The Cinque Terre

On Sunday June 23, Michael, Angie and I drove two hours up to northwestern Italy to the city of La Spezia, where we parked the car and caught the train to the Cinque Terre.  The Cinque Terre (CHINK-wah TEAR-a), literally translated as the “Five Lands”, is a series of 5 walk-about villages  clinging to a remote stretch of mountainous Mediterranean Riviera coastline – yes, the Riviera coastline.  This lesser known region of Italian Riviera is adjacent to and crosses into the more famous French Riviera, in a part of the Mediterranean known as the Ligurian Sea. 

Going to the Cinque Terre is a beautiful, rugged, seaside excursion, and the region is a true Mecca for experienced hikers.  It was one of Mike’s “must do” things during his visit with us, as well as for Angie and I since we had never been there.  The five towns (from south to north) are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso.  We elected for a two night stay in a studio apartment in Manarola, which proved to be a truly charming seaside fishing village.

Manarola was perfect for us - not only did it offer challenging hiking opportunities to Corniglia and beyond, it had good access to the sea despite its rocky coastline.  

 After our room check in we spent the afternoon exploring around town, getting a bite to eat, and hiking up the limited open portion of the coastal route for a different perspective on the town.

The next morning it was Boatmix for breakfast and then we were out the door heading to the top of town where we picked up the trailhead for trail 6. 

 Because of the horrific mudslides of 2011 there are still a few hiking trails closed, most notably the easy Via Dell'Amore ("Love Walk") between Riomaggiore and Manarola, and all but the first few hundred meters of the #2 coastal trail from Manarola to Corniglia.  Nevertheless, the #6-6d-7 trail complex that goes from Manarola up into the mountains and then down to Corniglia is open, and its vistas down to Corniglia, and back upon Manarola, are staggeringly beautiful. 

#6 is a moderate to difficult route for experience hikers – because the trail is scarcely a foot wide at times with steep drop offs, good hiking boots are required and trekking poles are helpful.  After two hours of serious hiking we started coming down into the town of Corniglia.

The three of us paused for a caffe americano in Corniglia, after which Mike decided to take some time on his own to explore the town.  Angie and I found the trailhead for the #2 coastal route, and pressed on to the next town of Vernazza.

The #2 coastal route is open all the way from Corniglia to Vernazza.  This is a bit more of a moderate route that can be done in sneakers but there are still plenty of steep steps.  The views and vistas of the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea are just breath taking.

An hour and a half later we came into sight of the tiny jewel of a town, Vernazza. 

Vernazza is a bit smaller than Manarola with a smaller harbor too, but it is every inch as charming if not more. 

 By this time Angie and I were ready for a proper late afternoon lunch, but the Ristorante Castello that overlooks the sea at the tower in Vernazza was still closed for renovation (scheduled to reopen July 1).  Luckily the outstanding Ristorante Belforte was open and it has tremendous panoramas over the sea.  We were fortunate to get a table on the small “front porch” balcony.  Though upscale and a bit pricey, their food and service were excellent. 

Like so many restaurants in the Cinque Terre, Belforte specializes in seafood.  We both ordered Gilt-head sea bream cooked with tomatoes, potatoes, and olives and it was just awesome, however, I could not resist a picture of one of the restaurant’s other specialties!

After lunch we took the train two towns south back to our hotel in Manarola.  The trains are the best connector between the five villages, but during the summer they often run behind schedule and are impossibly crowded during daytime.  Nonetheless, Tuesday we took the train north for a beach day at the northern most town, Monterosso.  

Monterosso was the fourth, and the biggest of the towns we visited.  Although Manarola and Vernazza have water access, Monterosso is the only town that has a real beach.  This means it is the most crowded with tourists, and unfortunately the town has been forced to trade off some of its authentic Italian fishing village charm to provide resources and infrastructure for all of them.  Although I would not choose to stay to Monterosso, it is fun to go for a day and take a relaxing swim in the Mighty Med.  Speaking of which, the allure of the Cinque Terre really resonated with Angie and I, and we plan to go back later in the year when the heat and the crowds subside. 

Michael, Angie and I returned home from Cinque Terre Tuesday evening 6/25.  Friday the 28th was Mike's last full day with us, and it was Alex's first day with us.  We celebrated our first time together in over 7 months with a wonderful dinner at Ristoro l'Antica in Tavarnelle.