Jane and Kristi Travel Europe 2012: Cinque Terre

“Cinque Terre” means “Five Lands” and is a rocky coastline with 5 villages connected by trails and rails. The canyon walls have a million terraces with rows and rows of vineyards and gardens. It’s a national park – but gladly not too overrun with tourists. The hiking trails (some upper, some lower) follow the coastline and so does the rail line. So, the idea is that you can hike to a village or 2 and catch the train back. It’s so beautiful, convenient, quaint – it’s the perfect place to visit. People are out enjoying the beauty, the villagers are tending their stores, gardens and vineyards – it’s a very cool vibe.

We’re staying in village #2: Manarola. Wow, what a view!! We had a lovely coffee on our balcony overlooking the sea before heading to breakfast this morning. Note: croissant with nutella spread = good. We loved our heart cappuccinos too (see photos below).

Because the lower path between Manarola and Corniglia was closed due to last year’s flood, we hiked the upper trail around and over to Corniglia. The views straight down on the cliff trails overlooking vineyards and the rocky cliff coast - amazing! We caught a train from Corniglia (#3) to Monterosso (#5 - the most north of the 5 villages) to have lunch, swim in the sea and hang out on the beach.

Although it was a hot and longer-than-expected afternoon hike back to Vernazza (#4), the views were stunning. This whole place is stunning. Caught a train back to Manarola, showered, drank some Prosecco in the room and waiting for a 9 p.m. reservation at Billy’s Trattoria – the best food and ambience there is. We were seated on an outdoor a terrace with 5 other tables (there were several other terraces of tables too) with high/vertical steps between. Everything here – even the trails – have high vertical steps. So we asked the server for a local Cinque Terre white; she suggested ‘this white – it’s made right over there’ and then pointed across the canyon to this one family’s vineyard (see photo). Awesome!

Every morning at our B&B Da Baranin :)

The high trail between Manarola and Corniglia (and you can see train tracks on the coast way

below leading into the cliff-side town of Corniglia)

Cinque Terre coast somewhere on the trail overlooking Vernazza

At Billy's restaurant - Kristi pointing to the vineyard where this wine was made (in Manarola village)

Coast to the left, vineyards to the right

Descending to Corniglia

Tuesday: and after a slower more chill morning, we set out on the Corniglia to Vernazza trail. Again, beautiful and stunning. We stopped at the first trailside restaurant in Vernazza for a great pesto lasagna, bruschetta and beer and moseyed our way through the village and harbor and then back to the train station to our B&B for an afternoon siesta.

Later, we’ll walk the 20 minute trail from here to Riomaggiore (#1) called the Via dell’ Amore – an easy/short hike to the first village. That will be the final leg of the coastal trails connecting all 5 villages. Although some trails were harder (particularly the Monterosso to Vernazza part) – all of these hikes are fun and totally worth it!

Good morning Manarola!

Coastline between Vernazza and Monterosso

View from trail-side restaurant overlooking Vernazza

Trail-side restaurant overlooking Vernazza

This morning we went out on a boat, The Billy. Andrea, our hotel host, invited us to go out on a boat with his friend, Massimo (the skipper), his brother and brother’s wife and daughter, and another couple from Australia. We rode down the coast, getting a sea perspective of Cinque Terre, down to Porto Venere (see fort pics below), before heading back up the coast and dropping anchor for some lunch and snorkeling. So amazing. (anchovy sandwiches….actually pretty good…).

After returning from that boat trip, we took to train up to Montorosso for an afternoon sitting under a big umbrella at the beach, watching people, reading and napping.

We finished the evening with a train ride all the way south to Riomaggiore, a quick dinner and a perfectly timed sunset walk down the Via Dell’Amore, the famous 20 minute walk along coastal cliffs between Manarola and Riomaggiore, where couples “lock” their love by adding a lock (combination, key, or other) to the thousands of other locks already affixed to whatever can hold them. We got some great sunset pictures of that walk, and then celebrated with a gelato before heading back up the hill to our hotel.

A stellar last day in the Cinque Terre!

Tomorrow we are to catch a morning train over to Venezia!