is the most suitable place to pop the question.
Delicious Food and Unique Wine
The Ligurian dishes will blow anyone’s mind. Locals have a great respect for the fragrances and flavours. The possibilities are endless from fresh seafood to rice pie, mussels, farinata, vegetable pies and anchovies, any meal will definitely knock your socks off, so to speak.
Sciacchetra is a dessert wine, native to this region. Basically is the perfect mixture between Vermintino, Albarola and Bosco grapes with a honey-ish, sweet flavour.
Charming with Lovely People
Cinque Terre is picturesque place where you have to pinch yourself at every step. Locals are lovely and ready to help anyone asking for directions even with the language barriers. The only language you need to know is the language of eating bruschetta and drinking wine. A glass of limoncello comes with a local ready to speak about this piece of heaven.
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