Cinque Terre

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, September, 2001

The Cinque Terre (literally the five lands) is a series of five villages along the Ligurian Sea.  But, you probably already knew that because the Cinque Terre has almost become the fourth "can't miss" destination in Italy along with Rome, Venice and Florence.

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, September, 2001

 It has become so popular, in fact, that tourism is actually being limited to the area. That's because of the delicate ecosystem of the hiking trails and the fact that most of the towns (Monterosso being the exception) do not have large hotels to cater to all the visitors.  Add to that the cruise ship daytrippers who trek in from nearby ports and you've got a crush of humanity that wreaks havoc on tiny towns without the infrastructure to handle the influx.

Still, the Cinque Terre is worth the visit. The charm of each town is hard to beat.  The colorfully painted houses, the fantastic food (especially the pesto), and local wine would be enough.  But, then there's the view.  Everywhere you go, you see another picture begging for a spot on your Instagram feed.

Cinque Terre, September, 2001

 There's a little train that runs along the coast and can take you from one end of the Cinque Terre to the other in about 15 minutes.  But, the most fun you can have is hiking the trails between the towns.

Some people hike a portion of the trail, others complete the whole thing in a single day, still others do the trail over several days.  How you hike the trail is up to you, but there are a couple of things to know before you set out.

First, the hiking trail is part of the Cinque Terre National Park and you have to buy a ticket to get on the trail.  You can get your tickets at information booths in each of the five towns.  Prices depend on number of days and people.  

Also, be sure to check that the trails you want to hike are open the day you want to go.  Trails can be closed due to maintenance or damage from flooding.  Remember, this is extremely hilly and rocky terrain, held together by ingenious engineering and hard work, but retaining walls collapse over time and flooding has been a problem in recent years.

Pick the best trail for your level of fitness.  If you want to hike the whole thing, it will take at least five hours and maybe quite a bit longer depending on how long you stop and if you choose to explore the towns along the way.  

The trails from Monterossa to Vernazza and Vernazza to Corniglia are the most strenuous with lots of steep steps and narrow passages.  But, you will be rewarded with incredible views of the Ligurian Sea and wander through the severely terraced vineyards.  Each of these two difficult sections of the trail take at least two hours to complete.

Cinque Terre ferries captured from the hiking trail, September, 2001

 Lots of folks pack a picnic and find a spot along the trail for their meal.  This is a great idea, but consider the fact that you'll have to haul all that food with you, and haul out the trash when you're done.  

When we hiked the trail, we decided to stop at a restaurant in Corniglia.  Since we had completed the most difficult part of the trail, and it was warm that day, we sat our sweaty bodies down outside, so as not to offend the other diners.  Maybe it was because we were starving from our hike, but the pesto was out of this world!  This region of Italy makes claim to inventing pesto (they're not the only ones, however) and we had the best pesto of our lives while visiting the Cinque Terre.

View of Corniglia from the Cinque Terre hiking trail, 2001

After Corniglia, the trails get quite a bit easier, hiking to Manorola only takes 45 minutes and then to Riomaggiore it's an easy 30 minute hike on a paved sidewalk.  

When you're done with your hike, you might want to take a siesta and a shower before going out for the evening.  There are tons of little inns and B&Bs in all five towns, some with great views.  Our room had a tiny terrace where we enjoyed some local wine and focaccia.

View of a Cinque Terre vineyard from our room, September, 2001

Of course, you'll want to get out of your room in time for the passeggiata, the Italian custom of taking a walk before dinner.  Everyone in town comes out to promenade in the early evening, young couples with children, teenagers showing off, older folks, everyone is outside visiting and maybe getting a gelato.  Join in and before too long you'll be trying to figure out how to stay longer.

Some residents of the Cinque Terre taking a break from the passeggiata, September, 2001

***

If you enjoyed this story, you might like my novel Truffle Hunt
Order the Truffle Hunt ebook at Amazon
Order a softcover copy of Truffle Hunt at Eckhartz Press